The benefits of vitamin B9 - folic acid - have been known for a long time. She participates in metabolic processes, DNA production, stimulates the synthesis of immune blood cells, normalizes the work digestive system in the human body. This substance plays a special role in the development of the neural tube of the fetus, normal growth, and development of the placenta. That's why folic acid necessary for pregnant women.
Regular consumption of vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grain cereal products, wheat germ, potatoes, nuts, and sometimes meat, fish, eggs and dairy products can help prevent folate deficiency. High dietary intakes of naturally occurring folate are not harmful according to current knowledge. Taking high-dose folic acid supplements may have undesirable side effects and should be discussed with your doctor.
But in fact, folic acid is found in different fruits. You will learn this and much more in this article. Unfortunately, water soluble vitamin relatively unstable. It does not tolerate light and does not like heat. Another reason to eat fruits and vegetables as fresh as possible, and to eat at least some of them raw.
Why is it needed? to the human body, what diseases can be caused by folic acid not received by the body, contained in products: which ones, I will tell you on our website www.site.
The role of folic acid in the human body
It is necessary for the functioning of the immune, central nervous system, and for the normal functioning of the digestive tract. Vitamin B9 is involved in energy metabolism, hematopoiesis, and successful cell division. It is needed to maintain normal concentrations of red blood cells found in the bone marrow.
Why is she good? Folic acid plays an important role in the formation of blood, cells and genetic material. When combined with vitamins B2, B6 and B12, folic acid can also convert homocysteine, a toxic intermediate in protein metabolism in the body, into methionine.
Homocysteine is considered one of the risk factors for atherosclerosis. High levels of homodyne damage to the heart and blood vessels - and homocysteine levels increase with age, possibly due to a poorer diet in old age. Nutrition of folic acid in pregnant women and breast-feeding. Pregnant women should make sure they consume enough folic acid and discuss this topic with their doctor or veterinarian. If there is a deficiency of folic acid, the unborn baby may develop a so-called neural tube defect - an open back.
This substance is especially necessary during pregnancy. Since its deficiency can lead to birth defects in a child, for example, spina bifida. In addition, folate deficiency often leads to premature birth.
It is used in the complex treatment of atherosclerosis, osteoporosis, various types depression. It is effective as a preventive measure for iron deficiency anemia, liver, stomach, and intestinal diseases. Vitamin complexes with vitamin B9 it is recommended to take for diseases of the heart, blood vessels, for the treatment of alcoholism and other health disorders.
On the other hand, the US Food and Drug Administration recommends 800 mg for pregnant women, but folic acid per 500 people. Glass covers about a quarter of the population. For an adult, this is about 400 micrograms, and for pregnant women or women who want a child, another 600 micrograms. Noble poles are low in calories but high in minerals and vitamins such as folic acid: 108 micrograms per 100 grams.
It is unlikely that any other vegetable is as valuable for health as. In addition to 114 micrograms of folic acid per 100 grams of goods, its delicate flowers contain suspected plant substances that may act against cancer. Fresh spinach is high in magnesium, potassium and calcium, as well as 145 micrograms of folic acid per 100 grams.
Folic acid deficiency
A deficiency of this substance is accompanied by rapid fatigue, loss of appetite, and causeless weight loss. Anemia and irritability are often observed. Lack of vitamin B causes sleep disturbances, insomnia, headache, forgetfulness.
Often, a deficiency of this substance occurs in women with an abnormality of cervical cells or in those taking oral contraceptives. Also, its deficiency occurs in people with mental disorders, depression, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis.
Admittedly, field lettuce is time-consuming because it needs to be thoroughly washed and carefully read to free it of sand. However, the small leaflets also contain 145 mcg folate acids per 100 grams. High in protein but low in calories: Peas are healthy saturators and deliver 159 micrograms of folic acid per 100 grams of goods.
Soy shoots evaluate each salad. With 160 micrograms of folic acid per 100 grams, they are also very healthy. They contain not only a lot of zinc, but also 100 mcg of folic acid per 100 grams. Not only are legumes a popular accompaniment, but they also form the main ingredients in many curries and stews.
