Eating for Two: Part 8 – What is Missing from Most Prenatal Vitamins?

What’s Missing From Most Prenatal Vitamins?

Chromium is a mineral that helps manage blood sugar by working with insulin, which is super important during pregnancy. You only need about 30 micrograms daily, but many people don't get enough. You can find it in foods like brewer's yeast, onions, broccoli, turkey, tomatoes, Romaine lettuce, grape juice, ham, potatoes, green beans, liver, beef, chicken, oysters, eggs, wheat germ, green peppers, apples, bananas, and spinach. It's also in butter, molasses, and black pepper.

You won't typically find chromium in most prenatal vitamins or in many enriched breads and cereals. However, if you're eating a diet packed with whole grains and cereals, you'll likely get enough chromium.

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential polyunsaturated fats that are basically the building blocks for your baby's developing brain and retinas. It might surprise you, but the brain is about 60% fat! Moms can convert omega-3s into DHA, which is now a key ingredient in many baby formulas. DHA crosses the placenta preferentially over other similar fatty acids and becomes the main structural long-chain polyunsaturated fat in the brain, as long as there's plenty available. The amount available really depends on Mom's diet. If the supply is low, babies will build their brains using substitute ingredients.

Omega-3s offer many proven benefits for adults too, like better heart health, reduced inflammation, and fewer autoimmune issues.

Moms can get their needed omega-3s from fish, flax seeds, walnuts, vegetable oils (like canola or soybean oil, but be careful with most other oils), and to a lesser extent, eggs and meat. Pregnant women need about 1.4 grams per day. For example, ten ounces of salmon or two ounces of walnuts would give a pregnant woman enough omega-3s for an entire week. While these fatty acids aren't usually in prenatal vitamins, DHA supplements are readily available, offering a Modern solution.