The 2005 federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that all women of childbearing age take a daily folic acid supplement and eat folic acid–rich foods, because this nutrient is important for preventing birth defects of the brain and spinal cord.
Folic acid, or folate, plays an important role in a fetus’s development, particularly the development of the nervous system. The nervous system is one of the first body systems to develop; it begins as a tiny disc of specialized cells in the early embryo. About twenty-six days after conception, this round disc begins to fold over itself and fuse shut, forming a cylinder called the neural tube, which is destined to become the brain and spinal cord. If the neural tube fails to close properly, it can lead to birth defects that can be fatal or greatly debilitating—spina bifida, in which the neural tube fails to close at the spine, is the most common nonfatal neural tube defect and can result in nerve damage, lower limb paralysis, and learning disabilities.
Folic acid is needed to complete the closure of the neural tube, so women need to have enough folic acid in their bodies available to the fetus. Because the closure of the neural tube happens before many women know they are pregnant, it’s very important to begin folic acid supplementation before pregnancy. The federal government launched a program to fortify the food supply with folic acid—particularly breakfast cereals and flour—to raise overall folic acid intake in the American population. Although there is evidence that this program has worked by reducing the incidence of neural tube defects, the amount of folic acid in these foods alone is still not enough to bring you up to adequate levels. It is recommended that women of childbearing years take a folic acid supplement of 400 micrograms daily (as a solitary supplement or part of a multivitamin) while also aiming for an additional 200 micrograms from foods such as those in the following list, for a total of 600 micrograms per day. You can usually achieve 200 micrograms by eating two servings of folate-rich foods per day. Below are some of the foods containing good amount of Folic Acid
Folic acid, or folate, plays an important role in a fetus’s development, particularly the development of the nervous system. The nervous system is one of the first body systems to develop; it begins as a tiny disc of specialized cells in the early embryo. About twenty-six days after conception, this round disc begins to fold over itself and fuse shut, forming a cylinder called the neural tube, which is destined to become the brain and spinal cord. If the neural tube fails to close properly, it can lead to birth defects that can be fatal or greatly debilitating—spina bifida, in which the neural tube fails to close at the spine, is the most common nonfatal neural tube defect and can result in nerve damage, lower limb paralysis, and learning disabilities.
Folic acid is needed to complete the closure of the neural tube, so women need to have enough folic acid in their bodies available to the fetus. Because the closure of the neural tube happens before many women know they are pregnant, it’s very important to begin folic acid supplementation before pregnancy. The federal government launched a program to fortify the food supply with folic acid—particularly breakfast cereals and flour—to raise overall folic acid intake in the American population. Although there is evidence that this program has worked by reducing the incidence of neural tube defects, the amount of folic acid in these foods alone is still not enough to bring you up to adequate levels. It is recommended that women of childbearing years take a folic acid supplement of 400 micrograms daily (as a solitary supplement or part of a multivitamin) while also aiming for an additional 200 micrograms from foods such as those in the following list, for a total of 600 micrograms per day. You can usually achieve 200 micrograms by eating two servings of folate-rich foods per day. Below are some of the foods containing good amount of Folic Acid
- Fortified breakfast cereals
- Chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
- Pinto beans
- Lima beans
- Asparagus
- Spinach
- Romaine lettuce
- Red kidney beans
- Collard greens
- Wheat germ
- Orange juice
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