The most dangerous consequences Folic acid deficiency can occur in pregnant women. This condition is very dangerous for the unborn baby, as it can provoke the development of developmental anomalies in the fetus - from spina bifida to damage to the nervous system and serious deformations of the body structure.
Also, a deficiency of this vitamin can lead to the development of certain cancers, for example, rectal cancer.
Cabbage here, first of all, supplies a number of valuable nutrients, including 187 micrograms of folic acid per 100 grams. Not only do soybeans contain particularly healthy, easy-to-use protein and fill you up quickly. Prevent magnesium deficiency. 100 grams of this also easily meets your daily folic acid intake: this amount delivers 520 micrograms.
On site, two of the products with the most folic acid evaluated beef liver. In general, it provides a lot of B vitamins, of which folic acid provides about 600 mcg per 100 grams. The livers of other animals are also good sources of folic acid.
How much vitamin B9 does a person need?
A healthy person should receive 400 mcg of folate per day.
Pregnant women require twice as much vitamin B9 - 800 mcg.
For mothers breastfeeding - 600 mcg.
It also follows that people who drink alcohol (even occasionally) usually have a deficiency of this substance. They also need an increased dose of vitamin B9.
What is the difference between folic acid and folic acid?
This makes yeast the top horse among foods that contain a lot of folic acid. Folate is responsible for cell division and growth. It is found in whole grains, fruits and vegetables. At the beginning of pregnancy, it is useful to use a nutritional supplement. Folate plays an important role in cell division and is involved in many growth and development processes in the body. Folate is one of the few nutrients that people in Germany are not optimally supplied with. insufficient supply early in pregnancy. Therefore, a reasonable combination of food should be taken before pregnancy and folic acid products should also be taken. Folate is the term for water-soluble B-vitamin, which in the form of various folate compounds promotes numerous growth and development processes in the body.
It is necessary to increase the consumption of foods high in this vitamin when taking contraceptives, when using diuretics, and bactericidal drugs.
Increased doses of acid are used for anemia, as well as to normalize hematopoiesis.
What foods contain folic acid?
The synthetic form of this vitamin is foul acid. Folsuric acid may also be better utilized by the body. To make these different compounds comparable, so-called “folic acid equivalents” are used. One microgram of folate equivalent corresponds to one microgram of dietary folate or 0.5 mcg of synthetic folic acid, as well as 0.6 mcg of folic acid.
What's behind the advertising of folic acid products?
Advertising often suggests that folate deficiency is widespread in Germany. In fact, in Germany the recommended intake of 300 mcg of folate per day is not achieved in a significant proportion of adults. But under-delivery does not mean there is a shortage. Rare folate deficiency was rarely found in Germany.
Many foods contain this substance. They can be divided into 2 groups: Products of plant and animal origin.
Plant products: Garden greens, lettuce leaves, vegetables, especially green ones, fresh carrots, beans, beans, peas, lentils. There is also a lot of vitamin B9 in wheat, rye bran, cereals, and nuts, especially forest ones. It contains yeast, lemons, oranges, bananas, root vegetables, pumpkin, etc.
To prevent folic acid deficiency, it is recommended to consider a balanced diet rich in folic acid, plenty of vegetables and whole grains. Before and early in pregnancy, the use of folic acid products is prudent in order to avoid any harm to the development of the fetus.
Advertising claims such as “promotes normal hematopoiesis,” “has a function in cell division,” and “contributes to normal homocysteine metabolism” are true, but folate also works. Moreover, these statements relate only to the maintenance of normal functions and not to the treatment of disease-related changes.
Animal products: pork, pork, lamb liver, beef, beef liver, chicken egg yolk, salmon, fatty herring, milk, dairy products.
This substance can also be synthesized in the human large intestine, with the help of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli.
It must be said that vitamin B9 is necessary for the normal functioning of vitamin B12 in the body, during the synthesis of red blood cells, the processing of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.
What does the body need for folate?
This is the task of the relevant medicines, for which manufacturers must not only provide a verified result before official approval, but must also prove the safety of the product. With the help of folate, nucleic acids are formed, i.e. building blocks of cell information storage. During rapid growth stages - e.g. early childhood, puberty or during pregnancy - folate in the body ensures cell division and growth. Therefore, folate is essential for every body, from muscles to nerve cells.
