Health tip of the day: folic acid isn’t just for pregnant women

Though you mostly hear about folic acid in the context of it being something pregnant women need to take, in fact everyone needs folic acid. It makes new cells in the body, including red blood cells. A deficiency in folic acid is one cause of anaemia, and this is usually because of a lack of folic acid in the diet.

It’s found naturally in foods such as green vegetables, especially spinach, asparagus, broccoli and avocado. Beets are also high in folic acid, as are various legumes, including pinto beans, black eyes peas and chickpeas.

Pregnant women do need to be particularly mindful of their folic acid intake, as it is used by the developing baby. It’s also recommended for women who are breastfeeding.