Challenge #21 – June 21, 2010

Week Twenty-one: June 21, 2010

Challenge:  Don’t be “late”! Get in your Folate

Folic Acid.  Folate.  What exactly is it?  Where do we find it? And who is more in need of it?  Folic Acid is a water-soluble vitamin, needed in our diets, working in conjunction with vitamin B12 to carry out a number of body processes, mainly DNA synthesis.  In other words, without adequate levels of folic acid, our cells would be unable to divide and replicate properly.  The vitamin is needed in this case for certain cells which divide rapidly: red blood cells, cells of the gastrointestinal tract and genital tracts.

Adequate levels of folic acid is especially important for women before, during the early stages (first 4 weeks) and throughout pregnancy, to help in strengthening her own cells as well as to prevent neural tube defects.  In other words, the vitamin helps to develop the unborn baby’s brain, spine and skull, and if appropriate levels aren’t ingested, the neural tube will not form and close as it should to help the unborn baby further grow and develop.

Dietary Reference Intakes for Folic Acid, as set by Health Canada are:

• Males and Females, 9-13 years = 250 μg/day
• Males and females, 14-18 years = 330 μg/day
• Males and Females 19-70 years = 320 μg/day
• Pregnancy (women):
  • ≥ 18 years = 520 μg/day
• Lactation (women):
  • ≥ 18 years = 450 μg/day 

So, choose the below food sources more often, while attaining adequate levels of folate:

–       Wheat bran

–       Legumes: Black-eyed Peas, Soy Beans, Kidney beans, Lima beans, Navy beans, Chick Peas, Lentils

–       Asparagus

–       Walnuts

–       Fresh spinach

–       Kale

–       Peanuts (and peanut butter)

–       Broccoli

–       Barley

–       Split peas

–       Whole wheat cereal

–       Brussel sprouts

–       Almonds

–       Oatmeal

–       Cabbage

–       Avocado

–       Corn

–       Green beans

–       Mushrooms

–       Berries