Difference between revisions of "Folate"

Revision as of 04:41, 31 October 2021

See also : Vitamin B
Other name : Vitamin B9

• Do not confuse with Folic Acid !
• Folic acid and folate are terms used interchangeably as though they are the same. They are not. Folate is a naturally occurring vitamin known as B9. Folate contains all the related isomers needed for B9 to fully benefit health. Folic acid is a synthetically derived molecule created in a lab in the early 1940s. Guess which is beneficial and which is risky.
• Folate is present in many foods, especially dark green vegetables. Spinach, kale, broccoli, and other veggies are well bestowed with natural B9. It's also available in whole grains and legumes that you purchase dry. You can even get folate from citrus fruits, melons, and bananas. Eggs are also a good source of folate.
• Another excellent folate source that can be used as a supplement is unfortified brewer's yeast. Brewer's yeast flake labels can be confusing, however. Some will list folic acid instead of folate as a key nutrient. They mirror the medical nomenclature confusion just like almost everyone else! The People's Chemist recommends a particular brewer's yeast so you can avoid confusion.
• The amount of folate usually required is measured in mere micrograms (mcg). That is all that's needed on a daily basis to help metabolize proteins and set our DNA right for protecting us from disease.
• As a water soluble B vitamin, whatever isn't needed is passed through the urine. But the flip side of water soluble vitamins is that they are not stored well in the body. Folate is relatively unstable, especially with heat. Some raw veggies, such as romaine lettuce, should be part of our daily diet.

Special Precautions of Folate

The benefits of Folate are

• Folate benefits include red blood cell production as well as protection against many forms of cancer, pulmonary diseases, osteoporosis, macular degeneration, depression, and Alzheimer's disease.
• Folate promotes vascular health by lowering homocysteine, an amino acid that, at high levels, raises the risk of dementia and cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke.
• Folate has also been shown to reduce the risk of developing colorectal, ovarian, and breast cancers and to help stop uncontrolled cell growth, one of the primary characteristics of all cancers.
• Folate makes you smart and happy, Lack of folate makes you depressed and stupid

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