What do Baked Asparagus, Lentils and Rice and Oriental Papaya Chicken Salad have in common? Besides being a welcome alternative to burgers, fries and shakes, they all contain ingredients that are sources of folic acid.

Anyone who has been pregnant or trying to conceive in the last few years has been told by their doctor about this supplement.

"When I went off of birth control, I decided to start taking folic acid," says 23-year-old Jaime Matthews, from Cordova, Alaska. "From reading many articles, [I know that] folic acid reduces the chances of having a neural tube defect. [It] was also recommended by my doctor."

According to the Spina Bifida Association of America (SBAA), folic acid is a water-soluble B vitamin. Many foods contain folic acid, known as folate in its natural form. The SBAA advises women of childbearing age (15 to 45) to take this vitamin daily.

This recommendation is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The U.S. Public Health Service recommends that all women who could possibly become pregnant get 400 micrograms (0.4 mg) of folic acid every day. That encompasses 60 million women in the United States alone, leading to 6 million pregnancies every year.

"Folic acid can make a significant contribution toward not having a baby affected by spina bifida," says Adriane Griffen, recurrence prevention program manager from the SBAA.

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