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Foods Sources High In Vitamin B9
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Unlike
most vitamins, Vitamin B9 is more commonly known by a chemical name,
Folic acid. However, the natural form of Vitamin B9 is not actually
Folic Acid. Folic acid is a man-made chemical that is converted
inside the body into the naturally occurring form, Folate. Once
inside the body, both chemicals provide the same functionality. The
recommended amount of Vitamin B9 needed is 400mcg per day for both men
and women. For women who are pregnant or have the possibility of
becoming pregnant, the recommended amount is 600mcg per day. A very important piece of information regarding Folic acid is
that the birth defects that occur because of a Vitamin B9 deficiency
happen very early in pregnancy, often before the woman even knows she is
pregnant. It is for this reason that any woman with the possibility of
becoming pregnant make sure they exceed the 400mcg per day recommended
for other individuals.
Vitamin
B9, in its´ natural form of Folate, is found in a variety of food
sources. The highest concentration of Folate is found in dark
green, leafy vegetables like Romaine lettuce and spinach. Many other
healthy foods contain high amounts of Vitamin B9 like bananas, oranges,
tomatoes and liver. Because these food sources also contain a
large number of other nutrients in high amounts, they should always be a
major part of weekly meal plans.
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Folic
acid is the synthetic form of Vitamin B9 and is commonly used to enrich
stable gain foods such as bread, pasta and cereals. Folic acid is
also the form of Vitamin B9 used in daily vitamins and other
supplements. Once in the body, man-made Folic acid is used exactly
the same way as Folate.
The most important and dangerous aspect of a Vitamin B9 deficiency is in
regards to pregnancy. Very early in pregnancy, a fetus has a risk
of developing a condition called Spina Bifida, which occurs when the
spinal column does not close properly in early pregnancy. Vitamin B9
also is important for the prevention of low-birth weight babies, mental
retardation, and premature delivery. In adults, Vitamin B9
deficiency can lead to depression, poor mental functioning as well as
cancer and heart disease.
There are two forms of Vitamin B9, the synthetic, or man-made form is
called Folic acid and is used to enrich basic foods like bread, cereal
and pasta. The natural form of Vitamin B9 is called Folate, and is
found mainly in dark green vegetables, but also in fruits such as
bananas, oranges and tomatoes. The recommended amount is 400mcg per
day for adults and 600mcg per day for pregnant women or women who may
become pregnant.
Reviewed: Peter Sedesse, MD
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