Folate for Momma and Baby

September is for the babies! According to the CDC over 325,000 babies were born in the US in September, 2019. That’s a lot of babies.

If you’re a momma-to-be, I’m sure your doctors are recommending a slew of vitamins and dietary restrictions, and we’re not here to tell you what you should or shouldn’t be doing. But, if we have one recommendation, it’s to eat more mangos.

At this point, most of you know that 3/4 cup of mango provides 50 percent of your daily vitamin C and 8 percent of your daily vitamin A. But did you know that mango is also a good source of folate? Just one 3/4 cup serving of mango provides 15 percent of your daily value of folate, which is a key pre-natal vitamin. Women who don’t get enough folate are at risk of having babies with neural tube defects, such as spina bifida. Folate deficiency can also increase the likelihood of having a premature or low birth weight baby

What’s folate anyway? According to the National Institutes of Health, folate is a water-soluble B vitamin found naturally in some foods, which includes mangos. In addition to being useful for baby during pregnancy, folate helps the body make red blood cells and DNA, and it supports healthy cardiovascular function. All very important things!

If you’re needing a boost, try eating a mango! It’s a tasty way to help ensure you get your over 20 different vitamins and minerals.