Vitamin B9 is also known as Folic acid, folacin, or folate. This vitamin is manufactured by body and it is stored in the liver. Folic acid is crucial for oxygen transportation and essential to create heme, iron-containing substance in hemoglobin. It is important for red blood cell formation, cell growth and required for DNA synthesis. Vitamin B9 is most important vitamin in “Vitamin B” family.
Natural folates are found in dark green leafy vegetables, poultry, pork, shellfish, citrus fruits. Vitamin B9 are rich in Green leafy vegetables like spinach, dry beans and peas, turnip green, cabbage, fortified cereals and grain products. Fruits and vegetables are rich sources of folate such as Orange, orange juice, broccoli, pinto beans, mustard greens, beets, wheat germ, and meat.
Orange is rich in vitamin B9, orange juice is recommended, and vegetables like cabbage, leafy vegetables, and spinach are easily available sources. Poultry foods, pork, and shellfish are rich in folic acid. It is also found that foods like brewer’s yeast, canned tuna, soy flour, kidney beans, whole grains, beef liver, mushroom, fortified juices, and fresh green vegetables are good sources of Vitamin B9.
Vitamin B9 is very important for pregnant woman to prevent some kinds of birth defects like neural tube defects. To prevent these birth defects now foods are fortified with folic acid. Woman who are pregnant often require additional supplementation of folic acid.
Folic acid or Vitamin B9 is more effective when taken with B group vitamins. It is recommended for pregnant woman as it helps to prevent birth defects and enhance the production of milk after delivery. Vitamin B9 is a very important vitamin and it plays an important role in transportation of oxygen and for formation of red blood cell. Leafy vegetables and meats are rich sources of folic acid.
