Monday, December 22, 2008
Parenting starts at the womb. The first trimester of pregnancy is a critical period in the development of the unborn child's brain. Expectant moms should be extra cautious during this period because this is when the brain starts to develop. Yet many would- be moms are often clueless on what to eat to help ensure that their babies would not develop any brain defects. Studies show that most pregnant women are not aware of the importance of folate or folic acid in their daily diet. The B-vitamin, commonly found in green leafy vegetables, kidney beans, and asparagus, among other sources, was found to reduce baby's risk of developing defects of the neural tube, an embryonic structure that gives rise to the brain and spinal cord.
Folate deficiency puts the unborn baby at risk of developing the common types of neural tube defects such as spina bifida that usually results in physical disability, or anencephaly, wherein the brain cavity fails to form properly and could prove fatal to the child. Moderate to severe deficiencies of folate may result in enlarged red blood cells, which could lead to low birth weight of the baby. Around 400 to 600 micrograms a day of folate are needed to reduce the risk of neural tube defects up to 80%. To get such amount, pregnant women should eat about 1 cup of cabbage or a lot of kidney beans or tofu everyday. The best alternative, milk formula for pregnant women. It's a good source of folate, and a convenient one.