Controversies and issues about folic acid supplements
Foods with folic acid
- With the extensive research that has been conducted on folic acid and pregnancy over the last couple of decades, many other interesting findings have been revealed. Taking folic acid supplements does:
- Slightly increase your chance of conceiving twins. When women take folic acid supplements before pregnancy, they slightly increase their chance of conceiving twins. This was shown in 3 studies and has even brought up questions about balancing the need to prevent neural tube defects, with the potential health problems that can be experienced by twin babies. For every 176 pregnancies, one extra woman supplementing with folic acid will conceive twins, when compared to the same number of women who did not take folic acid supplements.
- Not increase your chances of conceiving a baby sooner. Folic acid supplements do not seem to increase a woman's fertility.
- Not cause miscarriages or ectopic pregnancies. The research shows that folic acid does not seem to have any unwanted side effects on early pregnancies.
- Not prevent stillbirth. Folic acid does not seem to be protective against a baby dying during pregnancy, or stillbirth.
Decrease your chances of feeling dizzy, or experiencing
morning sickness during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Folic acid supplements seem to improve these physical signs of early pregnancy for some women, as do other
B group vitamins, such as vitamin B6.
Foods with folic acid
The following is a list of some foods containing folic acid. Folic acid in foods can be destroyed by prolonged storage and cooking, therefore, it is better to eat fresh fruit and vegetables, that are raw, or only lightly cooked. You can see how the amount of folate can change in some foods after cooking (for example in a cup of broccoli.
| Amount of folic acid |
Foods with folic acid |
| 100 micrograms (ug) |
1 cup raw broccoli
3 asparagus spears (boiled)
2 cups raw spinach
¼ cup black-eyed peas (cooked)
¼ cup of cooked lentils
½ cup cooked kidney or pinto beans
½ an avocado
1 medium boiled beetroot
1 cup fresh parsley
1 tablespoon of wheat germ
½ cup or wheat bran, all bran or bran flakes
1 cup of fortified breakfast cereal
½ a cup of wholemeal flour
¼ cup of soy flour
1 handful of peanuts
100 grams of tahini paste
|
| 50 micrograms (ug) |
1 cup cooked broccoli
½ cup cooked green peas
2 cups of lettuce
1 cup of raw cabbage
1 large leek boiled
½ a cup of parsnip or turnip cooked
1 raw green pepper
½ cup Soya beans
1 cup tomato juice
½ cup of tofu
3 brussel sprouts boiled
½ cup steamed spinach
½ a cup of raw bean sprouts
½ cup of cauliflower
½ cup Asian green leafed vegetables, stir fried or steamed
½ a cup of cooked rice
½ a cup of cooked pasta
¼ cup of sesame seeds
½ a cup of sunflower seeds
½ a cup of walnuts, cashew or almond nuts
½ cup endive lettuce
1 egg
1 teaspoon Vegemite or Marmite or Bonox or Bovril
|
| 25 micrograms (ug) |
½ cup of baked beans
½ a cup of cooked corn (or 1 cob)
1 orange or ½ cup of orange juice
¾ a cup of strawberries
½ a cup of raspberries
1 cup of plain yoghurt
1 medium banana
½ a grapefruit
75 grams of cheddar cheese
½ a cup of cottage cheese
½ a cup of Soya milk
2 tablespoons of peanut butter
1 slice wholegrain bread
½ a cup of plain flour
1 medium baked potato with skin
½ a cooked sweet potato
1 small onion (if raw or lightly cooked)
½ a cup of pistachios or pecan nuts
½ a cup of sultanas
|
| 10 micrograms (ug) |
½ a raw carrot
1 small raw tomato
½ a raw carrot
½ cup of cooked oatmeal
1 apple
1 slice of watermelon
1 cup whole milk
100 grams of salmon
|
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