Get Enough Folic Acid

Women of childbearing age (typically ages 11 to 49) need 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day.

Why is folic acid important?
Everyone needs folic acid in their diet. Folic acid is especially important for women who are or may become pregnant.

Folic acid is a vitamin that can prevent birth defects before and during pregnancy. It's needed during the first few weeks of pregnancy, often before a woman knows she's pregnant. That's why it's important to get enough folic acid, even when you are not planning to get pregnant.

How can I get enough folic acid?
There are two easy ways to get enough folic acid every day:

• Eat breakfast cereal that has 100% DV (daily value) of folic acid. Check the label on the side of the box. Some examples are Total, Special K, Life, or Cinnamon Crunch. Click here for a complete list of cereals with folic acid.

OR

• Take a vitamin with folic acid. You can take a small pill that has only folic acid or take a multivitamin.

Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding need even more folic acid. If you are pregnant, talk to your doctor about folic acid.

It's easy to get the folic acid you need. Just eat a bowl of cereal with folic acid OR take a vitamin every day.

Check the label.
When you are at the grocery store, find foods with folic acid in them. Look for cereals that have 100% DV of folic acid. Check out this list of cereals for some examples.

Folic acid is also in fortified foods like enriched breads, pastas, and other grains. Check the label.

Make it easy to remember.
If you take a vitamin:

• Take it at the same time every day. For example, take it when you brush your teeth in the morning or with your breakfast.
• Leave the vitamin bottle on the kitchen or bathroom counter where you will see it.

Eat healthy.
A healthy diet includes foods with folate (a different type of folic acid). In addition to eating cereal that has 100% folic acid or taking a vitamin, it's important for women to eat foods with folate, such as:

• Asparagus
• Spinach
• Orange juice
• Beans

Click here for a list of more foods with folate.

Learn how to get other vitamins and minerals by eating healthy.

What do you want to do today?

Send an e–card to encourage a friend or family member to eat healthy foods.

Check out this list of cereals that have 100% DV of folic acid. Find one you like and write it on your grocery list.

Tell a friend how important it is to take folic acid, especially if she might become pregnant some day.

If you don’t take a multivitamin, write yourself a note to pick some up at the pharmacy.