Folic acid (folate)

Folic acid is found in mushrooms, green vegetables, such as spinach, brussels sprouts, broccoli, asparagus, turnip greens, legumes (especially lima beans) and liver. Raw foods are very high in folate (green lettuce and greens are very good sources), cooked foods and meats as well as fruits are poor sources of folate. Apparently synthetic food fortified with folate and eaten with an empty stomach is more easily absorbed and used by the body than the normal folate that you found on the above foods!! But I would still eat the greens anyway!! Folate plays a role in the function of various amino acid metabolism and reduces homocysteine level which in turns reduces the risk of coronary disease. Deficiency causes megaloplastyc anaemia (the cell erythrocytes that carry the iron around your body are too big and therefore the iron cannot attach to them), this usually leads to feeling tired and depressed, as well as one of the causes of dementia. Also low or a deficiency in folate is connected to an increase in heart diseases. Excessive alcohol ingestion, low stomach acid, inflammatory bowel disease, malignancies and oral contraceptive reduces the body folate. Pregnancy and lactation increases the need of folate.

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