Folic Acid: Getting it All In

In the modern diet, folic acid is sometimes one of those vitamins that alludes us. According to AHealthyme.com, getting enough folic acid is important because it aids in the development of red blood cells and has been shown to prevent birth defects when pregnant women eat folate rich foods or take folic acid supplements. But supplements aren't always the answer. Sometimes it's better to go straight to the source. I looked up several foods on the Sparkpeople.com nutrition database to find ways to think folic the next time you go for that snack.

1. Fortified cereal. Who says cereal is just for breakfast? A cup of cereal dry or with lowfat milk can be a great way to curb afternoon hunger and get a little extra folic acid in your system. Aim for whole grain cereals when possible, even if folic acid or folate is listed on the box. Whole grains contain more folic acid naturally.
2. Peanut butter toast or sandwich on multigrain bread. One slice of multigrain bread provides 8 % of your recommended daily allowance of folate. Two tablespoons of peanut butter provides another 7 %.
3. Small green salad or raw vegetables and dip. You can really pat yourself on the back for this one -- especially if you go easy on the dip or if it's made from fat free yogurt. A cup of raw cauliflower or broccoli is only 25 calories and provides 15% of the RDA of folate.
4. Fruit and juice. Strawberries, oranges and pineapple are all good sources. A cup of any of these will add between 5-10% of your daily value.
5. Nuts or legumes. Almost any nuts will provide some folic acid, but walnuts and peanuts seem to be especially high in folates, providing 7-10% per ounce.
6. Beef Jerky. With the high sodium content in beef jerky you might not want to pull this out of your knapsack every day. But it is a good source. An ounce of jerky provides 10% RDA of folate. And it will help while you're getting used to eating all those fruits and green vegetables.

It should be noted that, although they are not the easiest foods to carry around for snacking purposes, foods like beans and brown rice will also help boost you towards your folate quota and can be worked into meals with relative ease. And the best part is that all of these food provide you with even more nutrition than you bargained for, including Vitamins C and other B Vitamins, iron, fiber and more.

www.sparkpeople.com
www.ahealthyme.com