Finding foods rich in folic acid just got easier with the introduction of a Folic Acid Seal from the March of Dimes and the Grain Foods Foundation. The bright purple Folic Acid Seal will identify good sources of this important vitamin. The seal is not mandatory and for now will only be on select grain products.
Adequate folic acid intake during the early stage of pregnancy reduces the incidence of birth defects of the brain and spine. The recommendation is 400 micrograms of folic acid, from food and supplements, beginning pre-pregnancy because many women experience surprise pregnancies. It has been 10 years since folic acid fortification began and the incidence of neural tube defects has declined by 26 percent. This is great but it could be better. According to a recent March of Dimes/Gallup survey, only 12 percent of women ages 18-45 know that folic acid should be consumed before pregnancy, and the number of women taking a multivitamin containing folic acid before pregnancy is only about 40 percent.
All wheat products, seal or not, will continue to be fortified with folic acid. Other good sources of folic acid are dried beans, orange juice, and dark green veggies. People who take high potency folic acid supplements for colon health might want to reconsider this strategy. A June 2006 study in the Journal of the American Medical association showed no difference in colon polyps with folic acid supplementation and a slight but not significant increase in cancer for the folic acid supplemented group. A regular multivitamin with folic acid is fine and necessary before and during pregnancy, but you might want to discuss folic acid supplementation with your physician. For more on pregnancy and folic acid go to www.marchofdimes.com.
