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With the acceleration of people's pace of life, the dietary structure gradually tends to be simple, and many people do not have enough intake of important nutrients in the body, and folic acid is one of them.
Folic acid, a widely overlooked vitamin, is essential for maintaining healthy blood circulation, cell production, and nervous system development. Especially in winter, the intake of green leafy vegetables in people's diet is reduced, and symptoms of folic acid deficiency often appear, such as weakness, fatigue, anemia, etc.
This article not only explains the importance of folic acid in daily life through case studies, but also provides effective methods of folic acid supplementation scientifically, aiming to help you better understand and improve your eating habits.
Sudden exhaustion
Uncle Lu is 58 years old this year, and every morning, Uncle Lu is used to running a few laps in the park near his home to get some fresh air.
In his early years, Uncle Lu worked the construction site all the year round, and although his body was strong, he was always a little unable to do it as he grew older.
However, since his retirement, he has insisted on exercising every day, and his body has always been tough. The neighbors were envious of Uncle Lu's health, thinking that although he was old, his spirit was not inferior to that of a young man.
However, it was this winter that Uncle Lu began to feel that something was wrong.
What started to be an easy run in the morning slowly became strained. At first, he thought it was the cold weather in winter and his body needed more time to adjust. He tried to slow down or even reduce the amount of exercise, thinking that it would be fine after a while.
Unexpectedly, the situation did not improve, but became more and more serious.
One morning, the morning fog in the park had not yet dissipated, and Uncle Lu came to the park as usual. After less than a lap, he felt lightheaded, and his steps became extremely heavy.
He stopped, leaned against a large tree and caught his breath. At this time, Lao Liu, an old friend who often exercises together in the morning, noticed his abnormality and came over to care:
"Brother Lu, why are you tired after not running a few steps in the past few days? Have you not slept well lately? ”
Uncle Lu waved his hand and put on an indifferent look: "It's okay, it's cold, maybe I'm just a little tired." ”
With that, he propped himself up and continued to run slowly. But after running a few steps, he had to stop again.
This time, not only was he out of breath, but his legs were also a little weak, and it seemed that he would fall down at any time. Seeing this, Lao Liu hurriedly came over to support him.
"You don't look normal, go to the hospital for a check-up." Lao Liu persuaded anxiously.
Although Uncle Lu was a little unimpressed, in the face of Lao Liu's insistence, he had to promise to let the children of the family take him to see after he went back.
When he got home, Uncle Lu did not rush to the hospital, but rested for two days, thinking that the symptoms might relieve on their own.
However, the problem did not go away, and it was even a little difficult to stand up and walk. In desperation, Uncle Lu finally went to the hospital accompanied by his family.
In the hospital, the doctor did a detailed physical examination for Uncle Lu.
After the test results came back, the doctor told him that the problem was not with the heart or other vital organs, but because of a lack of folic acid in his body.
This diagnosis surprised Uncle Lu and his family. Uncle Lu has always felt that he eats quite healthy, why is he deficient in folic acid?
"Folic acid is a very important vitamin, especially for the elderly, as the amount of folic acid in the body may gradually decrease as we age, and the intake of folic acid in the diet may not be enough," the doctor explained. This can lead to symptoms such as anemia and fatigue. Your condition is not serious, but if you don't supplement folic acid in time, it may affect other functions of your body. ”
Uncle Lu was a little puzzled: "But I usually eat quite well, why do I still lack it?" ”
The doctor smiled: "This has something to do with the diet, some foods are not high in folic acid, but for example, amaranth is rich in folic acid, which is 38 times that of apples." ”
After returning home, Uncle Lu's son and daughter-in-law immediately bought amaranth in the supermarket and prepared to condition his body according to the doctor's advice.
On this day, Uncle Lu sat at the dining table, looking at the pot of steamed amaranth in front of him, and couldn't laugh or cry: "I'm almost seventy years old, and I'm tired like this because I didn't eat right." ”
The daughter-in-law smiled and persuaded him: "Dad, amaranth is good, you can buy a pot for 5 yuan, and the doctor has recommended it, so let's eat a little bit every day, and it won't be troublesome." ”
Uncle Lu nodded, picked up the bowl and began to eat amaranth. The steamed amaranth looked a little ordinary, but the taste was refreshing and soft, and he couldn't help but feel that this dish was not as unpalatable as he imagined.
In the next few days, Uncle Lu would eat a bowl of amaranth every day, combined with other light foods, to gradually regulate his body.
As time passed, Uncle Lu found that his physical strength seemed to gradually recover, and he no longer felt so weak when he got up in the morning, and he walked much easier.
In the morning exercise in the park, he also slowly returned to his original rhythm, although he no longer ran as fast as when he was young, but at least it was no longer three steps and one stop.
A few weeks later, Uncle Lu went to the hospital for another check-up. The doctor told him that his folate levels had risen and that he would gradually return to normal if he continued to follow this diet.
However, when he left the hospital, Uncle Lu still had some questions in his heart: "Why does not enough folic acid affect people so much, why is it enough to eat a little amaranth, and what other foods can supplement folic acid?" ”
The main physiological functions of folic acid
1. Promote cell generation and growth
Folic acid plays a key role in cell production and is essential for DNA and RNA synthesis and repair.
