Last Reviewed: April 2017
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Folic Acid FAQ
Key Info
- All women of childbearing age should take a multivitamin/mineral supplement containing at least 0.4 mg (400mcg) of folic acid every day.
- Folic acid is needed for the healthy development of a baby's spine, brain and skull.
- Folic acid can help reduce the risk of neural tube defects (NTDs).
- Fruits and vegetables are among the best sources of folic acid.
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What is Folic Acid?
What are Neural Tube Defects (NTDs)?
Who Should Take Folic Acid?
Which Foods Contain Folic Acid?
Will the Foods I Eat Provide all the Folic Acid I Need?
Can I Take too Much Folic Acid?
What is Folic Acid?
Folic acid, also known asfolateorfolacin, is a B vitamin. (Folic acid is the synthetic pill form; folate is the natural form found in food.)
Folic acid is needed for the healthy development of a baby’s spine, brain and skull during the first four weeks of pregnancy.
Studies show that folic acid can reduce the risk of neural tube defects (NTDs) by more than 70 percent if taken before pregnancy.
What are Neural Tube Defects (NTDs)?
Neural tube defects — such as spina bifida — are birth defects that affect the brain and spinal cord of a developing baby. NTDs can cause serious disability, paralysis or even death.
NTDs can happen in the first four weeks after conception, usually before a woman even knows she’s pregnant.
Who Should Take Folic Acid??
All women who could become pregnant should eat a healthy, folate-rich diet and take a daily multi-vitamin/mineral supplement containing a minimum 0.4 mg (400mcg) of folic acid.
If you’re taking a prenatal supplement, you’re already getting all the folic acid you need. You don’t need an additional multi-vitamin/mineral supplement unless your doctor has recommended it for medical reasons. Talk to your doctor to be sure.
Which Foods Contain Folic Acid?
While many foods contain some folate, fruits and vegetables are among the best sources .
Canada’s Food Guide recommends 7-8 servings of vegetables and fruits each day.
Eat at least one dark green and one orange vegetable each day. By following Canada’s Food Guide you’ll automatically increase your folic acid intake.
Try these tasty folate-rich dishes:
- Spinach and orange salad
- Lentil soup
- Bean burritos
- Chilli
- Fruit salad
- Poached egg Florentine
- Thai noodle salad or stir fry
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Eat at least one dark green and one orange vegetable each day. By following the Food Guide you’ll automatically increase your folic acid intake.
Overcooking, processing and preserving will destroy some of the folic acid in foods. Protect the folate in the fruits and vegetables you eat by:
- Storing food in tightly sealed containers
- Avoiding excessive peeling and cutting
- Cooking for short periods of time
- Using as little water as possible
On packaged foods, look for the term folacin or folate on nutrition food labels on Canadian food products, such as fortified cereals.
Will the Foods I Eat Provide all the Folic Acid I Need?
No. Even the best food choices will not provide all the folic acid you need.
Take a multi-vitamin/mineral supplement containing at least 0.4 mg (400mcg) of folic acid every day.
Sources of Folic Acid
| Food |
1 Food Guide Serving |
Microgramsa of Folate |
| Lentils and romano beans |
175 mL |
265-270 |
| Black beans |
175 mL |
190 |
| Okra |
125 mL |
140 |
| White beans |
175 mL |
125 |
| Asparagus and spinach, cooked |
125 mL |
120 |
| Salad greens, such as Romaine lettuce, mustard greens and endive |
250 mL |
80-110 |
| Pinto beans, kidney beans and chickpeas |
175 mL |
70-100 |
| Pasta made with enriched wheat flour |
125 mL |
90 |
| Avocado |
½ fruit |
80 |
| Sunflower seeds, shelled |
60 mL |
80 |
| Bagel made with enriched wheat flour |
½ bagel(45 g) |
60-75 |
| Brussels sprouts, beets and broccoli, cooked |
125 mL |
70 |
| Bread made with enriched wheat flour or enriched corn meal |
1 slice or ½ pita or ½ tortilla (35 g) |
45-65 |
| Spinach, raw |
250 mL |
60 |
| Orange juice from concentrate |
125 mL |
60 |
| Parsley |
125 mL |
50 |
| Parsnips |
125 mL |
50 |
| Peanuts, shelled |
60 mL |
45 |
| Eggs |
2 large |
45 |
| Corn |
125 mL |
40 |
| Seaweed |
125 mL |
40 |
| Orange |
1 medium |
40 |
| Green peas |
125 mL |
40 |
| Raspberries, strawberries, blackberries |
125 mL |
15-35 |
| Enriched ready to eat cereal |
30 g |
10-35 |
| Broccoli and cauliflower, raw |
125 mL |
30 |
| Snow peas |
125 mL |
30 |
| Pineapple juice |
125 mL |
30 |
| Walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts, shelled |
60 mL |
20-30 |
| Baby carrots |
125 mL |
25 |
| Kiwifruit |
1 large |
20 |
| Clementine |
1 fruit |
20 |
*Since 1998, all white flour, enriched pasta and cornmeal products sold in Canada are enriched.
Source: Canadian Nutrient File. Health Canada 2007b
Can I Take too Much Folic Acid?
Yes. Too much folic acid can hide vitamin B12 deficiency. It is recommended to take no more than 1mg per day, unless prescribed by your doctor for medical reasons. Also, make sure your folic acid supplements also contains vitamin B12.
If you’re at high risk of having a baby with an NTD (neural tube defects), you might need a higher daily dose of folic acid. Talk to your doctor to be sure.
For more information:
Region of Peel-Public Health
(905) 799-7700
Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Caledon residents call free of charge at 905-584-2216
To speak with a Public Health Nurse
Nutrition & Healthy Eating 