CareNatal Prenatal Vitamin Powder Review
Sponsored by CareNatal, views are my own
As a prenatal dietitian, I was frustrated for a while by the lack of high quality, well-rounded prenatal vitamin options that weren’t pills. So many of my patients felt stuck. They were unable to tolerate pills due to hyperemesis or difficulty swallowing, but unsatisfied by the lack of nutrition found in most gummy prenatal vitamins. Sure, there’s a few liquid or powder options out there, but I found the options to be lacking in certain nutrients, or honestly just plain gross. I truly felt for my patients going through this struggle.
Then, I came across CareNatal; a prenatal vitamin powder that is not only nutritionally complete, but actually tastes GOOD. I connected with their founder, Zawwar and have been so impressed with his dedication to help pregnant folks nourish their bodies. He has been diligent with researching the specific micronutrients that are needed to meet your needs in pregnancy, and he’s listening - to his customers, fertility & obstetrics providers, and his impressive social media following.
I was BEYOND excited to get to try out CareNatal for the first time last year. Now I’m pumped to share my experience with y’all. So, without further ado, here’s my honest review of the CareNatal Prenatal Vitamin Powder.
The Pros
Nutritionally complete
I’m really impressed with the nutrition content of CareNatal. What stuck out to me specifically:
There’s a full daily dose of both methylfolate and folic acid, to cover all of your bases as folate has been shown to prevent neural tube defects
It contains a solid amount of vitamin D (which so many of us are deficient in)
It contains a full amount of iron in a non-constipating form
It’s got plenty of iodine and choline to support baby’s brain development
The magnesium content is high enough to supply a healthy electrolyte boost
There’s a complete profile of B vitamins
The vegan omega-3 drops get you your daily requirement of both DHA and EPA
In pregnancy, your needs for all of these nutrients are elevated, and it’s often difficult to get them from food alone, so it’s extremely important that they be supplemented. What’s cool about CareNatal is that it’s so well-rounded that you’re unlikely to need additional supplementation beyond what’s already in the powder + omega-3 dropper combo. This is not the case with many of the other options out there; you can see exactly how CareNatal compares in this interactive chart.
The formula does not contain calcium, which may seem like a red flag, but this is actually a benefit. Calcium can inhibit iron absorption, so I was actually glad to see that CareNatal prioritized iron over calcium in their formula. While calcium is important, it’s easy to get from food, but iron can be a little bit more difficult for some folks. In fact, 1 in 4 people experience iron deficiency/anemia during pregnancy. So, taking a prenatal vitamin that contains iron but not calcium, and getting calcium from foods like yogurt, tofu or sardines is a much better strategy in my opinion.
It’s a powder!
The next big pro for CareNatal is that it’s not a pill! Many of my patients have a hard time tolerating pills for a variety of different reasons, especially in the first trimester. And, unfortunately, the one-pill-a-day options out there are lacking in some vital nutrients, so the more complete options are around 3-8 pills per day. The prospect of taking this many pills can seem downright impossible to many pregnant folks.
Because CareNatal is so nutritionally complete, you can really cut down on the number of pills you’re taking per day. This is a HUGE plus for making sure that you’re actually getting all the nutrients you need while trying to conceive, pregnant, or breastfeeding.
In addition, being a lightly flavored/sweetened drink mix, CareNatal is easy to sip on throughout the day, and can be mixed with juice or a smoothie to customize your flavor profile. It’s also packaged in convenient individual packets, which are easy to throw into a purse or travel with.
Lab testing with a new gold standard of safety & transparency
Something I am constantly preaching to anyone who will listen is that the FDA does not do a great job with regulating the supplement industry. This means that we really need to be checking that any supplement you’re taking is lab tested for quality and purity. Not only is CareNatal lab testing their products, but they are setting a new gold standard for transparency by sharing these results directly with consumers and providers on their website. They test to show that every single nutrient is in the prenatal at the level they claim it to be, and they also test for heavy metals and microbes to make sure that each batch is safe to take. I hope that other prenatal vitamin brands follow CareNatal’s lead in this level of safety and transparency, and this definitely makes me all the more confident in recommending this product to patients.
