Folic Acid

Supplements can be an important way to get folic acid, but food offers the benefit of great taste! Get yourself into a good habit of including a variety of foods with folic acid in all meals. When you are grocery shopping, check the labels on bread and cereal products to choose those higher in folic acid. The meal and snack suggestions and the table below show examples of foods that provide at least 10% of the recommended daily amount of folic acid.

Breakfast bonanzas

• Orange juice and fortified cereal
• Whole wheat toaster waffles with frozen berries
• Whole wheat English muffin with peanut butter
• Oatmeal with sliced berries

Luscious lunches

• Lentil soup and whole wheat crackers
• Spinach salad with chickpeas
• Bean chili with a green salad
• Tuna sandwich with a fruit salad
• Veggie soup with whole wheat roll

Quick snacks

• Whole orange or banana
• Toasted soybeans
• Peanuts or pistachios
• Whole grain cereal and milk 
• Tomato juice

Delightful dinner dishes

• Baked beans
• Steamed asparagus or beets
• Stir-fried broccoli
• Three bean salad
• Spinach and avocado salad

FOOD/SERVING SIZE	% DAILY VALUE
Spinach, 2 cups raw	55%
Spinach, 1 cup cooked	50%
Lentils, 1/2 cup cooked	45%
Chickpeas, 1/2 cup cooked	35%
Asparagus, 1/2 cup cooked	30%
Orange juice, 1 cup	27%
Peanuts (dry-roasted), 1/3 cup	25%
Pistachios (roasted), 1 oz.	25%
Strawberries, 8 medium, raw	20%
Wheat germ, 1/4 cup	20%
Enriched bread, 1 slice	10%

Folic acid during pregnancy

The CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) recommends that all women of child-bearing age consume 400 micrograms of folic acid each day. This is because half of US pregnancies are unplanned and folic acid can prevent birth defects that occur very early in pregnancy, before most women know that they are pregnant. 

Featured Recipes

Oatmeal Pancakes Heat griddle or skillet over medium heat.Mix milk and oatmeal in a bowl. Let stand 5 minutes.Add oil and eggs, mixing well.Stir in flour, sugar, baking powder, andsalt.Pour 1/4 cup of batter for each pancakeon a lightly oiled griddle or skillet.Turn the pancake when golden brownand bubbles form.
Easy Roasted Beets Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or coat with non-stick spray.Under running water, scrub beets with either fingers or a vegetable brush to remove all dirt and debris.Remove the tops and root tail. Slice into about 1/2- inch wedges or cubes. This should yield about 5 1/2 cups raw, chopped beets.Toss beets, oil, and optional salt and pepper in a bowl.Arrange beets on the prepared baking sheet so theyare not touching one another. Spreading them outhelps them to roast evenly.Bake 25 minutes, turn with a spatula, and bake for anadditional 20 minutes for a total baking time of 45 minutes, or until each piece is crisp on the outside and pierced easily with a fork.Serve as a side, salad topper, or with warm whole grains in a harvest bowl.
Tuna Melt Sandwich  Preheat oven to 350°F.In medium-size bowl, combine tuna, onion, yogurt,pepper, and garlic powder. Mix well.Place bread on baking sheet.Spoon about one-fourth of the tuna mixture on eachpiece of bread, spreading nearly to the edges. Add atomato slice.Bake 5 minutes.Add a cheese slice on top of each sandwich and retireto oven for another 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bread is toasted. Serve.

 

 

Printable PDF

A printable version of the Folic Acid fact sheet can be viewed here.