Berries can help boost folate intake during pregnancy
Raspberries and blackberries are a source of folate, a B vitamin that's needed to make red blood cells and is important for the growth and reproduction of cells.
Folate also helps to keep the nervous system healthy and it's especially important during pregnancy as it helps to reduce the risk of birth defects such as spina bifida. Health guidelines recommend that adults have 200mcg of folate a day.
However, women who are trying to conceive and during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy are advised to eat more folate-rich foods and take an extra 400mcg of folic acid each day in the form of a supplement.
An 80g serving of raspberries contains 26mcg of folate, while an 80g serving of blackberries contains 27mcg of folate. This makes them a tasty way to top up levels of this important B vitamin.
