Foods rich in folic acid that cannot be missing from your diet 2026

Folic acid is a vitamin belonging to group B, among which we find essential vitamins such as B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7 and B9. In fact, folic acid can also be known by the name vitamin B9, and consists of the synthetic form of folate (which is its natural form, soluble in water and found in many foods).

Every cell in our body needs folic acid for both its growth and normal development. For example, it helps the body make red blood cells that carry oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body.

Amazon Essentials by Sofia Grainge - Summer 2026 Promotion

And, taking folic acid before and during pregnancy can help prevent birth defects of the brain and spine, which are medically known as neural tube defects (also medically called 'NTDs').

The neural tube is a fundamental part of the developing baby, which begins to form from conception. It then becomes the brain and spinal cord. But if there is not enough folic acid or vitamin B9, the neural tube does not close properly, something that occurs in the first month of pregnancy. Therefore, it is important to have enough folic acid in the body before becoming pregnant.

It is estimated that neural tube defects affect approximately 1,500 to 3,000 pregnancies each year in the United States. However, taking enough folic acid before pregnancy helps prevent neural tube defects by approximately 70 percent.

And, in addition, some studies have also shown that this vitamin can also help prevent heart defects and birth defects in the baby's mouth (cleft palate and cleft lip).

Since at least half of all pregnancies tend to be unplanned, many gynecologists advise all women who can become pregnant to take folic acid every day, especially if they do not follow any form of contraceptive protection. In this way, many of the cases of neural tube defects that continue to occur today would be avoided.

Can you get folic acid from food?

When we find folic acid naturally in a food, it is known as defolate. There are foods that actually become good sources of folate, such as:

• Legumes. Especially lentils, pinto beans and black beans.
• Green leafy vegetables, such as romaine lettuce and spinach.
• Asparagus.
• Broccoli.
• Citrus fruits, such as oranges, grapefruit or kiwi.
• Orange juice.
• Peanuts (you should avoid them if you have a peanut allergy).

Although taking a folic acid supplement is the best way to ensure that you provide your body with the recommended daily amount of this vitamin, the truth is that you can also obtain it from foods fortified with it.

And what does it mean that a food is fortified? Very simple: it would be a food that contains added folic acid. Therefore, it is advisable to look for the word “enriched” or “fortified” on the labels of the following foods:

• Breakfast cereals.
• Breads.
• Wheat flour and corn flour.
• Pasta.
• White rice.

However, it is certainly difficult to obtain all the folic acid that the body needs before and during pregnancy from food. And even if you consume foods that contain it, it is also advisable to take a daily folic acid vitamin supplement.

How much folic acid is necessary?

To help prevent neural tube defects in the baby, it is essential to take a vitamin supplement that provides 400 mcg of folic acid daily before pregnancy. Supplements are products that are taken to compensate for the contribution of certain nutrients of which we do not ingest enough through food.

It is recommended to take at least 400 mcg of folic acid every day for 1 month before pregnancy and during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. And a folic acid supplement can be anything from a multivitamin (which contains many vitamins and other nutrients that help the body keep it healthy) to a prenatal vitamin (which includes all the nutrients the mother-to-be needs during pregnancy), or a supplement that only contains folic acid.