Omega-3 for Pregnancy

Omega-3 for Pregnancy

During pregnancy, nutritional requirements increase significantly. This includes omega-3 fatty acids. Keep reading to find out why they are a crucial part of a healthy pregnancy diet, and how you can start consuming enough for you and your baby ASAP!

What Are Prenatal Omega-3s and Are They Necessary?

Omega-3s are a type of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) or “healthy fat” that is present in every single one of our cells, providing structural support. They are essential during growth and development, especially of the brain and retina during pregnancy and infancy.

Any supplements that contain the amount of DHA and EPA omega-3s you need for you and your baby’s development can be considered “prenatal omega-3s”. When it comes to Testa supplements, we recommend consuming two capsules a day during pregnancy. This will supply you with more than enough to cover this requirement, as we’ll discuss later on.

How Much Omega-3 Do I Need During Pregnancy?

The amounts of omega-3s required during pregnancy and lactation are only slightly higher than your regular recommended daily amount. However, if your levels are low, it’s especially important to consume at least these amounts to cover your needs and boost your levels.

You need 1.4 g of ALA omega-3s daily during pregnancy, and 1.3 g during lactation. However, these values apply solely to ALA omega-3s. ALAs are the only type of omega-3s considered an “essential nutrient”, meaning your body doesn’t produce them on its own and you need to consume them through foods or supplements. ALA can convert into DHA and EPA omega-3s (the forms your body actually needs and can utilize) in the body.

That said, this conversion only yields tiny amounts; not enough to boost your levels or cover your daily needs. That’s why most experts recommend consuming at least 250 mg of combined DHA and EPA per day. Let’s explore what food sources and supplements contain ALA, DHA, or EPA.

Top Sources of Omega-3 for Pregnancy

A healthy pregnancy diet includes all three main forms of omega-3s: ALA, DHA, and EPA. The best sources of ALA omega-3s are plant-based: flaxseeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds, and walnuts. Meanwhile, DHA and EPA are commonly obtained from fish and fish oil. However, there are many reasons you’d want to avoid these sources in general, let alone during pregnancy.

Fish can contain neurotoxins and developmental toxins, which have been absorbed into their flesh due to ocean contamination. These include PCBs, dioxins, and heavy metals like mercury. While fish oil typically contains less of these toxins (after undergoing resource-heavy purification processes), trace amounts may remain and accumulate in the body over time. Considering that omega-3s are meant to support development and enhance brain health, combining them with brain toxins and developmental toxins may not provide us with the desired effect.

Luckily, we can go straight to the source, instead. You may be surprised to learn that fish don’t produce omega-3s on their own. Instead, they obtain them from the algae they consume, and we can, too! Algae oil can be grown in a lab, under controlled conditions. This results in pure DHA and EPA supplements that are free from ocean toxins.

Choosing the Best Prenatal Omega-3

When selecting the purest, most effective prenatal omega-3, you’ll want to ensure it adheres to the following criteria:

• Contains enough DHA and EPA to support your pregnancy.
• Pure, free from ocean toxins.
• Tested for heavy metals, oxidation (TOTOX) levels, and accurate nutrition.
• Supports healthy oceans for future generations.

Here’s how Testa matches up to these points:

• For pregnancy, we recommend one capsule of Testa DHA and one capsule of Testa DHA & EPA daily. This provides you with 575 mg of DHA and 150 mg of EPA.
• Our supplements are made with land-grown algae oil, meaning they’re naturally free from ocean toxins.
• Testa algae oil is tested for heavy metals, TOTOX levels, and accurate nutrition.
• By replacing fish oil with algae oil, Testa combats overfishing and promotes marine biodiversity by keeping fish and other marine animals in their natural habitats. We also regularly support Sea Shepherd, an organization that directly intercepts illegal fishing vessels, saving countless at-risk marine species.

How to Maximize Your Prenatal Omega-3 Benefits

If you want to make the most of your omega-3s during pregnancy, there are a few simple tips you can follow. Firstly, pair your omega-3 supplements with ALA sources like flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, and hemp seeds. Other healthy fat sources like avocado, tahini, peanut butter, olive oil, or other seeds are also great pairings that may help to increase omega-3 absorption.

Second, limit your refined sugar intake to maintain optimal brain health for you and the little one. Like alcohol, refined sugars are one of the biggest threats to our brain health.

Finally, keep stress levels low and stay active during your pregnancy to support your heart health and create a healthy environment for your baby. Omega-3s can help to regulate mood and boost heart health, but we can only fully enjoy their benefits when combining them with healthy lifestyle habits.

We appreciate you checking out our prenatal omega-3 guide, and are wishing you a smooth pregnancy! If you haven’t already, browse our range of pure, highly-concentrated algae oil here to start your omega-3 journey today.