Folic acid is a B vitamin that is essential for good health. It also plays an important role in reducing the risk of pregnant women having babies with a certain type of birth defect. Because folic acid is so important, many foods are supplemented with folic acid to ensure women have enough in their diets. While Velveeta cheese is not supplemented with folic acid, you can serve it with foods that are naturally high in folic acid or that have added folic acid to make these foods more palatable if necessary.
Folic Acid
Folic acid or folate is one of several B vitamins. Folic acid is essential for the development of new cells. When a woman is pregnant, her fetus grows quickly and requires adequate folic acid to form correctly. Lack of folic acid is responsible for a variety of neurological birth defects, including spina bifida, which is when the spinal cord does not form properly, and anencephaly, or when the brain does not form properly. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, if a woman takes 400 micrograms of folic acid daily prior to pregnancy and throughout her early weeks of pregnancy, she can reduce the risk of her baby having these birth defects by up to 70 percent.
Natural Sources of Folic Acid
Folic acid is naturally present in a variety of fruits and vegetables, including broccoli, asparagus, beans, spinach and eggs. Foods like cereal and bread have folic acid added to them during the manufacturing process. Certain beverages, including orange and tomato juices, also contain folic acid. Dairy, including cheese and milk, is traditionally a poor source of folic acid, although it contains other important B vitamins.
Velveeta Cheese
Velveeta cheese is a form of American cheese produced by Kraft. Velveeta is typically sold as a brick and melts easily, making it a common ingredient in dips and spreads. While Velveeta is not a good source of folic acid, it does contain other important nutrients including protein and calcium. A 28-gram serving of Velveeta cheese contains 60 calories, 5 g of protein and 25 percent of your daily calcium needs, according to Kraft Foods.
Tips
A spoonful of melted Velveeta can help the broccoli go down. Green vegetables are packed full of healthy nutrients, but many children and adults may grumble when served a plate of broccoli. Serve melted Velveeta cheese as a dip with raw broccoli or drizzle it over steamed asparagus. Stir some melted Velveeta cheese into some cooked beans, which are another important source of folic acid. Both spinach and white rice contain folic acid. Bake them with Velveeta cheese for a cheesy, folate-rich casserole.
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