Has medical research proven that Folic Acid is effective in preventing Neural Tube Defects?
Yes, clinical trial studies in the early 1990s have shown that women taking vitamins containing at least 400 mcg of folic acid before pregnancy reduced their risk of having a child with a birth defect, specifically neural tube defects. Since the U.S. has fortified grain and cereal products with folic acid in the late 1990s, we have observed a decrease in the overall occurrence of these birth defects in the birth population. What foods are rich in Folic Acid? Green leafy vegetables and other vegetables like brussel sprouts, asparagus, & broccoli, beans, peas and lentils, oranges, strawberries, cantaloupe, and nuts contain natural folate. In the U.S., processed grains and some breakfast cereals contain fortified folic acid, which is thought to be the most advantageous for birth defect prevention. Is Folic Acid destroyed during the cooking process? Yes, it could be. Most vegetables and fruit nutrients are concentrated just below the skin, so peeling before boiling increases the loss of nu
