For parents
For kids
For teenagers
For parents
 The B vitamin folate is needed for proper growth and development. It is important that children and teenagers get plenty of folate every day.
Children need folate every day
The Institute of Medicine has established the following Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for folate:
Age group |
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)
Micrograms DFE* per day
|
Infants (0-6 months) |
65** |
Infants (7-12 months) |
80** |
Children (1-3 years) |
150 |
Children (4-8 years) |
200 |
Children (9-13 years) |
300 |
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Folate is needed for proper growth and development. Teenage girls should get in the habit NOW of making sure they get plenty of folate every day. |
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Ways for children to get the folate they need
Your child can get folic acid in a multivitamin or the foods he or she eats. Most multivitamins contain folic acid (check the Nutrition Facts panel). Enriched grain foods such as cereal, bread, pasta, and rice have been fortified with folic acid. Some foods contain the natural form of the vitamin. These folate-rich foods include dark green leafy vegetables like spinach and broccoli. Strawberries and orange juice also have folate. Beans such as navy, pinto, and kidney beans have folate, too. These foods taste good and provide the nutrients needed for healthy, growing kids.
Here are some easy and fun ways to include folate-rich foods in your child's diet:
 • Freeze 100% orange juice and make juice pops.
• Spear strawberries and cheese cubes on toothpicks for a fun finger food.
• Mix up a low-fat dip. Cut up raw vegetables and fruits such as broccoli, carrots, orange segments, and strawberries. Spear fruits and veggies on toothpicks for dipping.
• Use pinto, kidney or black beans in burritos or wrap sandwiches. Let kids make the wraps themselves for a fun cooking experience.
• Choose darker green lettuce or greens, like romaine, green leaf, or spinach for salads or sandwiches.
• Have peanuts for a snack (if a peanut allergy is not an issue).
• Blend up a healthy smoothie (click here for a recipe).
• Combine a higher fiber cereal with folic acid, peanuts, and dried fruit such as raisins or banana chips to make a tasty trail mix. (Do NOT include peanuts if your child has a peanut allergy.)
Folate and teenagers
The teenage years are a time of maturity, growth and development. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for folate for boys and girls age 14 to 18 years is 400 micrograms Dietary Folate Equivalents (DFE)*; however there are special considerations for teenage girls (see below).
 Emerging research shows that folate may help adults reduce the risk of certain diseases like cardiovascular disease and certain cancers (click here for more information). Research shows that the early stages of heart disease can begin early in life - even during childhood. It's never too early for your children to develop healthy eating habits to carry with them the rest of their lives.
Teenage girls
 Teenage girls and boys need plenty of folate every day. But getting enough folic acid is especially important for teenage and younger girls. Their bodies have begun to change to prepare them for future motherhood. They have special folate needs and according the U.S. Public Health Service and the Institute of Medicine, should get 400 micrograms of folic acid every day from a vitamin supplement or fortified foods. They also should eat a healthy diet that includes folate-rich foods.
Weight loss diets and folate
 Some weight loss diets suggest limiting the intake of certain foods. This can affect the types and amounts of nutrients you get (or don't get) from foods. For instance, a weight loss diet that limits the intake of carbohydrates may lower the intake of folate because many of these foods (e.g., cereal, bread, pasta, rice) are fortified with folic acid.
 If your child follows a weight loss diet that limits or eliminates an entire category of foods, consider that he or she may be missing out on nutrients like folate. If they are limiting carbohydrates, it may be especially important for them to take a multivitamin every day and eat folate-rich foods to be sure they get the folate they need.
For Kids
 You know that eating the right foods can help you be healthy and strong, right? Well, folate (FOE-late) or folic (FOE-lick) acid is a special vitamin that helps you be healthy! Here's how:
 • Folate helps make DNA. DNA tells the cell what it will be and how it will work. Your body makes lots of new cells every day and each cell needs DNA.
 DID YOU KNOW ... your body replaces cells in your small intestine about every 5 days? That's about 17 billion (17,000,000,000) new cells your body makes every few days!
 • Folate is needed to make red blood cells. Your body makes new red blood cells every day. They help you have the energy to do things like run, swim, ride your bike, and play sports.
• As you get older, folate may help you keep away certain diseases. It also can help mothers have healthy babies.
How to get the folate you need
Do you take a vitamin every day? If so, it probably has folic acid in it. Check with your parents or guardian and look at the Nutrition Facts panel on the vitamin bottle. Look for the words "Folic Acid".
Some foods have folate. Foods like enriched bread, rice, and pasta have folic acid added to them. Other foods have folate, too, like orange juice, beans, spinach, and peanuts. Here are some fun ways to get more folate! Be sure to ask your parents or guardian if you can help make these fun food recipes or before using any kitchen tools or appliances.
