National Folic Acid Awareness Week

National Folic Acid Awareness Week seeks to spread awareness about the importance of folic acid. It is especially crucial for pregnant women as folic acid helps to prevent some kinds of congenital disabilities.

Folic acid is a type of B vitamin called vitamin B9. Folic acid helps the body produce and maintain new cells. It also helps prevent changes to DNA that may lead to cancer. Doctors highly recommend that women who are planning to become pregnant, or who already are pregnant, to get plenty of folic acid.

Foods that are great sources of folic acid include: beans, peas, lentils, oranges, whole wheat bread, broccoli, beets, pears, shrimp, and spinach.

Private Home Health Care encourages you to eat foods high in folic acid in honor of National Folic Acid Awareness Week!