Folate is a water-soluble vitamin of B-group and is essential for good health, especially the women of childbearing age as it improves the birth outcomes and also decreases the birth defects in the newborn ("Folate For Women Of Childbearing Age | Dietitians Association Of Australia"). Getting a sufficient amount of this vitamin prevents folate deficiency anaemia. It also helps in preventing certain severe birth defects as well.
Some people confuse folate with folic acid, but there is a difference. Folate is the natural form of folic acid and is available in food, whereas, folic acid is the man-made form that is available in supplements and fortified foods.
Folate is an essential vitamin for cell division and DNA synthesis. The RBCs or Red Blood Cells also need folate for their formation. A rapid growth in the women that includes the cell division and tissue growth of the baby can be seen in the first months of pregnancy and this increases the need of folate in the body. It is necessary for women to take folate, even before and after pregnancy as well. The consumption of folate in the diet before the pregnancy also reduces the risk of neural tube defects (spine defects) by 65%.
Folate is naturally present in food and is not harmful to a human being ("Office Of Dietary Supplements - Folate"). The supplements enriched with folic acid and fortified foods should not be eaten above the normal range as it may increase the risk of having a vitamin B12 deficiency. Folate is able to correct anaemia, but it is unable to correct the nerve damage caused by the deficiency ("Office Of Dietary Supplements - Folate"). This can also lead to permanent damage to the brain and the nerves, including the spinal cord as well.
The daily diet of all women of childbearing age should contain 400 mcg of folate. Folate is needed for the growth of new cells in the body like skin, hair, etc. Achieving the proper amount of folate a woman need, can be through the food she eats or consulting a doctor, a dietician or a nutritionist is also a better option.
Women at different stages need different amounts of folic acid in the diet. Here are the recommendations –
Pregnant women need 600 mcg of this vitamin daily.
Breastfeeding women need 500 mcg of folic acid in their diet.
Women who are about to get pregnant or even planning should take 400 mcg of folic acid daily.
In order to make sure that the food a woman is eating contains enough folate is by including the following foods in the diet –
Broccoli, green salads, and all leafy vegetables
Cereals like wheat, and oats
Lentils, peas, and dried beans
Breakfast cereals, noodles, pasta, and bread
Folate can be taken in the form of tablets as well. An adequate amount of this vitamin is essential as too much of folate can lead to the deficiency of vitamin B12. Women who take other medications for epilepsy or any psychotic disorders should only take folate of advised by the doctor as it may interfere with the anti-seizure activity of some medicines.
Most of the women are not aware of the benefits of having folate in their diet. About two-thirds of the women in the US are consuming an insufficient amount of folic acid in their diet. Following are some of the ways a woman can have sufficient amounts of folate in their diet –
Take a vitamin supplement containing 0.4 mg folic acid on a daily basis.
Eat a breakfast full of fortified cereal daily.
Increase the intake of fruits and vegetables fortified with folic acid.
The man-made form of this vitamin is easily absorbed by the body of women than the natural form. Taking a good multivitamin is a good habit for all women before and after pregnancy.
References
"Office Of Dietary Supplements - Folate". Ods.od.nih.gov. N.p., 2016. Web. 5 Apr. 2016.
"Folate For Women Of Childbearing Age | Dietitians Association Of Australia". Daa.asn.au. N.p., 2016. Web. 5 Apr. 2016.
