Not as cool as Bears, Beets, Battlestar Galactica....

but these three B's all have something important that links them together... vitamin B9 also known as folate! Folate is an essential B vitamin found in green, leafy vegetables known for its important role in cell development.

Babies and folate:
Because folate plays an important role in cell development, differentiation, and morphogenesis; you can imagine how important it is for babies and embryos. Without folate, fertilization, the cell-cyle, and embryonic development would not occur. In fact, a deficiency in folate during pregnancy can lead to severe birth defects known as neural tube defects. Neural tube defects affect the brain or spinal cord in newborns and can ultimately cause problems in overall health. For expecting mothers, making sure you are getting enough folate is essential in the development and health of your child.

Beets and folate:
As mentioned before, folate can be found in green, leafy vegetables but can be found in beets too! Along with legumes, asparagus, spinach, broccoli, and many others, beets also contain a good amount of folate and are a great source of this B vitamin. With the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of folate being 400mg, an average beet can contribute about 100 to 150mg of folic acid.

megaloBlastic anemia and folate:
Folate deficiency results in anemia and more specifically, megaloblastic anemia. In this type of anemia, red blood cells are abnormally large. Symptoms of megaloblastic anemia are fatigue, irritability, diarrhea, mouth sores, and poor growth. In order to prevent this disease, it's important to eat a balanced diet in order to make sure the body gets enough folate and vitamins it needs.



Comments