Folate, also called folic acid, is a B vitamin important for making red blood cells and keeping the heart and blood vessels healthy. Getting enough folate before and during pregnancy can help prevent certain birth defects. The document discusses the forms of folate found in food versus supplements, recommended daily intake amounts, sources of folate in foods like leafy greens and oranges, and ways to preserve folate when cooking such as steaming instead of boiling vegetables.

1. FOLATE

2. What is Folate?
Folate and folic acid are different
terms for the same B
vitamin. Folic acid is the form
found in vitamin supplements
while folate is the form found in
food.
Why need Folate?
*To help prevent anaemia:
Without enough folate to make
healthy red blood cells one may
feel weak or tired and find it hard
to concentrate.
*For a healthy heart:
Folate keeps both the blood
vessels and heart healthy.
*To reduce the risks of some
birth defects:

3. When women of child-bearing age
take folic acid before and during
pregnancy, the risks of birth
defects are reduced.
Folate & Pregnancy
Having a healthy baby means
making sure you're healthy, too.
One of the most important things
you can do to help prevent serious
birth defects in your baby is to get
enough folic acid every day —
especially before conception and
during early pregnancy.
Every year , about 3,000 infants
are born with neural tube defects
(NTDs), according to the CDC.

4. >The most common neural tube
defects are :
*Spina bifidia : An incomplete
closure of the spinal cord and
spinal column.
*
Anencephaly : Severe
underdevelopment of brain.
*Encephalocele : When brain
tissue protrudes out to skin from
an abnormal opening in the skull.
That’s why it’s so important for all
women of childbearing age to get
enough folic acid — not just those
who are planning to become
pregnant. Only 50% of
pregnancies are planned, so
woman who could become
pregnant should make sure she’s
getting enough folate.
Folate Requirement
Recommended Dietary
Allowance (RDA)
Age/Gender Group
Micrograms DFE* per
day
Infants and 65-300
Children (0-13

5. years)
Teenagers (14-18
400
years)
Adults (19
400
years+)
Pregnant
600
Women**
Lactating Women 500
Folate & Diet
Some foods contain the natural
form of folate, called food folate.
However, body absorb folic acid
in vitamin supplements and
Enriched grain foods more easily.
Folate rich foods are :
* Dark green leafy vegetables such
as spinach, Legumes such as dried
beans and peas and peanuts,
Asparagus, Orange juice and
oranges, Avocado, Strawberries.
Preserving Folate in
Foods
Folate is a water soluble vitamin.
It can easily be lost from foods
when you cook them, especially if
you cook foods in water or other
liquids.
*Cook vegetables in only a small
amount of water.
*If you cook vegetables in water,
reuse the water in soups or stews

6. to get back the lost vitamins or
minerals.
*Use other ways to cook
vegetables, including steaming,
micro waving, grilling, or roasting.
*Don't soak foods in water or
other liquids for long periods of
time.