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Foods rich in folic acid, such as spinach, beans and lentils are very suitable for pregnant women, and also for those trying to get pregnant because this vitamin serves to help the formation of the baby's nervous system, preventing serious diseases such as anencephaly, spina bifida and meningocele.
Folic acid, which is vitamin B9, is essential for everyone's health, and its deficiency can cause serious disorders for the pregnant woman and her baby. Thus, to avoid these disorders it is recommended to increase the consumption of foods with folic acid and still supplement at least 1 month before becoming pregnant to ensure the need for this vitamin at this stage of life. Learn more at: Folic acid in pregnancy.
List of foods rich in folic acid
The following table shows examples of some foods rich in this vitamin:
Foods | Weight | Amount of folic acid |
Brewer's yeast | 16 g | 626 mcg |
Lentils | 99 g | 179 mcg |
Cooked okra | 92 g | 134 mcg |
Cooked black beans | 86 g | 128 mcg |
Cooked spinach | 95 g | 103 mcg |
Cooked green soybeans | 90 g | 100 mcg |
Cooked noodles | 140 g | 98 mcg |
Peanut | 72 g | 90 mcg |
Cooked broccoli | 1 cup | 78 mcg |
Natural orange juice | 1 cup | 75 mcg |
Beet | 85 g | 68 mcg |
White rice | 79 g | 48 mcg |
Boiled egg | 1 unit | 20 mcg |
There are still foods enriched with folic acid, such as oats, rice and wheat flour, which can be used in many different recipes. According to the WHO, each 100 g of the product must provide a minimum amount of 150 mcg of folic acid.
In the case of pregnancy, the recommendation is folic acid indicated by the World Health Organization is 4000 mcg per day.
Consequences of lack of folic acid
Folic acid deficiency is related to serious health problems such as hypertensive pregnancy syndrome, placental detachment, recurrent miscarriage, premature birth, low birth weight, chronic cardiovascular, cerebrovascular diseases, dementia and depression.
However, supplementation and healthy eating are able to reduce these risks, increasing the chances of a healthy pregnancy and the good development of the baby, preventing about 70% of cases of malformation of the neural tube.
Reference values of folic acid in the blood
Folic acid testing is rarely requested in pregnancy, but reference values for folic acid in the blood range from 55 to 1,100 ng / mL, according to the laboratory.
When the values are below 55 ng / mL, the individual may have megaloblastic or hemolytic anemia, malnutrition, alcoholic hepatitis, hyperthyroidism, vitamin C deficiency, cancer, fever, or in the case of women, they may be pregnant.