Collaborative ECHO Cohort research led by Katherine Sauder, PhD and Catherine Cohen, PhD, RD of the University of Colorado Denver – Anschutz Medical Campus identified more than 2,300 energy-efficient foods that could help provide the right amounts of six key nutrients for a healthy pregnancy. This research, titled “Identifying Foods that Optimize Intake of Key Micronutrients During Pregnancy” is published in The Journal of Nutrition.
Most pregnant women in the U.S. are at risk of not getting enough of the nutrients vitamin A, vitamin D, folate, calcium, iron, and omega-3 fatty acids from foods alone. Previous ECHO Cohort research found that only one prenatal supplement available in the U.S. may give pregnant women the optimal amounts of each of these six nutrients. However, that supplement costs $200 per month and requires the patient to take seven pills a day.
Researchers in this study wanted to identify nutrient-rich foods to supplement a pregnant woman’s diet to meet nutrient targets, in the same way that supplements do. They identified more than 2,300 low-calorie foods with enough of at least one of the six nutrients important in pregnancy, including many with reasonable serving amounts to avoid excessive intake. However, no single food evaluated gave enough of each nutrient to fill all six nutrient gaps. One food—raw seaweed—contained five of the key nutrients—vitamin A, folate, calcium, iron, and omega-3 fatty acid—but required up to 7 cups a day to meet daily requirements. Twenty-one other foods and beverages (mainly fish, vegetables, and beverages) provided target amounts of four of the six key nutrients. Few foods met targets for vitamin D or iron, suggesting that dietary supplements may be necessary to meet those nutrient needs. Other foods could be added in limited amounts to help meet intake targets without exceeding caloric recommendations or nutrient safety limits.
The study included 2,450 pregnant participants from six ECHO Cohort Study Sites across the U.S. ECHO researchers looked at foods and drinks that pregnant participants consumed during their pregnancies and then calculated how much of these six nutrients they were getting from their diet. The researchers compared the participants’ diets to nutrition recommendations for pregnancy to determine the amount of nutrients the participants would need from foods to make up for the gaps in their diet.
“Our analysis indicates that more substantial shifts in dietary intake are likely needed to meet nutrient intake targets, as well as improve prenatal intake more generally,” Dr. Sauder said. “Clinicians can encourage pregnant females to reduce intake of nutrient-poor, energy-dense foods so that more nutrient-rich foods can be consumed without inducing excess calorie intake.”