Folic acid is a water-soluble vitamin. Green and leafy vegetables (eg lettuce, spinach and broccoli), liver, egg yolk, and particularly wheatgerm are rich sources of folic acid. Having too little of this vitamin can lead to anaemia. In pregnancy, low levels of folic acid can increase the risk of a fetal abnormality called spina bifida. This is why women who are pregnant, or trying to get pregnant, are encouraged to increase their intake of folic acid.
