In the modern rhythm of the big city, due to environmental problems, stress, poor nutrition and other factors, the human body not only loses, but also loses a large amount of vitamins.
Vitamins containing folic acid - BC and B9 - are one of the most vital for humans, because they are necessary for the development of the circulatory system, as well as for the growth of the immune system. B9 is the most important vitamin for women. When there is a lack of folic acid in the body , this leads to rapid fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea and diarrhea, abdominal pain, hair loss and skin problems. In a more global sense, a heart attack or stroke can occur due to a lack of vitamin B9. An adult needs about two milligrams of folic acid per day.
Foods containing large amounts of folic acid can be found on supermarket shelves without problems, they are easily accessible and do not need complicated preparation. B9 is found in legumes, cereals, nuts and vegetables.
Folic Acid Products: Table
Product | The content of folic acid per 100 g, mcg |
Peanut | 240 |
Baton | 28 |
Broccoli | 63 |
Brynza | 35 |
Brussels sprouts | 31 |
Porcini | 40 |
Green peas | 12 |
Walnut | 77 |
Leek | 32 |
Almond | 40 |
Milk powder | thirty |
Rye flour | 55 |
Oat groats | 29th |
Pearl barley | 24 |
Beef liver | 240 |
Chicken liver | 240 |
Pork liver | 225 |
A tomato | eleven |
Kidney | 56 |
Wheat groats | 40 |
Salad | 48 |
Fat cottage cheese | 35 |
Beans | 90 |
Hazelnut | 68 |
Bread | thirty |
Horseradish | 37 |
Ramson | 40 |
Champignon | thirty |
Spinach | 80 |
Barley grits | 40 |
Is an excess of folic acid possible?
Vitamin B9 is non-toxic, therefore, an overdose of them is almost impossible. Products containing folic acid can be consumed in unlimited quantities. Hypervitaminosis is also ruled out, as you physically will not be able to eat as many nuts or greens as would be harmful to the body.
Theoretically, an overdose of folic acid is possible, but only if you take a dose that is a hundred times higher than the body needs, and this is about 30 tablets of pure vitamin B9 for an adult (the amount depends on weight and lifestyle). Any other excess daily rates are displayed immediately and without any consequences. A slight excess of folic acid intake is safe even for pregnant women. It can be concluded that accidental overdose of B9 is completely excluded.
Folic acid for children
A growing body needs to consume all the vitamins of group B. Products containing folic acid are absolutely identical for children and adults. Dosage difference: one milligram per day is enough for children.
However, many children, especially at an early age, refuse to eat such foods containing folic acid like liver, onions or broccoli. In order not to harm the health of your child, replace the baby’s sweets with melons (100 mcg), strawberries (62 mcg), grapes (43 mcg) or oranges (30 mcg). So you can save the daily intake of this vitamin in full.
Be careful with the dosage of synthetic vitamins containing folic acid. If the child takes them regularly in unreasonable amounts, then after a while he will have an indigestion, sleep disturbance or increased irritability.
Products containing folic acid and vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 and folic acid are two vitamins that are involved in the maturation and development of blood cells, as well as in the formation of red blood cells. The daily intake of B12 is much less than B9, however, in order to avoid anemia, you must remember this vitamin.
Most products containing folic acid also have vitamin B12 in their composition. This may include: meat, kidneys, liver, eggs, dairy products, fish, cheese, cottage cheese, wholemeal flour, honey, yeast.
Products that contain folic acid and B6
So, products containing folic acid and vitamin B6 can be divided into groups:
Legumes and cereals | Vegetables | Fruits | Nuts | Milk products |
Beans, soybeans, oats, peas, rye, lentils, wheat. | Spinach, carrots, cabbage, onions, eggplant. | Lemon, orange, pineapple, pear, apple. | Hazelnuts, almonds, peanuts, walnuts. | Kefir, milk, cheese, cottage cheese. |
Products containing folic acid and vitamin E
Products containing folic acid and vitamin E: walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, seeds, peanuts, buckwheat, rice, oatmeal, peas, beans, margarine, onions, celery, carrots, spinach, parsley, Brussels sprouts. But meat and milk, contrary to stereotypes, contain a very small amount of vitamin E.
