Folic acid, vitamin B9 for the body
Folic acid, also known as vitamin B9, is a very important substance for the body because it is essential for the synthesis of DNA and proteins and for the formation of hemoglobin.
The balanced presence of folic acid in the body actually ensures good growth, protects against cardiovascular diseases and helps prevent birth defects in the fetus for pregnant women.
Its history is in the name: folic derives from the Latin "folium", which means green and broad-leaved vegetables, such as spinach, herbs, beets, black cabbage, which are rich in them. But they are not the only foods to be rich, let's discover others together.
Foods that contain folic acid
Other foods also contain it, such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, artichokes, lettuce salad ; it is also contained in legumes - peas, beans, chickpeas, lentils - in whole grains (wholegrain pasta and rice), in fruit - lemon, melon, kiwi, strawberry, orange, avocado, dried fruit - and in brewer's yeast. The liver and eggs contain it equally.
As the Ministry of Health reports, there are also "fortified foods", that is to say added with folic acid, such as breakfast cereals, biscuits, rusks, snacks and bars or fruit juices .
To facilitate the absorption of folic acid, it is recommended to leave the vegetables to soak for a few minutes in water and fresh lemon juice for a few minutes before cooking them.
How to cook food with folic acid
Attention must also be paid to how these foods are prepared and eaten: the cooking process destroys part of the folate present in food, or classic cooking in water also eliminates more than 50% of the folic acid present in food.
The preferable choice is to consume foods that are as fresh as possible , raw or steamed . Alternatively, the other type of cooking that does not disperse these precious substances is vacuum cooking.
Finally, consider marinating with fresh lemon juice as another healthy and possible way to present the vegetables on the table.
The correct amount of folic acid, according to ministerial directives and on average, for a person of healthy constitution, would range from 0.4 to a maximum of 1 mg of folic acid per day. However, these parameters are only indicative: each person has his or her own personal, correct amount of folic acid that should be taken daily.
What causes a lack of folic acid
The lack of folic acid in the early stages of pregnancy can considerably increase the risk of fetal malformations; furthermore it may cause intrauterine growth retardation, premature labor or lesions in the placenta.
In adults, a shortage of folic acid can lead to megaloblastic anemia . The first symptoms of his deficiency are fatigue, depression, decreased immune defenses. It is also important to combine folic acid with vitamin B12, as they both act in the breakdown and utilization of proteins.
The two vitamins are closely related : the deficiency of vitamin B12 can cause a deficiency of folic acid, and the deficiency of one of the two vitamins can cause anemia.
In-depth sources: Folic acid and folate, Ministry of Health.