The folic acid or vitamin B9 is an essential nutrient for our body; it helps promote cell regeneration, maintaining our health and well-being especially important during pregnancy. This nutrient should be present in our daily diet or be ingested, only under medical recommendation, as a supplement. Here we explain what the benefits of folic acid are and in what foods you can find it.
Steps to follow:
1. The folic acid is a nutrient closely associated with pregnant women or who are seeking pregnancy. This is because during pregnancy this vitamin helps prevent congenital alterations in the fetal brain or back, so it is important to add it to the diet or ingest it through a supplement prescribed by the gynecologist.
It is also an effective nutrient for treating gum disease during pregnancy.
2. Among the benefits of folic acid, it stands out its property of improving the health of patients with anemia because it helps to increase the red blood cell count. Many of the foods rich in folic acid are also high in fiber, which is why they work very well in the treatment of anemia, specifically iron deficiency.
3. A good supply of folic acid will help us improve digestion, favoring the production of digestive acids and preventing stomach discomfort and ailments. It is also an essential nutrient for those patients who have conditions in which their intestine cannot absorb nutrients well, becoming an essential vitamin to maintain our health.
4. Among the benefits of folic acid are its properties to reduce the risk of suffering from different types of cancer such as colon, rectal, breast and pancreatic cancer. Combined with other B vitamins such as B12 and B6, its positive effects are enhanced.
5. The folic acid or vitamin B9 ingested in a good quantity can also help prevent heart disease, guaranteeing our cardiovascular health. It is also a recommended nutrient in cases of depression, since people who suffer from this condition tend to have low levels of this nutrient.
6. Folic acid is an important nutrient for those with appetite problems, as it helps to increase it, thus promoting a more balanced diet.
7. Folic acid deficiency can cause conditions such as:
- Anemia, weakness, or fatigue
- Lack of appetite and thinness
- Depression and irritability
- Nausea and diarrhea
- Tachycardia’s
- Problems or delayed growth