- Good News About Folic Acid
By California Strawberry
Commission
There's no doubt about it. Research
has proven conclusively that what you eat can have a profound
effect on your health. More importantly, if you are pregnant,
it can affect your baby's health too. So eating right, especially
if you're a woman of child-bearing age, is of critical importance.
Not planning to be pregnant?
Consider this: Nearly half of all pregnancies are unplanned.
And some birth defects involving nerve and brain disorders can
occur before a woman is even aware she's expecting. So eating
right, especially if you're a woman of child-bearing age, is
of critical importance.
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Have 5 a Day
One easy slogan to remember is
simply, "5 a Day." This is a reminder to eat five servings
of a variety of fruits and vegetables daily. Leading heath-association
research links increased consumption of fruits and vegetables
to reduced risk of heart disease and various cancers.
But now there's another good
reason to eat certain fruits and vegetables frequently —
those that contain folic acid, such as strawberries and leafy
greens. Folic acid is now in the nutrition spotlight because
recent research shows it provides some dramatic health benefits. |
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What Is So Special About Folic
Acid?
This vital nutrient can help
prevent devastating birth defects involving brain and nerve disorders,
such as spina bifida and anencephaly, that can cause death or
permanent paralysis to the baby. Almost 2,500 infants are born
annually with spina bifida, a birth defect in which the spinal
cord is exposed.
Studies have shown that when
women consume the recommended amounts of folic acid in their
diet before and during pregnancy, the number of infants born
with these defects can be cut by at least half. Since this birth
defect occurs in the first month of pregnancy, the U.S. Public
Health Service recommends that women of child-bearing age consume
400 micrograms of folic acid daily before becoming pregnant.
Folic acid may have other significant
health attributes: preliminary research seems to indicate a potential
for decreasing the risk of some types of cancer. It is also being
studied for possible benefits in reducing the risk of death from
heart disease.
What is folic acid? Folic acid
is a water-soluble B vitamin, involved in cell division. In foods,
this vitamin is called "folate".
Fabulous For Folic Acid
Fortunately, many foods especially
fruits and vegetables, are good sources of folic acid. Choose
from:
- Vegetables: dark green leafy vegetables (such as
spinach and collard greens), cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower,
peas, beets, green beans, root vegetables, asparagus, corn, brussel
sprouts
- Fruits: strawberries, oranges, other citrus fruits and
citrus fruit juices, tomatoes, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, raspberries,
avocados, bananas, watermelon
- Nuts/Legumes: dried beans and peas, nuts, seeds,
lentils
- Grains: folic-acid enriched cereals, wheat germ, whole
grains
- Meats: liver, organ meats
- Dairy: low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese
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