Take extra doses of folic acid It is the order of the day among women who are planning to become pregnant or those who are already pregnant. It is a vitamin of group B that, in this female group, significantly reduces the risk of a baby having developmental defects incomplete brain and spinal cord.

These problems that can occur in the growth of the fetus are generated in the first weeks of pregnancy, one of the reasons why women are recommended to start taking folic acid when they start trying to get pregnant. Likewise, it is also positive ingest it if pregnancy is not plannedsince many, according to the UN, about half of the world’s pregnancies are unwanted.

Likewise, this vitamin is not only beneficial for them and for their babies, but it benefits all women because it is an ally against anemia, fatigue and depression.

This vitamin beneficial for women was discovered precisely by two women: Dr. Lucy Willisof British origin, and his Hindu collaborator M. M.Metha. In 1930, they identified a factor in India that was capable of curing megaloblastic anemia. The cause of this anemia is usually due to dietary deficiencies and causes red blood cells to be larger than normal and die prematurely.

When it was discovered, folic acid was initially called “Willis factor” or also vitamin B9. This component could be isolated, years later, from spinach leaves, and was named as we know it today.

Woman and benefits

Folic acid works in conjunction with vitamins B12 and vitamin C, helping to break down, absorb and use proteins in the body.

It plays an important role in protecting us from anemia, as it participates in the formation of the heme group, the iron-containing protein in hemoglobin. Its deficiency can create megaloblastic anemia in women, manifesting in loss of appetite, nausea, mouth ulcers, pale skin and hair loss. Its chronic deficiency is manifested by fatigue and a painful, swollen tongue.

Other benefits of folic acid are that helps liver activity and regulate histamine levels in the body. It supports mental and emotional health, as it helps regulate serotonin, which will normalize our appetite, body temperature, sleep and mood.

Finally, other curious facts about folic acid: it keeps intestinal parasites at bay, protects us from poisoning from damaged foods and prevents premature graying of hair.

Where to find it

Women lacking folic acid is one of the most common vitamin deficiencies in women. The reason is usually purely dietary, due to the choices we make in our daily lives: foods of animal origin (with the exception of liver) that are low in folic acid, while plant foods are excellent sources, but not so consumed.

Nor does a change in our bodily needs (for example, during pregnancy), the consumption of alcohol or certain medications (such as birth control pills) help to maintain good levels.

The human body is unable to synthesize folic acid, so it is totally dependent on external sources to obtain it. Its deficiency can be solved with vitamins and treatments with pharmacological supplements, but the levels of this substance can also improve with a healthy lifestyle focused on eating healthy foods that contain folic acid.

We find folic acid in leafy vegetables green such as spinach, kale, chard, cabbage, peas, collards, asparagus, broccoli, beans, avocados, oranges, walnuts and almonds. Also in grain cereals, legumes and some animal organs such as liver. Other foods rich in folic acid are brewer’s yeast, soybeans and soy flourmushrooms, dates, coconut and blackberries.

The recommendations for folic acid in adult women without special needs is 400 micrograms per day. The substance is extremely sensitive and easy to destroy by light or heat, so it is preferable to consume these foods, whenever possible, raw or with minimal processing.

***Cristina Román is a journalist specialized in Nutrition from the Institute For Optimum Nutrition in London and editor of the website I Am Bio.

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