Good sources of folate, but they won’t impress MasterChef judges
How does a plate of spinach, sprouts, broccoli, kale, cabbage, chickpeas, brown rice, kidney and liver sound?
It’s almost like someone’s compiled a list of the least popular foods.
All of those ingredients together would make for an interesting dish, and not one, I suspect, would impress the judges on MasterChef.
It would, however, contain lots of a vitamin a woman who is, or is planning to be, pregnant, might need.
All of those foods are rich in Vitamin B9, or folic acid. Our bodies can only store a limited amount – only a few months’ worth – so we continually need a fresh supply.
Folic acid is a vital substance used in our bodies and helps us to make new red blood cells.
If you don’t have enough then the body can’t make red blood cells properly, and this can lead to anaemia.
Pregnant women are at risk of this because their bodies are making lots of new cells.
It’s also vital pregnant women have enough folic acid to reduce the risk of neural tube defects such as spina bifida in the baby.
Happily they don’t have to whip up a broccoli and kidney salad (served on a bed of brown rice) to get enough folate, as supplements will do the trick.
Expectant mums are told to take folic acid supplements as soon as they find out they’re pregnant, but ideally they should be taking it before they conceive. Most women on a healthy diet can stop the supplement after the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
But it’s not just pregnant women who are at risk of the effects of a lack of folic acid.
Older people who perhaps aren’t eating many vegetables can lack it, as can those who are alcohol dependent.
These people may need supplements but they can also change their diets to include more folic acid.
And handily it’s not just broccoli and green beans – other reasonable sources include fortified breakfast cereals, some bread, lentils, beans, bananas and oranges.
There are other causes of folic acid deficiency – such as coeliac disease, where the gut doesn’t absorb the vitamin properly, or some blood disorders, where blood cell turnover is high and extra is needed.
Some medicines may also interfere with how our bodies absorb or use it – the doctor will usually prescribe supplements to compensate.