A 2 Step Guide: How to Choose the Best Prenatal Vitamin, and why you should be taking one.
A 2 Step Guide: How to Choose the Best Prenatal Vitamin, and why you should be taking one.
When you become pregnant, or when you’re trying to become pregnant, your nutritional needs are going to change immediately. Two of the most significant changes are a need for more Iron to help with your blood health*, and more folate to help develop your neural tube.*
Outside of that, however, your typical nutrition needs from 23 other vitamins/minerals classified by the FDA as essential, are suddenly going to become more critical*, as you’re now supporting nutrition needs for two!
Why Take A Prenatal Though?
Doctors recommend prenatals because they support healthy pregnancies, prevent anemia, and help babies grow.
Almost every doctor on the planet is going to recommend you take a prenatal vitamin as studies show1 they help support healthy pregnancies, prevent anemia, promote fetal growth, and ensure that babies are born at a healthy birth weight.*
Choosing the Best Prenatal:
Two things make or break a prenatal: how much it covers (nutrient content) and how good those nutrients are (quality).
- Nutrient Content - When choosing a prenatal, the most important thing to consider is its nutrient content. Does it contain a wide range of Vitamins/Minerals? You should be able to count at least 25 lines on the supplement fact panel. If not, you’re leaving yourself open to potential gaps.* Does it Include Iron? If not, your chances of developing anemia increase.* (Be Aware – Gummies DO NOT contain Iron). Does it Have Folic Acid or Folate? This one is crucial, as your neural tube development depends on this nutrient.*
- Quality of Ingredients - The next thing to consider is the quality of the vitamin, and like most things in life, you usually get what you pay for.* There are several different ways to look for quality, and while we could go through every single one, the data on each is dizzying and, luckily, there is a quicker, easier way to search the supplement fact panel. You’ll usually be able to tell the quality by looking at just a handful of the vitamins or minerals listed on the back of your supplement facts panel.
A 2 Step Guide to Choosing the Right Prenatal For You:
Flip the bottle over and read 6 lines — the right word endings tell you instantly if it's high-quality.
Turn around the prenatal, and check to see if they use methylated, citrate, and glycinate sources. These are natural sources*, and is easier than it sounds, too, as you’ll be able to tell by looking for these words on six (6) lines.
- First, let’s look at the B12 line and Folate lines – If those lines contain a word starting with the letters “Meth” then you know you’re getting the best, Methylated forms. Hello better energy and neural tube support!*
Methylated forms are body-ready
On the B12 & folate lines, "Meth…" means the active form — no conversion needed.
Methylcobalaminactive B12 — "Meth…"body-readyMethylfolateactive folate — "Meth…"body-readyCyanocobalaminstandard B12needs convertingFolic acidstandard folateneeds converting - Next, let’s look for citrate or glycinate. Check out the Magnesium, Zinc, Manganese, and Selenium Lines. Are all four included? Do they end w/ the words citrate or glycinate? Then, Check! Stronger immunity and stress relief are included in this one!*
Four mineral lines to check
Chelated citrate & glycinate forms are natural and gentle on the stomach.
MagnesiumglycinateZincglycinateManganesecitrateSeleniumcitrate
The word ending tells the whole story
Same nutrient, very different absorption. Watch the methylated & -ate forms cross the line first.
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- Watch Out! If these lines end in the word “oxide” be aware! Oxide forms2 can cause an upset stomach, and their absorption rates are questionable at best.* An option w/ oxide is likely to be priced lower, because brands that use oxide here, are more likley to use cheaper ingredients across the board.*
- A simple way to remember: Just like Carbon Dioxide, Oxide isn’t too good either, and If you would eat it, then the word should end in ate.
At Root’d, we only use clean non-gmo ingredients, and always use high-quality glycinate, citrate, and methylated sources, amongst several others. While other great brands do as well, Root’d is the only brand to make an ahhh'mazing sparkling drink mix option with these fantastic sources, bringing a much needed third choice to the gummy/pill dominated vitamin aisle.
Pregnancy is hard enough, so Root'd was expertly formulated to give you more than just a handful of nutrients, giving your daily routine a BOOST!*
Powder vs pills vs gummies
A much-needed third choice in the gummy/pill-dominated vitamin aisle.
- ✓ 25+ nutrients
- ✓ Includes iron
- ✓ 0g added sugar
- • Often several daily
- • Can include iron
- • Harder to swallow
- ✗ No iron
- ✗ Often added sugar
- ✗ Fewer nutrients
Pick your Root'd
Choose your supply
🔒 100% Love Guarantee · 25 nutrients + electrolytes · 0g added sugar
Talk with your doctor or Care Provider:
Bring the free Root'd guide to your next appointment — it covers prenatals in general, not just ours.
As with any major life change, you should always talk with your doctor or care provider to understand your health, and specific needs. To see if Root’d is best for you, download this guide, to take with you on your next doctor's visit. It will help you talk about prenatal’s in general, not just ours.
Also, check out these other great resources:
FAQs
Questions we hear most
Look at two things: nutrient content and quality. You should be able to count at least 25 lines on the supplement fact panel, and it should include iron and folate. Then flip the bottle and check that 6 key lines use methylated, citrate, and glycinate forms rather than oxide.
No — gummies do not contain iron. Skipping iron raises your chances of developing anemia, so it's an important line to check for.*
Oxide forms can cause an upset stomach and their absorption rates are questionable at best.* An option with oxide is also likely priced lower because those brands tend to use cheaper ingredients across the board. A simple way to remember: if you'd eat it, the word should end in "ate."
Root'd uses clean non-GMO ingredients and high-quality glycinate, citrate, and methylated sources. It's the only brand to make a sparkling drink mix prenatal with these sources — a third choice in the gummy/pill-dominated vitamin aisle.*
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