Folic acid symbol approved

It's going to get easier for women to find some foods fortified with folic acid.

The March of Dimes and Grain Foods Foundation have teamed up to launch a new folic acid symbol — the Folic Acid for a Healthy Pregnancy seal — to appear on packages of grain products that are enriched with folic acid.

Folic acid, a form of B vitamin found in leafy vegetables, citrus fruit and beans, helps prevent birth defects. Since 1998, the government has required that folic acid be added to breads, cereals and other products that use enriched flour.

But many women still don't get the recommended daily dose of 400 micrograms of folic acid. The groups hope the new symbol will make it easier for women to identify products enriched with the nutrient.