You are having a baby or planning a pregnancy. Learn what you need to know about folic acid.
Having a healthy baby means making sure you're healthy, too! One of the most important things to help prevent serious birth defects in the baby is to get enough folic acid every day — especially during preconception and early pregnancy.
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Folic acid (also known as folate or vitamin B9) is a vitamin which plays an important role in the production of RBC or Red Blood Corpuscles for increasing Hemoglobin count in the blood, DNA repair(chromosomal repair, to put it in a simpler way) and help baby’s neural tube development into brain & spinal cord.
Sources of Folic Acid:
Folic acid naturally occurs in a wide variety of foods like:
Dark leafy greens for an immediate boost in folic acid like spinach, turnip, broccoli, okra (bhindi), cauliflower, beetroot, carrot, corn etc. These contain good amount of folic acid so regular consumption of these vegetables is required. But don’t overcook these vegetables because folic acid is heat sensitive and can get destroyed by cooking.
Many fruits contain folic acid, but citrus fruit ranks the highest. Orange is a rich source of folic acid (1 orange=50mcg- micrograms). Some other sources are: grapes, avocado, papaya and strawberries.
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Under this group Sunflower seeds, flax seeds, peanut, walnut, til/gingelly seeds, almond, etc. are known for the Folate content. Flax seeds have an appreciable content of folic acid and, it can be used by sprinkling on salads, cut fruit platters, curry, can be mixed into dough doughs while making Indian breads (chapathis) or Dosa, buttermilk, or can be taken as whole nuts in roasted or soaked form.
The requirement of folic acid as per RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance), 2010 are:
Examples of common food to meet the RDA of folate in pregnancy
Ingredients Amount(gm) Folate(mcg)
Raw spinach 100 263
Orange 100 50
Flax seeds 15 54
Sunflower seeds 15 82
Peanut 15 52.9
Total 502.9
(Source: RDA, 2010)So, if you are pregnant or planning to get pregnant, consult your healthcare provider and start taking folic acid supplements in addition to eating a healthy diet regularly.
Must Read : Indulge Yourself In Preconception Nutrition For A Healthy Pregnancy
Yes, you can take folic acid before planning a pregnancy. Folic acid, also known as folate, is a B vitamin that helps the body create new cells. It includes brain cells, blood cells, hair, skin and nails. Every new cell needs folate. It is essential to take folic acid, vitamin B9, for at least 3 months before you conceive.
Women who want to get pregnant or are of reproductive age should consume 400 mcg of folic acid daily. Getting this recommended quantity of folic acid every day increases your haemoglobin count in the blood, repairs DNA, prevents serious neural tube defects and other serious complications.
Folic acid is essential as it helps in the development of the skull, brain, and spinal cord. It decreases the chances of neural tube defects such as spina bifida. If not, spina bifida, lack of folic acid can cause movement and mobility issues, learning difficulties, bladder and bowel problems. Folic acid prevents folate deficiency anaemia, which is the inability to create healthy RBCs.
Folate is the best folic acid for conceiving. It is available in dark leafy vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, okra, turnip, cauliflower, carrot, beetroot, corn, etc. Many fruits, like oranges, papaya, strawberries, and avocado, are great sources of folic acid. Nuts like walnuts, peanuts, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, and gingelly seeds are known for their folate content.
