Salad Anyone?
The color of green wherever it’s seen usually contains folic acid. The vitamin was named after the Latin word folium, which means leaf. This water-soluble vitamin is an important lynchpin in the family of B-Complex fiefdom. It is also referred to as Vitamin B9. The vitamin is ubiquitous throughout the plant kingdom.
Milk Even Becomes More Precious With Folic Acid
It’s also sprayed by manufacturers on fortified cereals and is added to breads. Don’t discard that milk because much of this added vitamin drains into the cereal’s liquid. Absorption of folic acid into your body from fortified cereals is about 85%. That figure is excellent because absorption from most foods is extremely low.
The folic acid contained in leafy vegetables is difficult for the body to absorb. Food inhibits absorption of the vitamin. Nutritional charts listing quantities of folic acid in foods are very misleading. What the foods actually contain according to the chart listings will never make it to the inside of your cells. There is only about 50% absorption of this vitamin from its most significant sources, leafy greens. Significant differences are present in absorption between whole foods and manufactured foods. This unique situation exists only with folic acid.
Ms. Mommie Nature
Folic acid is involved in so many essential processes that go on in the human body. It’s responsible for cell division, production, repair and altering of our DNA (genes). Our DNA can even be slightly redecorated at times and folic acid helps the interior designer (Mother Nature).
In the U.S., babies are born with defects of the spinal cord because of folic acid deficiencies. This situation results in the incomplete closure (spina bifida) of the spinal cord in the fetus. This deadly situation often results in loss of life. When a woman discovers she is pregnant, the damage of folic acid deficiency has already been done to the embryo. Too late to start taking a prenatal vitamin to reverse the irreversible consequences. Supplementing with nutrients has to start at least a month before conception.
Girl Or Boy?
Renovating Your Mind thinks that since over 50% of pregnancies are unplanned, all women of childbearing years should be taking a prenatal supplement containing folic acid. The prescription prenatal supplement has 1 mg (1000 mcg) of folic acid. Non-prescription prenatal vitamins have lower amounts of folic acid. If the prenatal Rx is too expensive, get a prescription for the inexpensive folic acid tablets (1 mg) and include an over-the-counter prenatal supplement. Consult with your MD about that option. Rx prenatal supplements are usually highly overpriced. Also, many prescription plans don’t cover prescription prenatal products.
In 1998, the U.S. initiated mandating for the fortification of cereals and breads with folic acid. Cases of spina bifida dropped drastically in the U.S. because of added supplementation to the foods. Fortification of this nutrient through common food sources resulted in a 27% decline in spina bifida over 10 years. An amazingly positive result for those babies that otherwise would have perished or suffered a poor quality of life because of the lack of one nutrient. Think about the impact of a single nutrient on the difference between life and death.
Check in tomorrow for PART TWO of folic acid.
Her Body Is Craving Essential Vitamins
Categories: Food, Nutrition, Science-Technology
Renovating Your Mind 