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Hey! Yes, this would be fine to include! Commercially made aioli will be made with pasteurized eggs/egg products, so it isn’t considered a concern in the same way that homemade aioli made with raw eggs might be.
Hey! We have a detailed note on folate in the library that discusses the differences between folate and folic acid, including why many of my dietitian colleagues and I favor the active form of folate (L-methylfolate) in supplements.
One of the reasons for this preference is that L-methylfolate is already in its biologically active form and doesn’t require the same conversion steps as folic acid. Research also shows that it can effectively support folate levels in the body.
Ultimately, the goal is to provide you with the research and information available to make an informed decision about what’s best for you. The best prenatal choice can also depend on your individual needs, dietary intake, and health history.
Hey! Unfortunately, finding a combination of no alternative sweeteners (stevia, monk fruit, or artificial sweeteners) and third-party testing is surprisingly difficult!
I can’t speak to the taste of Untammed, but the company does report third-party testing and has Certificates of Analysis available on its website, which is a positive in terms of transparency.
Another option you could consider is making your own mineral mocktail / electrolyte drink. We have some recipes in the Mineral Mocktail note in the library!
Hey! Omega-3s: Having the flaxseed oil in your prenatal alongside your Nordic Naturals DHA generally isn’t a concern. We recommend at least 200–300 mg of DHA daily during pregnancy, and some research supports higher amounts may be most optimal. There isn’t an established upper limit for omega-3s.
One thing I’ll add is that flaxseed oil provides ALA, a plant-based omega-3 that converts very inefficiently to DHA. So, while it contributes to your omega-3 intake, it isn’t a great substitute for a direct source of DHA anyway.
Rosemary extract: This is fine in this context! Rosemary extract is commonly used in supplements as an antioxidant to help preserve oils and prevent oxidation. It’s included in very small amounts and is different from taking concentrated rosemary supplements. I’d recommend avoiding high-dose rosemary supplementation during pregnancy because we don’t have enough safety data or evidence of benefit.
Flaxseed oil and rancidity: Flaxseed oil is sensitive to heat and oxidation, but that doesn’t automatically mean the oil in gummies is rancid. Manufacturers can take steps to protect these oils during processing and storage. Without testing the finished product, we can’t determine whether oxidation has occurred.
Vitamin D: Needs can vary quite a bit from person to person! I recommend checking vitamin D labs whenever possible to help guide the optimal amount for you.
And it’s great that you’re focusing on a nutrient-dense diet! Even with a well-rounded diet, a prenatal can be helpful for filling potential nutritional gaps and meeting the heightened demands of pregnancy. If gummies are what fits best, that’s certainly something you can work with while making sure your overall nutrient needs are covered!
Hey! We do have a guide on NAC in the library that I’d recommend checking out if you haven’t already! NAC has been studied for fertility and used during pregnancy, including early pregnancy. Overall, the research we have is reassuring, and there’s no established evidence of harm to the developing baby. It’s generally considered a low-risk, safe option during pregnancy.
Yes! Check out the Low-Mercury Seafood Guide in the app. It includes examples of lower-mercury seafood options that are good choices during pregnancy, along with a link to a downloadable guide that ranks seafood by mercury content, from lowest to highest. Fish with the highest mercury levels, such as swordfish, should be avoided during pregnancy. You can also find individual guides in the library for several types of seafood, including trout, catfish, tilapia, salmon, and tuna.
For this product specifically, I think this looks like a reasonable option from a quality standpoint! I like that it’s a single-ingredient product and Kuli Kuli also reports third-party testing.
Hey! In general, moringa is one herbal supplement that has actually shown some promising results for supporting breast milk production. Overall, research is still limited, and more studies are needed to better understand its effectiveness, optimal dosing, and long-term safety. With that said, the NIH LactMed database does report no serious short-term adverse effects in the breastfeeding mothers and infants studied.