But when foods are cooked, folic acid is destroyed, so it is best to eat foods raw if possible. Except, of course, meat and liver. When cooking, especially for a long time, more than half of the folic acid contained in foods is destroyed.
If a product needs to be cooked, it is best to do it quickly, turn on high heat, and use a sealed container for cooking.
What is not a problem with a planned pregnancy cannot be done with an unplanned one. This is why young women are usually advised to eat a diet rich in vitamins. Daily requirements can be met in healthy, non-pregnant individuals with a balanced, folate-rich diet. Folate occurs in animal and plant foods. First of all, leafy vegetables have high level content. Good sources are sauerkraut, potatoes, tomatoes, oranges, soil and raspberries, sprouts, liver, eggs and whole grains.
In winter and spring, when there is a lack of fresh vegetables, fruits, herbs - the main source of folate, as well as for medicinal purposes, you can take folic acid preparations, or vitamin complexes that contain it. Be healthy!
Folic acid is a water-soluble B9 vitamin necessary for the growth and development of the immune and circulatory systems.
Folate is water soluble and very heat sensitive. Therefore, it is recommended to eat a lot of vegetables and fruits, preferably several times a day. If it is prepared, care should be taken to wash the vegetables gently and also to keep them warm and not for too long.
In addition to the natural occurrence of folic acid in food, there are many foods fortified with synthetic folic acid. Additionally, fortified foods are available with folic acid and iodine. However, uncontrolled consumption of many fortified foods can be problematic. For this reason, if salt is present, it is more likely to be considered as an additional option for taking folic acid, since it is a more accessible source of nutrition.
Lack and deficiency of folic acid is a threat to good health. Even perception stressful situations depends on the required B9 content in the body. If you lack vitamins, you will deal with pressing problems without enthusiasm and mood. The body will release more adrenaline into the blood, thereby helping to fight stress, but the psychological state will change for the worse, dissatisfaction and aggression will appear instead of activity. About a third of patients who turn to psychiatrists for help suffer from folic acid deficiency. When its reserves are replenished, diseases often improve and disappear.
Meet your folate needs with 5 servings of vegetables and fruits daily. If you want to get pregnant, start taking acid pills earlier. Regular intake of synthetic folic acid should not exceed 1 milligram per day for adults. Pediatric tablets should not be taken without a doctor. The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment recommends taking no more than 400 mcg of folic acid daily from dietary supplements.
Apart from folate nutrition, excessive use of folic acid is also considered critical as harmful effects are possible. A national survey of adolescent and adult nutrition. Publishing and Technology: Hamburg. Lack of folic acid in many cases is the cause of developmental defects, such as so-called neural tube defects in infants. Although this connection has long been known, it still exists in Europe a large number of such diseases. Folic acid is important for cell division and therefore for the healthy development of the baby in the mother's body.
B9 deficiency
Lack of B9 during pregnancy can lead to fetal developmental disorders and severe anomalies:
- defect of the neural tube of the embryo, which is fundamental to the nervous system;
- cerebral hernia;
- hydrocephalus;
- anencephaly;
- various congenital mental pathologies;
- inhibition of physical and mental development;
- congenital deformity, cleft lip;
- lead to miscarriage, premature birth, birth of a premature baby;
- stillbirth.
This problem can be avoided by giving the body a sufficient amount of folic acid. Interestingly, during the postpartum period, B9 helps relieve depression and promotes good lactation. That is why it is important to eat foods daily that contain the folic acid the body needs. B9 also helps normalize the process of puberty in girls if it is delayed. Even with the influence of the vitamin, you can get a delay from the menopausal pause.
Folic acid prophylaxis significantly reduces the risk of inadequate management
The neural tube is a structure in embryonic development that is already in the second or third week of pregnancy. From this structure the central and peripheral nervous system child. Especially at the beginning of pregnancy, the demand for folic acid is particularly high. Therefore, gynecologists advise women with childhood desire to take nutritional supplements containing folic acid. They are based on recommendations from specialized companies and experts. The German Society for Nutrition, as well as the Working Group on Folic Acid and Health, advise all women to take a daily dose of at least 400 mcg of folic acid, at least until the end of the first pregnancy, in addition to a diet rich in folic acid.