• Freeze 100% orange juice and make juice pops.
• Put some strawberries and cheese cubes on toothpicks for fun finger foods.
• Make a smoothie (click here to find out how). 
• Make "Ants on a Log". Put some peanut butter on celery. Add raisins on top of the peanut butter. (Do NOT eat peanut butter if you are allergic to peanuts.)
 • Try some peanuts for a snack. (Do NOT eat peanuts if you are allergic to them.)
• Mix up a trail mix. Use cereal with folic acid, peanuts, and dried fruit such as raisins or banana chips. (Do NOT eat peanuts if you are allergic to them.)
For Teenagers
 Folate is a B vitamin that you need every day! That's because folate is needed by the body for cell growth and development - something that's happening inside of you every day!
 • Folate helps make DNA. DNA tells the cell what it will be and how it will work. Your body makes millions of new cells every day and each cell needs DNA.
 DID YOU KNOW ... the body replaces cells in the small intestine about every 5 days? That's about 17 billion (17,000,000,000) new cells in less than a week!
• Folate is needed to make red blood cells. Your body makes new red blood cells every day. They help carry oxygen to all parts of your body. Healthy red blood cells help you have the energy for activities like volleyball, basketball, soccer or skateboarding.
 • As you get older and become an adult, folate may help keep you from getting certain diseases, like heart disease and some cancers. It also can help mothers have healthy babies by protecting their babies against serious birth defects.
 Teenage boys and girls (age 14 and older) need 400 micrograms of folate (Dietary Folate Equivalents) every day.* Getting enough folate is especially important for teenage and younger girls whose bodies have begun to change to prepare them for being mothers some day (you know who you are!) They have special folate needs and according to the U.S. Public Health Service and the Institute of Medicine should get 400 micrograms of folic acid every day by taking a multivitamin or eating a cereal with folic acid. Folate is also important to help replace red blood cells, that are lost during a young woman's cycle.
How to get the folate you need
If you take a vitamin every day, you are probably getting the folate you need. Check the Nutrition Facts panel on your vitamin bottle and look for "Folic Acid". Make sure your vitamin has 400 micrograms or 100% of the Daily Value (DV) for folic acid.
You also should eat foods that have folate in them. Foods like cereal, bread, rice, and pasta have folic acid added to them. Other foods have folate, too, like orange juice, beans, spinach, and peanuts. Here are some easy and tasty ways to get the folate you need. Be sure to ask your parent or guardian if you can help make these fun food recipes and before using any kitchen tools or appliances.
 • Add some strawberries to your breakfast cereal.
• Have a glass of 100% orange juice as part of a healthy breakfast every morning.
• Mix up a great-tasting smoothie (click here for a recipe).
 • Try some peanuts for a snack. (Do NOT eat peanuts if you are allergic to them.)
• Mix up a tasty dip and cut up raw veggies like broccoli and cauliflower or use cherry tomatoes and mini carrots for dipping.
• Combine a higher fiber cereal with folic acid, peanuts, and dried fruit such as raisins or banana chips to make a tasty trail mix. (Do NOT eat peanuts if you are allergic to them.)
Learn to read food package labels! Become informed and know how much folate and other nutrients you are getting in the foods you eat!
Here are some tips for eating at fast-food restaurants!
 • Try a burrito or taco filled with beans instead of beef or chicken.
• Add some guacamole to your taco or burrito - the avocados have folate!
• Try a salad or the salad bar. Choose a salad with lettuce that is darker green in color, like romaine lettuce, green leaf, or even raw spinach.
 • Top your salad with healthy foods that have folate such as orange sections, chick peas (also called garbanzo beans), broccoli, and peanuts. (Do NOT eat peanuts if you are allergic to them.)
• Try orange juice as a beverage instead of soda.
• Substitute a fresh fruit cup for French fries.
Weight loss diets and folate
 Some weight loss diets suggest limiting the intake of certain foods. This can affect the types and amounts of nutrients you get (or don't get) from foods. For instance, a weight loss diet that limits the intake of carbohydrates may lower your intake of folate because many of these foods (e.g., bread, pasta, rice) are fortified with folic acid.
If you follow a weight loss diet that severely limits or eliminates an entire category of foods, consider that you may be missing out on important nutrients. After all, that's why it is recommended to eat a variety of foods -- so that you get all the nutrients you need to be healthy! If you limit your intake of carbohydrates it may be especially important to take a multivitamin every day and select folate-rich foods (e.g., dark green leafy vegetables, legumes such as dried beans and peas, and orange juice) for your carbohydrate food choices.
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