Folic acid dramatically reduces the risk of giving birth to a baby with neural tube defects, such as spina bifida or anencephaly. Folic acid works by preventing damage to cellular DNA during cell division, and is essential for the normal growth of an embryo. The FDA currently sets the recommended daily dose at 800 mcg. Czeizel AE, et al. Dose-Dependent Effect of Folic Acid in the Prevention of Orafacial Clefts.
Soft drinks are very destructive to children's teeth.
Many of them contain not only processed sugar, but also carbonic acid, citric acid, and phosphoric acid. The acid in sodas slowly dissolves the enamel of children's teeth. The sugar provides food for the bacteria which cause early childhood caries. Early childhood caries, ECC, is a disease which afflicts many children. This new term encompasses baby bottle tooth decay, nursing caries, rampant caries, sipper cup caries, and caries related to consumption of soft drinks.