February 15, 2006
Focus on Folic Acid
Did you know that it’s healthy for a woman to take folic acid during pregnancy? Your answer is probably “Yes.” Do you know why? Your answer again is probably “Yes.” Most of us know that folic acid taken during pregnancy can help prevent birth defects. Do you know at what stage of pregnancy taking folic acid is the most effective? This is where the answers usually start getting a little fuzzy.
Women are usually told by their doctors or health aides to begin taking folic acid (or a prenatal vitamin containing folic acid) right after a positive pregnancy test result. However, by the time most women find out they are pregnant, it is too late to begin taking folic acid for the prevention of neural tube defects, severe birth defects of the brain and spine. The most crucial time to begin taking folic acid is in the few weeks just before and after conception! Studies that examine the role of folic acid supplementation in the prevention of neural tube defects produce shocking results. About 70% of all neural tube defects can be prevented if folic acid intake is adequate during the periconception period. The evidence is strong enough to make the statement that All women of childbearing age should be educated on the benefits of regular, adequate folic acid intake, regardless of Plans to become pregnant in the near future1.
Because half of pregnancies are unplanned2, we are faced with another challenge. How do we convince women who are not contemplating pregnancy that they should get adequate folic acid? Research shows that folic acid, along with other B-vitamins in some cases, may also help to relieve depression and fight anemia, as well as reduce the risk of heart disease, help prevent certain cancers, and may even offer protection against Alzheimer’s disease3. It should be brought to attention that most pregnancies are not planned, therefore, regular folic acid is important “just in case.” However, If the single thought of possibly becoming pregnant doesn’t motivate women to get an adequate amount of folic acid, maybe one of these other factors will help.
The folic acid recommendation for women is 400mcg each day4. This recommendation can easily be met with a daily multivitamin or by consuming foods that are fortified with folic acid. Most breads, grains, and cereals are fortified with folic acid. Anything from rice and pasta to hamburger buns to pizza crust are good sources, and some cereals even contain 100 percent of the recommendation.
And let’s not forget about natural food folate! It is surprising to see the variety of foods that contain folate. Dried or canned beans, orange juice, lettuce, corn, liver (any kind), and broccoli provide between 25–70 percent of the daily recommendation. Dry-roasted peanuts, strawberries, peas, celery, crab, green beans, squash, and chicken noodle soup contain at least 10 percent of the recommendation. Blueberries, salmon, carrots, and many others contain small amounts. Visit this website for a complete listing of folate and folic acid content of foods5: www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/Data/SR18/nutrlist/sr18a435.pdf
With careful planning, it is possible to receive the entire recommendation from food folate. However, because food folate is not absorbed by the body as well as folic acid from a supplement or fortified foods, and most women do not consume a diet consistently high in natural food folate, it is still recommended that women take a multivitamin or receive most of the daily recommendation from fortified foods in addition to a diet rich in natural food folate1.
To sum it up, WIC challenges the friends, relatives, and healthcare providers of women of childbearing age to provide information and education on the benefits of folic acid for the prevention of birth defects and general overall health, as well as to inform them on the options they have for achieving this, depending on which fits into their lifestyle best—a supplement or multivitamin, fortified foods, a diet rich in natural folate, or a combination of any or all of these. Don’t wait until it’s too late!
- Dietary Reference Intakes for Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Vitamin B12, Pantothenic Acid, Biotin, and Choline (1998) Institute of Medicine. The National Academies Press Website: http://books.nap.edu/catalog/6015.html.
- www.marchofdimes.com >
- http://www.flayb12.com/folateb12/
- CDC website: http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/folicacid/health_recomm.htm
- U. S. Department of Agriculture website: http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/ Data/SR18/nutrlist/sr18a435.pdf
Folate-Filled Recipe:
Sarasota Chicken Salad
1 1/2 cups sugar snap peas
1 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon grated fresh gingerroot or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Dash to 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup cubed cooked chicken, turkey, or meat of your choice
1 orange, peeled and sectioned1 small red sweet pepper, cut into _-inch pieces
6 cups shredded fresh spinach or romaine
1 tablespoon chopped peanuts
In a covered medium saucepan, cook snap peas in a small amount of boiling water for 1 minute. Drain. Set aside to cool.
For dressing, in a small saucepan combine orange juice, cornstarch, brown sugar, soy sauce, gingerroot or ground ginger, and black pepper. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly; cook and stir 2 minutes more. Transfer to a bowl. Cover and cool.
In a large bowl, combine chicken or turkey, orange sections, sweet pepper, and snap peas; fold in _ cup of the dressing. Serve over spinach or romaine. Drizzle with remaining dressing. Sprinkle with peanuts.
Makes 4 main-dish servings.