If you’re interested in a moringa capsule/supplement, just like with any supplement choice, I would look for a high-quality, third-party-tested supplement to help ensure product quality and purity. The one tricky part is that there isn’t an established, evidence based dose for increasing milk supply.
I also have to mention that the foundation for establishing and maintaining milk supply is frequent and effective milk removal. If you’re experiencing low supply, I’d highly recommend working with an IBCLC to assess things like latch, milk transfer, feeding frequency, and any other underlying factors that may be contributing. Supplements may have a role, but they aren’t going to be a replacement for addressing those.
The final note, if you have a thyroid condition moringa can interact with some of the medications, like levothyroxine. It may be contraindicated in this case.
Hey! Yes, this looks fine! I don’t see any concerns with this bread.
Hey! Thanks so much for letting us know this is helpful information to have. We have added it to our list, and it is our goal to add this information to all of them.
Hey! Good question. Clove oil can be used after harvest on potatoes as a sprout suppressant.
Clove as a spice in typical food amounts is not something I’d be concerned about during pregnancy. For example, using a pinch in a soup recipe. More concentrated amounts, such as supplements or essential oils, are not something I’d recommend. This is pretty much the same story for many herbs and spices, largely because we don’t have good safety data on concentrated doses during pregnancy.
I would consider that different from the small amount that may remain on a potato after being used as a sprout suppressant. If the potatoes are still firm and aren’t green, sprouting, rotting, or otherwise showing signs of spoilage, they are generally still safe to eat.
Yes, looks good to me! Third-party testing and transparent results are always a big pro, too.
Hey! It is not an option I would recommend.
Smooth Move contains senna, which is a stimulant laxative. Senna itself is occasionally used during pregnancy, and the limited available data have not shown it causes harm, although other constipation relief methods are generally preferred first because we have more safety information on them.
The bigger reason I wouldn’t recommend Smooth Move specifically is that it’s an herbal blend that contains licorice root, which we generally recommend avoiding during pregnancy. The main concern is a compound called glycyrrhizin, which is thought to potentially interfere with cortisol metabolism and, in higher amounts, possibly raise blood pressure and affect fluid/electrolyte balance.
There was a well-known study out of Finland that found higher maternal intake of glycyrrhizin from licorice during pregnancy was associated with lower IQ scores and more ADHD-type symptoms in children. It’s important to note that this was observational research, so it cannot prove that licorice caused these outcomes, and the findings were associated with higher intakes. However, there also isn’t a clearly established safe amount during pregnancy.
Because of this uncertainty, the Finnish Food Authority lists licorice as not recommended during pregnancy, although it also notes that small occasional amounts are not considered harmful. We generally suggest avoiding licorice-root teas and supplements and being cautious with herbal blends containing it, especially when they would be consumed regularly.
That doesn’t mean that having one cup has been shown to cause harm, but it wouldn’t be my preferred staple choice.
For constipation, I’d start with the basics: adequate fluids, gradually increasing fiber, fruits such as prunes or kiwi, magnesium, and regular movement. If needed, a fiber supplement such as psyllium husk could be another option.
Hey! Spearmint tea is likely fine to incorporate in moderation during pregnancy. Such as a cup here and there.
Spearmint hasn’t been extensively studied in pregnancy. It has also been studied for its anti-androgen effects, and in small studies of women with PCOS/hirsutism, drinking it twice daily lowered testosterone levels. We don’t have good research showing whether that hormonal effect is significant during pregnancy.
For those reasons, I’d stick with occasional/moderate intake rather than drinking multiple cups every day.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing this product, I’m excited to take a deeper look.
Hi! I took a look, and the non-caffeinated options look fine from an ingredient standpoint during pregnancy. It’s also a pro that they are third-party tested. The caffeinated varieties aren’t ‘unsafe’ it’s just you’d need to account for the caffeine in your overall daily intake.
The main thing I’d note is that the potassium and magnesium amounts are fairly minimal compared with many electrolyte powders. That isn’t necessarily a problem, you can absolutely get potassium and magnesium through food, but it’s something to be aware of.