It actually tastes GOOD.
I’ve been sent a lot of prenatal vitamin samples, and purchased a few myself to try out for patients. Let me be the first to say, most of them smell and taste terrible, especially the few other powders I’ve tried. I was extremely skeptical that this would be even remotely tasty, but I was blown away. CareNatal’s Strawberry Prenatal Vitamin Powder is not just tolerable, it’s almost delicious (I say “almost” to be real - it still has a slight vitamin taste that sits underneath, but with this complete of a prenatal vitamin, I expected that). You can watch my taste test on TikTok or Instagram. The strawberry flavor makes it feel almost like drinking a flavored electrolyte drink, and it’s super easy to get down. Also, I got an inside scoop from their team that a new flavor, peach, might be launching this summer!
The Cons
The price
Starting at $39/month for a 12 month subscription, and up to $62 for a 1 month trial box, some folks might balk a bit at the price point of CareNatal. I totally get it; expenses add up when you’re planning for a baby. That said, the price makes a lot of sense if you just do a little math:
An average prenatal vitamin costs about $35 for a one month supply.
Add on even just 2 $15 supplements to make up for a lacking nutrient profile in that average prenatal
Average prenatal vitamin: $35 + 2 x $15 = $65/month
CareNatal: $39-$62/month
So, you could be very easily end up paying more per month by getting an average prenatal and supplementing it, versus just buying an all in one like CareNatal
For an option that’s tasty, nutritionally complete, and third-party tested, the investment is worth it, especially if you take advantage of their multi-month and subscription discounts. Plus, all of their products are HSA/FSA eligible, and they offer a 90 day money back guarantee if you add their Protection+ option.
Product settling
Some folks might notice that after mixing their CareNatal powder with water, if it sits for a while, there’s some product that seems to separate out. This is the choline in the powder, a key nutrient that is missing is most prenatal vitamins! Due to CareNatal’s innovative encapsulation methods that make the choline not taste terrible, the choline can settle out over time. However, drinking it in a closed bottle, and giving it a quick shake occasionally between sips makes it not noticeable at all. I’ve also heard they have some new choline options to be announced soon!
Ramp up period
Just like with any new supplement, some folks may have difficulty tolerating the full dose of CareNatal Prenatal Vitamin Powder at first. With such a complete prenatal vitamin like CareNatal, the best plan is to start with just half a packet per day for the first week, and then work your way up to a full dose. There are plenty of nutrients in even half a dose, folate in particular, to cover your bases for a week or two if you need to do this.
Omega-3 Boost might not work for very sensitive people
Even though the omega-3 drops are vegan, you might notice that they smell a little bit of a “fishy” smell. While I got a whiff of this when opening the bottle the first time, after refrigerating it and mixing it in with the prenatal powder, I truly didn’t notice it at all.
If it’s overpowering to you, know that for starters, not everyone needs extra DHA in pregnancy; research shows that for most people, getting 2-3 servings of low-mercury seafood per week provides the omega-3s necessary for baby’s brain development. The prenatal powder is available for purchase alone, and if you or your providers feel you need to take DHA as a supplement; they’ll have a new lemon-scented mini-pill coming out soon!
The Verdict
CareNatal Prenatal Vitamin Powder is an excellent product. As a registered dietitian, I feel confident putting my full support behind this product. Not only is CareNatal a trustworthy brand that is constantly innovating new solutions based on customer and provider feedback, but their prenatal vitamin powder really does have everything you need to support a healthy pregnancy alongside a well-rounded eating pattern. On top of that, it’s actually tasty. That’s why I include it on my list of recommended brands in The Ultimate Prenatal Vitamin Guide. Give it a try, and let me know in the comments what your thoughts are!