Getting an adequate amount of folic acid in your diet is important for many reason. One of the most important reasons is because folic acid is responsible for cellular growth and regeneration. Folic acid or vitamin B9 helps the body perform several other essential functions as well. This includes DNA repair, creation of red blood cells, anemia prevention, and nucleotide biosynthesis in the cells.
In addition, folic acid encourages the normal development of a fetus. In fact, when it comes to prenatal wellness, calcium, iron, and folic acid are three of the most important nutrients for a pregnant woman to make sure that she is getting enough of as a deficiency can cause negative effects on the brain development of an unborn baby. Since folic acid is so important, let’s take a closer look at some of the foods that can help to raise levels of folate in the body.
1. Fortified Cereals
When it comes to breakfast foods, one of the most turned to items on the menu is ready made cereal. This provides a quick meal at a time in the morning that most people are just trying to get out the door. Eating a bowl of cereal is fast and easy. The good news is that if you are purchasing cereal, chances are that it is fortified with folic acid.
These cereals will typically have anywhere from 100 to 400 mcg of folate for each serving. It is important to make sure that you check the nutrition levels of the cereal that you are purchasing. A fortified cereal should contain at least three grams of fiber. It should contain 10 grams or less of sugar. Other products that are fortified with folate include rice pasta, breads, rice, and instant oatmeal.
