Saturday, April 25, 2009

Prevent Birth Defects By Taking Folic Acid

If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, you can help reduce your baby’s risk of birth defects by up to 70 percent by taking folic acid.

This nutrient is known to prevent neural tube birth defects such as spina bifida, which affects about one in 1,000 pregnancies each year in the United States. If you take the recommended daily dose of folic acid, you are improving not only your own health, but also the neurological health of your baby.

The best foods to eat that contain this beneficial nutrient are:

Dark, leafy greens

Legumes: lentils or chickpeas

Fruits: papayas, oranges and strawberries

Enriched grain cereal and breads

Here's a healthy Recipe:
Lentil Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup diced carrots
¾ cup chopped celery
1 tbsp curry powder
1 cup rinsed green or brown lentils
1 15oz can crushed tomatoes
3 cups fat free, low sodium vegetable broth

Heat oil on medium in large pot (Dutch oven). Sauté onions, celery and carrots until soft. Add curry powder and stir into vegetables. Add lentils, tomatoes and vegetable broth. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes

Enjoy!

4 comments:

Syrup said...

Hay< Just wanted to tell you that I tried this recipe and it was goooood!
even post it on my site for others too.
Thanks

AC Associates said...

Hi Syrup,
Thanks for visiting. I'm so glad you enjoy this recipe. Nice of you to drop by and let me know it turned out good and that you're sharing it with others.
Where can I find your post?

Susan Blake said...

I copied this down and will make it - thanks for providing a food kind of solution instead of popping pills! I really believe we can get all we need from food itself better than the quick pill thing.

AC Associates said...

Suzen,
Let me know how you liked the recipe. As Syrup said in her comment, she made it and enjoyed it.
I always look for other alternatives...I think doctors are quick to prescribe pills for everything. Not a pill popper myself...only if necessary.
I was reading that now, taking even vitamins in pill form isn't the best approach. Our bodies don't absorb the nutrients. It said we expell 90% of the pill. wow...that's alot!

 
ss_blog_claim=e89ffb13db99dab9861a78bc2f3b8452