Vitamin B9 - Sources and Functions

Sources of Vitamin B9

1. Pulses and legumes such as Bengal gram and green gram are rich in folic acid.
2. Green vegetables such as amaranth, cluster beans, spinach, and mint are valuable sources of folic acid.
3. In fact, the presence of this vitamin in green leaves was the basis for the name folacin (folium meaning leaf).
4. Besides green leaves, folic acid is found in gingelly seeds, and meat.

Functions of Vitamin B9 Folic Acid

1. Folic acid, in combination with vitamin B12, is essential for the formation, maturation and multiplication of red blood cells.
2. It is necessary for the growth and division of all body cells, including nerve cells, and for manufacturing a number of nerve transmitters. It also produces nucleic acids, RNA(ribonucleic acid) and DNA(deoxyribonucleic acid), that carry hereditary patterns.
3. It aids in protein metabolism and contributes to normal growth.
4. Folic acid helps in the building of antibodies which prevent and heal infections.
5. It is essential for the health of the skin and hair, and helps to prevent premature greying of the hair.
6. Folic acid is the single most important nutrient for a pregnant woman and her developing foetus. In fact, eating fresh fruits and vegetables rich in folate, from conception until the due date, is the best policy a woman can adopt to ensure that her pregnancy will be a happy and a healthy one.
7. Folic acid also improves lactation.

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