Health
Folate and the Happy Brain
by Diane V. McLoughlin
07/02/08
Think fast: A study in the Lancet demonstrated that
people over 50 who took a daily supplement of
800 mcg of folic acid improved mental
performance.
Folate (or folic acid) protects against dementia. A
three-fold increase in dementia was found in
elderly people who had significantly lowered
amounts of folate, when tested.*
Healthy babies: Folic acid is vital for proper
development of the brain and spinal column in the
fetus; thus, it is recommended that folic acid or
folate be taken even before conception if possible,
as well as during pregnancy.
Almost too good to be true: Folate plays a role in
prevention of breast cancer, in fertility in both men
and women, and in depression, too.
Why is it so important? Folate is an essential
element in the formation of new cells.
Food sources of folate** include:
Brewer's yeast (1 tablespoon = 313 mcg); orange
juice (1 cup = 136 mcg); black-eyed peas and also
beans - kidney, pinto, navy, chickpeas, lentils
(lentils win in the beans category at 180 mcg.
cooked, compared to black-eyed peas coming in
at 105 mcg cooked.)
In short, folate is a cheap dietary supplement that
has the potential to pay off big.
(*Findings published in the British Medical
Association's Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery
and Psychiatry; 05/02/08. Research led by
Jin-Sang Yoon of Chonnam National University in
Kwangju, South Korea.)
**USDA National nutrient database, folate content
of selected foods, 25 pgs. pdf.
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