When our patients first come to see us, they are always concerned about their folic acid intake and feel they are deficient in this nutrient.  Compelling research has been done on this topic and, according to Kenneth Fielding Morehead whose insightful perspective has been published on the Weston A. Price Organization website:

“Lately, there is a huge push to get women to take supplementary folic acid to prevent neural tube defects during pregnancy. Folic acid by itself it a simple nutritional constituent. It’s only one nutrient in thousands that are a part of whole, nutritionally complex foods. While it is claimed that supplying this nutrient in pill form may have a positive effect in reducing neural tube defects, why are women told that this is what they need rather than being given a choice between supplementation or a diet of whole foods that provides this nutrient in context? Is this ignorance or rationalization? Either way, it seems more respectful to fully inform the public rather than simplifying the truth and giving women an uninformed choice. Lack of whole foods is the root cause of folic acid deficiency, not a lack of pills.”