Pregnant Folic Acid Dosage
Products containing folic acid for pregnant women exactly the same as for an ordinary adult. The difference in dosages: usually the norm of the vitamin is 200 mcg per day, but pregnant women are expected to have two, and sometimes even 4 times more, that is, from 400 to 800 mcg.
Folic acid (or B9) is the most important vitamin for pregnant women:
This vitamin is responsible for the growth and development of living organs and tissues, and this is important at the stage of embryo formation. Folic acid is also an integral part of the process of cell division and DNA formation.
This vitamin takes part in the formation of all blood elements: white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets, and it is also important for the hematopoiesis process.
Folic acid contributes to the formation of the brain and neural tube of the fetus.
B9 is involved in the creation of nucleic acids, which in turn transmit hereditary characteristics to the child.
No wonder vitamin B9 is considered a “female” vitamin, and it helps to cope with toxicosis, depression, and malaise during pregnancy. The right amount of this vitamin not only improves the well-being of the expectant mother, but also affects the development of her baby and his future health.
Long-term intake of vitamin B9 (over 800 mcg per day) during pregnancy can threaten both the mother and the baby: because of this, the amount of vitamin B12 decreases, and this can threaten gastrointestinal upset, changes in kidney function, and increased nervous excitability. This can happen if you take 10-20 mg of the drug in its pure form daily for more than three months. But the lack of B9 during pregnancy can cause the development of severe fetal abnormalities.
How to maximize the benefits of folic acid?
Every person since childhood for one reason or another took antibiotics. As a result of this, intestinal microflora certainly suffered, and therefore vitamin B9 ceased to be synthesized in it. To prevent this, it is necessary to drink live yoghurts and eat other fermented milk products containing bifidobacteria. They play an indispensable role in the restoration of intestinal microflora.
Folic acid is destroyed by heat treatment, so you need to cook dishes with a closed lid and as quickly as possible (for example, vegetables or liver). Try to eat vegetables and fruits raw, so you retain all the vitamin properties of the products. Accustom yourself to all the dishes that you cook, instead of seasoning, add fresh herbs and spinach, you can also add a handful of nuts.
What causes a lack of folic acid?
It's hard to believe, but the mood and attitude to stressful situations in each person often depends on how much folic acid is in his body.
With a lack of B9, a person is constantly in a bad mood, shows indifference to everything that is happening, and sometimes open aggression. Hobbies are forgotten, work is done poorly, such a person prefers the company of a sofa and a remote control from the TV, rather than an active vacation with his family or friends.
Another interesting fact: about a third of all mentally ill people or those who seek the help of psychiatrists have a large folic acid deficiency. When such patients begin to take vitamin B9 as a dietary supplement (sometimes it is a whole complex of vitamins), then the diseases acquire a different character, and sometimes pass completely.
With a long and severe deficiency of folic acid, a dangerous disease quickly develops rapidly - megaloblastic anemia, which must be treated urgently in a hospital setting, otherwise there is a risk of death. Therefore, you cannot ignore even the slightest signs of a lack of B9 in your body.
Vegetarians or vegans usually do not suffer from a deficiency of vitamin B9, because they compensate for the lack of meat with a lot of vegetables, herbs, soy and nuts, thereby eating foods containing folic acid and vitamin B12. But those people who often consume processed, refined foods or a large number of preservatives should review their diet. They additionally need to take vitamins containing folic acid (or a complex of vitamins and minerals) in the form of medications, but only on the recommendation of a doctor.
Be vigilant, do not get carried away and keep track of the amount of vitamin consumed, because excess doses also have a number of side effects:
skin irritation;
rash;
gastrointestinal upset;
excitability of the nervous system;
functional changes in the kidneys,
and also do not forget about allergic reactions.
Folic acid is an integral part of the vitamin balance. She is responsible for the most important life processes. Watch your diet carefully, and pay special attention to the regime of your children. It is extremely important for a growing body to have a good supply of vitamin B9.