Whenever the body needs new cells for repair or growth, such as skin, gastrointestinal tract, and other rapidly renewing cells, the need for folic acid is particularly high. Therefore, folic acid is especially important during pregnancy to help prevent fetal neural tube defects.
2. Support the production and maturation of red blood cells
Folic acid plays an integral role in the production and maturation of red blood cells. It helps to produce healthy red blood cells in the bone marrow and promotes the production of hemoglobin.
Folic acid deficiency can lead to megaloblastic anemia, which causes red blood cells to become larger but immature, which in turn affects the body's oxygen-carrying capacity. It manifests as fatigue, dizziness, pale complexion and other symptoms, and in severe cases, it can affect the energy supply and organ function of the whole body.
3. Prevent neural tube defects
During the first trimester, the neural tube development of the fetus is particularly critical, and folic acid uptake is essential for the development of the nervous system.
Neural tube defects are congenital malformations caused by the failure of the neural tube to close during early embryonic development, which can lead to serious birth defects such as spina bifida or anencephaly.
Therefore, pregnant women should consume adequate folic acid during pregnancy, especially during the first and first trimesters of pregnancy, to reduce the risk of fetal neural tube defects.
4. Participate in metabolic function
Folic acid is also a key element in the methionine cycle, helping to metabolize homocysteine to methionine by working with vitamin B12. i.e. folic acid helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Folic acid with food
Folic acid is an important nutrient that is often overlooked in the daily diet. It is one of the essential B vitamins and is mainly found in green leafy vegetables, legumes, and some fruits.
Winter is the season when many people's bodies consume more energy, especially in the cold weather in the north, the human body will tend to consume more high-calorie foods to maintain body temperature, and vitamin-rich vegetables and fruits are relatively less on the table.
This change in dietary structure often leads to deficiencies in certain trace elements, including folic acid.
Although many people will maintain a certain amount of vegetable intake during the winter months, most people's choices may be biased towards hardy and easy-to-store vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, and cabbage, which, while beneficial to the body, are relatively low in folate.
In contrast, green leafy vegetables such as spinach and amaranth are rich in folic acid.
However, due to the lower availability or higher price of these vegetables during the winter months, many people may not give preference to them. As a result, a long-term lack of green leafy vegetable intake will gradually reduce the level of folic acid in the body.
Amaranth is a typical example of folic acid-rich, because its folic acid content is 38 times that of apples, making it an ideal choice for folic acid supplementation.
This vegetable is very common in some regions and is inexpensive and simple to cook. Steaming a pot of amaranth not only provides the body with enough folic acid, but also takes in other important nutrients such as iron and calcium, which makes it a great way to supplement nutrition in winter.
In addition to amaranth, there are many other foods rich in folic acid. The amount of folate varies from food to food, but here are a few common foods that are rich in folate:
Green leafy vegetables: This is one of the main sources of folate. Green vegetables, which not only contain a lot of folic acid, are also effective in promoting digestive health.
Legumes: Legumes are also rich in folate. Legumes are also rich in protein and are a good source of folic acid supplementation for vegetarians and the average household.
Grains: Some fortified cereals (e.g., whole-grain bread, fortified breakfast cereals) are also fortified with additional folate as a quick and convenient way to supplement. Especially for those who are on a tight breakfast schedule, choosing cereals that contain fortified folic acid can help maintain a balanced daily diet.
Nuts and seeds: Nuts (e.g., almonds, walnuts) and seeds (e.g., sunflower seeds, sesame seeds) also contain some amounts of folic acid. While they're not as high in folic acid as leafy greens, nuts and seeds are a great way to supplement folic acid as a snack or accompaniment to a meal, especially for the modern and busy person.
Folic acid is a water-soluble vitamin that is easily lost during food storage and cooking. In order to maximize the retention of folic acid in food, there are several aspects that need special attention when handling folate-rich ingredients:
Avoid prolonged heating: Prolonged high-temperature cooking can lead to a significant loss of folic acid. Therefore, it is best to use a quick steaming method for green leafy vegetables such as amaranth and spinach to avoid stir-frying for too long. Steaming is a great way to cook the ingredients, both to preserve the original flavor of the ingredients and to effectively retain folic acid and other nutrients.
Reduce the amount of time food is exposed to air: When food is exposed to air, especially at high temperatures, the oxidation rate of folic acid increases. Therefore, when cooking ingredients rich in folic acid, you should minimize the cutting time and exposure time, and cook them as soon as possible.
Freshness is key: Fresh fruits and vegetables contain more folate than refrigerated or frozen foods. Therefore, choose vegetables that were picked on the same day or recently whenever possible, and try to consume them within a few days of purchase, avoiding long storage.
summary
Folic acid is one of the important vitamins for maintaining human health, especially in winter, and folic acid supplementation is particularly crucial.
By consuming a moderate amount of foods rich in folic acid, everyone can easily improve their health and prevent problems such as weakness and anemia caused by insufficient folic acid.
Information sources:
"Folic acid has become the "new favorite" of middle-aged and elderly people, and has obvious preventive and therapeutic effects on a variety of diseases", Luwang Dezhou News Center
"Eat hard in winter, folic acid is 20 times that of apples!5 cents a pound of "vegetable king", stir-fry at will, delicious" Cao County Rong Media Center