7 Nutrients That May Not Be In Your Diet

Folic Acid

Folic acid which is the synthetic form of the B vitamin, folate, helps protect the baby against neural tube defects and also cleft lip or palate during the first trimester. Women should try their very best to acquire the required 400 micrograms of folic acid every day, whether from food supplements or food items that are rich in folate. Since this nutrient is involved in cell production and the prevention of certain types of anemia, folate is just as important for the remaining trimesters of the pregnancy. Even when folic acid is easily absorbed by the body compared to the naturally occurring folate, consumption of folate rich foods is still advisable.

Here are some foods fortified with folic acid:

* ready-to-eat breakfast cereals – 1 ounce = 100-400 micrograms folic acid
* enriched spaghetti (cooked) – 1 cup = 80 micrograms folic acid
* enriched bread – 2 slices = 34 micrograms folic acid

Here also are some folate-rich foods:

* lentils (cooked) – 1 cup = 358 micrograms folate
* spinach (cooked) – 1 cup = 263 micrograms folate
* broccoli (cooked) – 1 cup = 168 micrograms folate
* orange juice – 1 cup = 110 micrograms folate