Folic acid
Folic acid is a type of vitamin B dissolved in water, and the body uses folic acid to produce red blood cells, and the presence of folic acid naturally in food in the form of folate or fulassin, and there are many dietary sources of folic acid will be mentioned later in this article, and the folic acid benefits It is important for the health of the heart and memory, as it has a key role in protecting the fetus from deformities, and we will remind you in this article sources of folic acid food and its benefits to the body.
Food sources of folic acid
- Green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, lettuce, green cabbage, and rapeseed.
- Broccoli, where broccoli contains good amounts of folic acid, eating one cup of broccoli provides the body with 24 percent of the body’s daily need for folic acid.
- Asparagus is an important source of folic acid. It covers five and six percent of the daily requirement of folic acid with a cup of boiled asparagus or steamed.
- Most fruits contain folic acid but citrus is a rich source of folic acid, such as citrus, oranges and grapefruit.
- Legumes such as lentils, peas and beans. Eating one cup of lentils provides the body with 90 percent of the daily needs of folic acid.
- Some vegetables contain good folic acid, such as avocado, okra, flower and beet.
- Foods fortified with folic acid such as breakfast cereals.
- Liver and beef are animal sources of folic acid.
Benefits of folic acid
- Folic acid helps protect the fetus before birth from the risk of neural tube or spinal cord defects (such as the spinal incision, a congenital malformation where the growth of some vertebrae in the spine, which causes the birth of the spinal cord) or other congenital defects, such as cleft palate, Folic acid is very important, and women should make sure they do not get folic acid before pregnancy.
- Folic acid enters with vitamin B12 in the production of red blood cells, so folic acid deficiency leads to anemia or anemia.
- It treats the problem of hair loss and increases its density, improves the quality of hair, and protects against hair loss.
- Protects the health of the heart, protects against the risk of coronary artery disease and stroke.
- Studies show that folic acid protects the body from cancer, such as pharynx, stomach, and ovarian cancer.
- Note: Pregnant women should consult their doctor to make sure they are not deficient in folic acid. Pregnant women are usually given folic acid supplements during the first 3 months of pregnancy.