In addition, the vitamin affects boys and their puberty. With chronic deficiency in men, viable, full-fledged sperm are not formed. They are formed with many defects, which eliminates the likelihood of conception, leading to infertility.
If the body does not receive enough folic acid, skin diseases such as acne, psoriasis and others may appear.
With this type of folic acid prophylaxis in the run-up to pregnancy, the risk of neural tube defects can be reduced by about 70 percent. In addition to neural tube defects, heart defects, urinary tract defects, and cleft lip and palate have also been attributed to folic acid deficiency during embryonic development. Despite these recommendations, the number of newborns with neural tube defects in Europe is not decreasing, according to a recent study in the British Medical Journal.
Insufficient folate for the population
One reason for this development is that many women are not pregnant. In Europe, the supply of folic acid is poor. For every second 300 micrograms less than 200 micrograms per day are recommended by the German Society for Nutrition. This is inadequate, especially for women with children. International experience has shown that this measure can significantly reduce the incidence of serious malformations in children in the mother's body.
Symptoms of B9 deficiency: fatigue, migraine, weakness and pallor, sleep disturbances, irritability, poor memory, gastrointestinal problems, decreased appetite, weight loss. With an acute deficiency of the substance in the body, a person becomes aggressive and even hostile towards the world around him, and paranoia and mania may develop. In the case of severe and prolonged B9 deficiency, the dangerous condition of megaloblastic anemia quickly begins to develop, requiring emergency treatment in a hospital, otherwise there is a high risk of death.
Vegetarians, it turns out, do not experience B9 deficiency because they eat a lot of vegetables and herbs. But people who often eat refined, overcooked, and canned foods are in dire need of taking folic acid.
Excess B9
We can say that folic acid is a vitamin that is very difficult for the body to oversaturate by including foods that contain it in the diet. It’s hard to imagine that you can eat so many greens to provoke hypervitaminosis. Folic acid is not toxic; it cannot accumulate in our body. Its surplus that was not used to create blood, the process of cell renewal, etc. are removed from the body.
If a child regularly receives synthetic drugs in large quantities vitamin preparation B9, his body may respond with increased excitability, digestive disorders, and in an adult, sleep disturbance may be added to these troubles.
Prolonged intake of B9 in large doses during pregnancy is a threat to mother and baby: the level of B12 in the blood decreases, which leads to anemia, provokes stomach upsets, changes in kidney function, and increased nervous excitability. Also, against the background of a consistently elevated level of B9 in the blood of a pregnant woman, a child may be born with a predisposition to allergic and asthmatic diseases. At the same time, a slight excess of the daily dose of folic acid is safe.
Impact on the body
The hormone serotonin, the “hormone of joy,” can be produced in sufficient quantities only under conditions when there is enough folic acid in the body. It turns out that there are very few people who do not lack it, which is one of the causes of depression, neuroses and other nervous disorders. Substances synthesized in the brain thanks to the assistance of B9 are responsible for ensuring the timely transmission of nerve impulses and the production of special hormones that effectively combat stress. Therefore, against the background of the fact that you do not receive enough folic acid, first of all, the immune system and the nervous system suffer.
Folic acid in the diet
What foods contain this vitamin? B9 is found in many ingredients that can be used to diversify your diet.
Particularly rich in this element: leafy green vegetables, as well as herbs.
Spinach, lettuce, parsley, dill, green onions, tops of many vegetables, cabbage, leeks and horseradish are sources of the necessary vitamin. Folic acid is also found in the foliage of black currant, raspberry, linden and yarrow, dandelion and plantain, mint, and nettle.
Make sure you have the following products on your table: beets, beans, peas, carrots, pumpkin, cucumbers and champignons. Among the nuts that contain folic acid are the leaders: walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts and peanuts. If we talk about products of animal origin, these are: fish (tuna, salmon), liver, meat and dairy products.
Daily norm
The best way to get daily norm necessary vitamins– introducing a variety of foods into the diet. Most people get enough folic acid if they eat right. The amount of each necessary element depends on gender, age, and lifestyle characteristics. In addition, factors such as the presence of illness or pregnancy must be taken into account.
