What are the effects of taking folic acid for women?

Women usually take folic acid during the preparation period for pregnancy, because folic acid is a substance that women cannot lack during pregnancy. They start taking it two months before pregnancy. In addition, they can also supplement folic acid in their diet. However, the folic acid supplemented in the diet is absorbed very slowly by the body, and it is not as fast as taking folic acid tablets directly. Green foods contain a lot of folic acid, so what is the role of folic acid for women?

1What foods contain folic acid?

Expectant mothers who are planning to conceive or are in the early stages of pregnancy should take folic acid supplements every day and eat foods rich in folic acid to prevent neural tube defects in their babies and reduce the risk of other types of birth defects. So what are the foods rich in folic acid?

1. Green vegetables: lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, carrots, cabbage, asparagus, cauliflower, rapeseed, Chinese cabbage, lentils, bean pods, mushrooms, etc.

2. Fresh fruits: oranges, strawberries, cherries, bananas, lemons, peaches, plums, apricots, bayberries, crabapples, jujubes, hawthorns, pomegranates, grapes, kiwis, pears, walnuts, etc.

3. Animal meat and eggs, such as pork liver, chicken, beef, mutton, etc.

4. Beans and nuts: soybeans, soy products, walnuts, cashews, chestnuts, almonds, pine nuts, etc.

5. Cereals: barley, rice bran, wheat germ, brown rice, etc.

6. Walnut oil also contains folic acid.

In addition, taking a small dose of folic acid supplement every day is the best way to obtain folic acid, which can make up for the lack of folic acid intake in food.

2What are the benefits of taking folic acid for women?

Folic acid plays an important role in cell division and growth and the synthesis of nucleic acids, amino acids and proteins. A lack of folic acid in the human body can lead to abnormalities in red blood cells, an increase in immature cells, anemia and a decrease in white blood cells. Folic acid is an essential nutrient for fetal growth and development. Folic acid deficiency in pregnant women may lead to low birth weight, cleft lip and palate, heart defects, etc. If there is a lack of folic acid during the first three months of pregnancy, it can cause neural tube defects in the fetus and lead to malformations. Therefore, women who are planning to become pregnant can start taking 100 micrograms to 300 micrograms of folic acid daily before pregnancy.