Sources of Folic Acid in Food

Folate---or vitamin B-9---helps your body form red blood cells and helps prevent anemia; folic acid is the manmade form of the vitamin. Folate and folic acid is particularly essential in prenatal care, as it can help prevent such birth defects as spina bifida, cleft palate and anencephaly, a condition in which the brain does not fully develop. Fortunately, it is relatively easy to glean folate from various foods---especially beans and green, leafy vegetables---as well as from fortified breads and cereals.

Cereal

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that "in order for folic acid to help prevent major birth defects, a woman needs to start taking it at least three months before she becomes pregnant and while she is pregnant." The March of Dimes recommends that women get 400mcg of folate each day.

Fortified breakfast cereal is a great way to get folic acid. A single serving of many breakfast cereals provides the entire amount a woman needs each day. Look at the nutrition-information panel on the cereal box, and find one that has "100%" listed next to the recommended daily allowance of folic acid. These include Multi-Grain Cheerios, Raisin Bran and Special K.

Breads, Pasta and Rice

Some breads, flours and cornmeal have folic acid added to them, as do certain types of pasta and white rice. Again, the best bet is to look at the nutrition information, and be aware that the label may say "folate" instead of "folic acid."

Beans and Legumes

Black beans, pinto beans, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), navy beans, kidney beans, sunflower seeds and peanuts are all naturally high in folate. Get creative, and toss beans into a salad, eat them as a side dish, or snack judiciously on a handful of peanuts. You can also eat a dollop of peanut butter on bread, an apple or celery.

Green, Leafy Vegetables

Lettuce, turnip greens, mustard greens, collard greens, Chinese cabbage, broccoli and Brussels sprouts are good sources of folate. However, unlike the folate contained in animal products---such as beef liver---the folate content of cabbage and other plant sources can be reduced up to 40 percent during cooking, so eating these foods raw is optimal.

Other Vegetables and Fruits

Other vegetables that contain folate include asparagus, artichokes, okra, corn, cauliflower, potatoes and beets. Orange juice, tomato juice, cantaloupe, avocados and soy milk also contain this essential vitamin.

Warning

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, you cannot get too much folate from foods in which the vitamin occurs naturally. However, more than 1,000mcg of folic acid a day can cause nerve damage in people who do not have enough vitamin B-12 in their bodies. This may include vegans, as they do not eat meat, eggs or dairy products, and people age 50 and older.