Doctors advise adhering as closely as possible to the optimal daily intake, which varies from a minimum of 200 mcg. up to 500 mgk. Consumption of folic acid as a component of food is also important because the substance is not synthesized in the body on its own, being a natural compound, it is consumed with food. Another source of folic acid is the microflora of the gastrointestinal tract.
Newborns:
- from 0 months to six months: 65 mcg;
- from 7 to 12 months: 80 mcg.
Daily norm for preschoolers and schoolchildren:
- from 1 to 3 years: 150 mcg;
- from 4 to 8 years: 200 mcg;
- from 9 to 13 years: 300 mcg.
Daily folic intake for adolescents and adults:
- boy, man over 14 years old and older: 400 mcg;
- girl, woman over 14 years old, also older: 400 mcg;
- pregnant women 18 years old: 600 mcg;
- pregnant women over 19 years of age and older: 500 mcg;
- nursing: 500 mcg.
Deficiency can cause:
- diarrhea;
- gray hair;
- mouth ulcers;
- stomach ulcers;
- slow growth;
- swollen tongue.
Products containing B9 (per 100 g)
| Product | Folic acid | % of the daily value in 1 serving weighing 2OOg |
| beef liver | 240mcg | 120% |
| peanut | 240mcg | 120% |
| beans | 229mcg | 115% |
| sunflower seeds | 227mcg | 114% |
| spinach | 194mcg | 97% |
| seaweed (kelp) | 180mcg | 90% |
| green dill | 150mcg | 75% |
| Cod liver | 110mcg | 55% |
| beet | 109mcg | 54.5% |
| nut (walnut) | 98mcg | 49% |
| avocado | 89mcg | 44.5% |
| basil | 68mcg | 34% |
| broccoli) | 63mcg | 31.5% |
| cauliflower | 57mcg | 28.5% |
| pumpkin seeds | 58 mcg | 29% |
| oats | 56mcg | 28% |
| asparagus | 52mcg | 26% |
| nuts (pistachios) | 51mcg | 25.5% |
| mushroom (honey mushroom) | 48mcg | 24% |
| greens (salad) | 46mcg | 23% |
| nut (almond) | 44mcg | 22% |
| white cabbage | 43mcg | 21.5% |
| mango | 43mcg | 21.5% |
| peas | 42mcg | 21% |
| corn | 42mcg | 21% |
| pomegranate | 38mcg | 19% |
| wheat | 38mcg | 19% |
| nut (pine) | 34mcg | 17% |
| buckwheat | 30mcg | 15% |
| green onions | 30mcg | 15% |
| orange | 30mcg | 15% |
| mushroom (champignon) | 28mcg | 14% |
| coconut pulp | 26mcg | 13% |
| kiwi | 25mcg | 12.5% |
| blackberry | 25mcg | 12.5% |
| Strawberry wild-strawberry | 24mcg | 12% |
| tangerine (clementine) | 24mcg | 12% |
| chilli | 23mcg | 11.5% |
| eggplant | 22mcg | 11% |
| raspberries | 21mcg | 10.5% |
| brown rice | 20mcg | 10% |
| pearl barley (barley) | 19mcg | 9.5% |
| onion | 19mcg | 9.5% |
| mushroom (white) | 17mcg | 8.5% |
| coconut milk | 16mcg | 8% |
| tangerines (regular) | 16mcg | 8% |
| brown potatoes | 14mcg | 7% |
| passion fruit | 14mcg | 7% |
| green sorrel | 13mcg | 6.5% |
| grapefruit | 13mcg | 6.5% |
| yam (sweet potato) | 11mcg | 5.5% |
| lemon | 11mcg | 5.5% |
| Dill seeds | 10mcg | 5% |
| mushroom (morel) | 9mcg | 4.5% |
| celery root vegetable | 8µg | 4% |
| white and red currants | 8µg | 4% |
| rambutan | 8µg | 4% |
| pear | 7µg | 3.5% |
| figs | 6µg | 3% |
| nectarine | 5µg | 2.5% |
| grape | 4µg | 2% |
| cherries | 4µg | 2% |
| watermelon | 3mcg | 1.5% |
| quince | 3mcg | 1.5% |
It is important that the body receives the required amount of folic acid daily from foods containing it. Watch your diet, let it be varied and healthy; your physical and psychological state largely depends on nutrition.