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Folate is one of the B vitamins. Why is it important? Folate is needed in adults and children to produce red blood cells. The body also needs folate to make DNA and RNA, and is especially important during times of rapid cell division like pregnancy and infancy!
Because it is difficult to get the recommended amounts of folate from foods, the Institute of Medicine recommends taking a supplement that contains folic acid.
The National Institute of Health suggests:
Folic acid is very important during the first couple weeks of pregnancy, usually before moms even know they’re pregnant. Having enough folic acid in your body before becoming pregnant can reduce your chance of having a baby with spina bifida or neural tube defects.
For this reason, it’s very important to make sure you are getting enough folic acid at least 30 days prior to getting pregnant.
Women of childbearing age should have 400 micrograms of folic acid a day. This should come from a multivitamin containing Folic acid or food sources.
Women who are deficient when they become pregnant are at risk of:
In infants and children who are deficient, overall growth can be slowed. In adults, long term folate deficiency can cause anemia.
Other symptoms of folate deficiency can include:
Note: (*High in folic acid or folate)
Sources: USDA Infant Feeding & Nutrition – A Guide for Use in WIC, National Institutes of Health
This post was last updated on December 18th, 2019 at 4:01 PM
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