"Folate" is a type of B-vitamin that is important for our bodies to work properly. It helps us make new cells and plays a role in brain function and growth.
Full definition
Normally there are many sources
of folate in food, including for vegans, but certain medications, some unavoidable, cause deficiencies.
Healthy vegan diets are high
in folate so it seems possible and certainly preferable to get this nutrient from food rather than supplements.
Everyone needs a diet that includes folic acid, regardless of whether or not they are pregnant,
as folate deficiency can cause serious health problems.
Vitamin B12 works
with folate in the body in the production of new DNA and red blood cells.
The first four weeks of pregnancy, the time when the neural tube (the spine) is forming, is the most critical
for folate needs in preventing related birth defects.
Children with mothers who are obese but had high
folate levels during pregnancy were at a lower risk.
B - vitamins
like folate help support adrenal function and calm and maintain a healthy nervous system.
There are so many other nutrients which meet between 15 - 20 % of your daily intake
including folate, manganese, fiber, vitamin B1 & B6 and copper.
Genetic testing for this mutation is important for those who have a high risk of
folate deficiency.
They also
contain folate instead of folic acid, which is the natural version of vitamin B - 9.
The body relies on the B -
vitamin folate for healthy function at all stages of life, from the formation of a fetus's spine to memory function in older adults.
Is there a way to overdose if also getting
folate from leafy greens?
The high
folate content in asparagus aids in reducing the danger of low birth weight and birth defects during pregnancy.
After all,
folate supplements have reduced the incidence of neural tube defects in pregnancy significantly.
Spinach contains high levels of fiber and
folate which help alleviate gastrointestinal issues and age related memory loss.
If you're taking a B - vitamin supplement, make sure you take
enough folate too.
Low folate levels have been correlated with birth defects.
You can
get folate through spinach and other green vegetables, citrus fruits or juices, many kinds of beans, and meat or poultry liver.
Approximately 20 percent of daily
folate needs can be found in 1/2 of fresh coconut meat.
This is why it is so important to start
taking folate if you are trying to conceive.
Also, lentils count as a bean, and just half a cup fills your
daily folate requirement!
The study also revealed no connection with maternal consumption of
folate by way of food.
The strongest argument for pregnant women needing folic acid supplements comes from the tie between
adequate folate intake and reduced risk of having a baby with neural tube defects.
The test would have looked at three genes: one for lactose intolerance, one involved in processing alcohol, and one involved in
folate metabolism.
But if baby finds goat milk easier to digest, then you would need to add some liver to the formula to
provide folate and B12.
One crucial ingredient is a nutrient
called folate, found in many foods.
Most also have higher rates of neural tube defects, which makes sense because they are a result of decreased
folate status.
Since folate and vitamin B12 share a number of biochemical processes, it can also be said that thyroid hormones affect vitamin B12 levels.
Further, legumes are high in B - vitamins,
especially folate, iron, magnesium, zinc and manganese and contain a moderate amount of calcium.
One 2012 study found people who consumed the
most folate had a lower risk of depression than those who ate the least.
So you'd have to eat about four times the leafy greens to get as
much folate as liver.
Because folate is a water - soluble vitamin, it can be subject to easy degradation.
If you make the mistake of treating B12 deficiency
without folate, you can get permanent brain damage.
The great thing about beans is you also get a great deal of
folate per serving.
I always recommend a supplement that has the
active folate in it.
Each serving of quinoa contributes 10 percent toward your daily
recommended folate intake.