You would also still want to drink plenty of water/fluids alongside them.
Hey! Hydroponic lettuce could have some advantages because it’s grown in a more controlled environment and isn’t exposed to soil in the same way as field-grown lettuce. However, I wouldn’t necessarily be able to say “lower risk” for Listeria or Cyclospora across the board. Contamination could still happen through water, equipment, handling, or during packaging.
That said, the major recent Cyclospora outbreak was linked to iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico, not specifically to hydroponic lettuce. I would personally feel comfortable eating the hydroponic lettuce you’re describing, but unfortunately I can’t say that it’s lower risk in general just because it’s grown this way.
With any raw produce that moves through our food production and handling system, there is always going to be some level of foodborne illness risk.
Hey! Some easy ideas include:
– Whole-grain crackers or graham cracker with peanut butter
– Pretzels with a cheese stick
– Bagged popcorn
– Toast or a rice cake with nut butter
– Half of a banana or some applesauce with peanut butter
– Other kinds of bars, like RX bar (some other ideas in the protein bar note in the library!)
– A small handful of trail mix or nuts like pistachios
– Greek yogurt, if something cold sounds good
– Half of a turkey and cheese or pb&j sandwich if you’re feeling hungrier
– Mini bagel with cream cheese
– ClementineIf you’re not already, I’d also consider trying a snack before bed to see if it helps reduce overnight nausea.
Hi! Bubbies fermented pickles and Mother-in-Law’s Kimchi are raw, unpasteurized fermented products, and Bubbies Sauerkraut is also naturally fermented and contains live cultures. I do encourage including a variety of fermented, probiotic-rich foods when tolerated because of their potential gut-health benefits. There’s more info on this in the notes on probiotics and top fermented foods.
From a pregnancy food-safety perspective, there is a little nuance. The CDC and FDA specifically recommend choosing pasteurized milk/dairy products and juices during pregnancy because pasteurization helps eliminate potentially harmful pathogens. They don’t specifically list commercially prepared fermented vegetables like kimchi, sauerkraut, or fermented pickles as foods that need to be avoided during pregnancy. However, they broadly say to avoid unpasteruized products, and because these foods are eaten raw and haven’t undergone a heat step to eliminate potential pathogens, I can’t say they are completely risk-free.
With that said, again, I think there are benefits to consuming fermented foods, and I personally like these as an option during pregnancy. I would feel comfortable including them provided good food safety practices are implemented, such as the seal is intact when purchased, they’re within date, and they’re consistently kept refrigerated. It is ultimately a personal risk-tolerance decision. Someone who wants to take the most conservative approach during pregnancy may prefer a pasteurized product instead.
And I completely understand not wanting to heat them! Heating would change that cold, crisp texture and would also reduce the live cultures that are part of the reason you’re choosing fermented foods in the first place.
Hey! Smoked fish is one of those foods where the recommendation depends on how it’s prepared.
The main pregnancy food-safety concern with refrigerated smoked fish is Listeria. Cold smoking and curing help with preservation, but they don’t necessarily kill Listeria, so FDA/CDC guidance recommends avoiding refrigerated smoked seafood during pregnancy unless it’s cooked as part of a hot dish. This is similar to the guidance you’ll see for deli meats from these organizations.
For a smoked fish dip, you can check what type of fish was used. If it’s made with canned or shelf-stable smoked fish, that’s considered a safer option during pregnancy. If it’s a refrigerated dip made with refrigerated smoked salmon, whitefish, trout, etc., and served cold, that would fall into the category the FDA recommends avoiding to reduce the risk of Listeria as much as possible.
That doesn’t mean eating it will be harmful. It’s a food-safety recommendation intended to minimize an already relatively uncommon but potentially serious risk during pregnancy. Ultimately, it’s a personal choice based on what level of risk you feel comfortable with.
If the smoked fish or dip is cooked thoroughly and served hot, that significantly reduces the food-safety concern.