Folic Acid

I recently took a social media class in college. Our final project was to create a blog. I chose to make my blog about pregnancy since it would tie in with the Hippie Baby concept and I would hopefully be able to use some of the posts here. Here is the link to that blog, though I doubt I will continue to keep up with it. Here is an article about the importance of folic acid plus a recipe!

You often hear about folic acid and how important it is when it comes to pre-conception and pregnancy. According to WebMD, folic acid is a water soluble B-vitamin that is crucial in preventing birth defects in early pregnancy. The chance of neural tube defects (i.e. spina bifida) and miscarriage are greatly reduced if folic acid is consumed enough either through food or through supplements such as prenatal vitamins. Folic acid helps create DNA which is obviously absolutely imperative during pregnancy. Many doctors suggest any woman of child bearing age should take a folic acid supplement or a prenatal vitamin since there is always a chance pregnancy can occur.
Many foods contain a great bit of folic acid naturally such as dark leafy greens, lentils, whole grains, asparagus and mushrooms. Consuming a variety of these foods will help you to be sure you are consuming enough folic acid in any given day. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Office on Women’s Health) suggests women of childbearing age, women who are trying to conceive and women who are pregnant should consume 400-800 mcg of folic acid daily. Here is a list of some of the foods high in folic acid:
These amounts are based on a 2,000 calorie diet:

Spinach/Kale: 1 cup, 263 mcg, 95% DV
Collard Greens: 1 cup, 177 mcg, 44% DV
Lentils: 1 cup, 358 mcg, 90% DV
Pinto Beans: 1 cup, 294 mcg, 74% DV
Asparagus: 1 cup, 262 mcg, 65% DV
Strawberries: 1 cup, 25 mcg, 6.5% DV
     
As you can see, getting your daily folic acid intake shouldn’t be too difficult but if you feel like you aren’t getting enough talk to your doctor about getting on a supplement or what type of prenatal vitamin you should be taking.

Here is a recipe high in folic acid and it happens to be my very favorite lunch!

Garlicky Kale with White Beans and Toast

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/8 - 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (depending on your heat preference)
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced or grated
1 can cannellini or navy beans, rinsed
1 bunch of kale, rinsed, hard stems removed and torn into 1-2" pieces
1 piece of your favorite crusty bread, toasted
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Heat olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes over very low heat in a medium saute pan until fragrant (2-5 minutes) Then add in the kale, you may need to do this in batches but the kale will continue to wilt and make more room. Once all the kale is in, stir constantly until it is cooked through and wilted. Then add the beans and heat through. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve on top of your favorite crusty toast and enjoy!