The federation said it wanted to help spread the word about the importance of folic acid for good health, and to help Americans identify simple steps to boost their intake, such as consuming enriched rice.
It said that research has shown that folic acid, the synthetic form of the water-soluble B-vitamin folate, offers protection against birth defects, such as neural tube defects (NTDs). There are also reports that the vitamin may offer reduce the risk of heart disease, certain cancers and Alzheimer’s disease.
Yet many Americans, including one in three women, fall short of the 400 micrograms recommended for daily intake by the US Public Health Service.
The USA Rice Federation, which is a member organization of the National Council on Folic Acid, said that one cup of cooked enriched rice delivers 23 percent of the recommended daily intake.
