Pregnancy
Source of folic acid during pregnancy
I know that folic acid is really vital during pregancy. Can you advise how much I should be taking, and what the best sources are?
Ideally a pregnant woman should take 400 – 600 ug of folic acid per day. Luckily, as the table shows, this is perfectly achievable for a balanced diet. Look out for breakfast cereals fortified with folic acid – some of them can provide you with 400ug in just one cup serving, meaning you do not have to worry at all about other sources. Just an idea, since you may be finding pregnancy a worrying time, and find it helpful to eliminate as many sources of worry as you can.
| Food | Folic acid content (µg) |
| Spinach – cooked ½ cup | 100 |
| Asparagus – 4 boiled spears | 85 |
| Rice – boiled white ½ cup | 65 |
| Peas – boiled green ½ cup | 50 |
| Brocolli- 2 raw 10cm spears | 45 |
| Avocado – ½ cup | 45 |
| Orange – 1 small | 30 |
| Egg – 1 large raw | 25 |
| Bread – 1 slice white or whole wheat | 25 |
| Papaya – ½ cup | 25 |
| Banana – 1 medium | 25 |
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*Important : The information provided is for information purposes only. No medical diagnosis or prescription can be inferred or is implied. Please consult your doctor for medical advice.