Folic acid (a B vitamin ) is a supplement that helps in pregnancy. To ensure the baby’s health, folic acid must be taken before and during early pregnancy when the neural tube is being developed. The neural tube is a part of the developing baby that actually becomes the spinal cord and brain.

Folic acid can only work if it’s taken before and during the first few weeks of pregnancy. The best way to make sure your baby gets enough folic acid is to take a multivitamin with 400 micrograms of folic acid in it and eat a healthy diet .

There are a myriad of foods that are rich in folic acid such as:

1. Artichokes
2. Asparagus
3. Black beans
4. Broccoli
5. Cauliflower
6. Celery
7. Fortified breakfast cereals
8. Fruits
9. Green peppers
10. Leafy green vegetables
11. Lentils
12. Orange juice (from concentrate)
13. Papaya
14. Peanuts and peanut butter (make sure you don’t have a peanut allergy)
15. Raspberries
16. Strawberries
17. Tomato juice

Don’t like these ingredients by themselves?

Try these delectable and healthy recipes that are rich in flavor as well as folic acid:

• Raspberry Truffle Tart for Breakfast
• Baby Artichoke Chicken Saute for Lunch
• Chicken Bake with Pineapple for Dinner
• Blackberry Cobbler for Dessert
• Celery covered in Peanut Butter for that Late Night Snack

Be creative because you’re the chef!

You don’t have to worry about over-dosing because some studies show that folic acid has no known toxic level. You can take the supplements, fortified foods, and the natural foods listed above and have no worries! Go ahead, eat away! Maybe you can invent a chocolate covered pasta dish!

Not pregnant or planning to get pregnant? Well, you should still take folic acid because studies show that this supplement can also protect women in other ways.

Find a good source of Folic Acid here.

Sources:
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/vitamins/fa/index.html
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/olderadultcancer.html