Healthy Eating in Schools guidance 2020: supplementary information and advice on energy and key nutrients
This is supplementary guidance to the guidance book on Healthy Eating in Schools focusing upon providing information about the energy and key nutrients which form the basis for provision of school food and drink.
Folate
Why do we need it?
Our bodies need folate, as it works together with vitamin B12 to make red blood cells.
It is needed for growth
It also helps to prevent birth defects such as spina bifida in babies.
Sources
Good sources of folate include spinach, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, peas, oranges and melons.
Sometimes, when we look at food labels we see the term "folic acid". Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate that is added to food. It is more easily absorbed by our bodies than folate. It can be found in fortified foods such as breakfast cereals and spreads.
Additional information
Foods containing folate are also a good source of vitamin C and vitamin A. For example all three vitamins are found in food such as oranges, tomatoes, spinach, broccoli and cabbage.
Contact
Email: lyndsey.fogg@gov.scot
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