1. Introduction: When it comes to vitamins and minerals, there are many different types that are essential for our health. Folic acid and folate are two such nutrients that are important for our bodies, but what exactly are they? What is the difference between the two? And what are the benefits and side effects of each? Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about folic acid vs folate. 2. What is Folic Acid? Folic acid is a water-soluble vitamin that belongs to the B-vitamin family. It is mainly found in leafy green vegetables, legumes, nuts, and fortified foods such as cereals and breads. Folic acid plays an important role in our bodies by helping to produce and maintain new cells. It is also necessary for the proper development of the neural tube during pregnancy, which becomes the baby's brain and spinal cord. 3. What is Folate? Folate is a water-soluble vitamin that is also part of the B-vitamin family. Unlike folic acid, however, folate occurs naturally in food. It can be found in leafy green vegetables, legumes, nuts, and fortified foods such as cereals and breads. Like folic acid, folate helps to produce and maintain new cells in our bodies. It is also necessary for the proper development of the neural tube during pregnancy. 4. The Difference Between Folic Acid and Folate So what's the difference between folic acid and folate? The main difference lies in their form. Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate that is often added to fortified foods or supplements. Folate, on the other hand, is the natural form of the vitamin that occurs naturally in food. Both forms of the vitamin are important for our health, but some experts believe that folate may be better absorbed by our bodies than folic acid (1). 5. The Benefits of Folic Acid Folic acid has many benefits for our health. As mentioned previously, it helps to produce and maintain new cells in our bodies. This is important for pregnant women as it helps to prevent birth defects of the brain and spine known as neural tube defects (2). Getting enough folic acid during pregnancy can also help to prevent other birth defects such as heart defects (3). In addition to its role during pregnancy, folic acid has also been shown to reduce the risk of certain types of cancer such as colorectal cancer (4). 6. The Benefits of Folate Like folic acid, folate also has many benefits for our health. As mentioned before, it helps to produce and maintain new cells in our bodies which is important for pregnant women in order to prevent birth defects (5). Getting enough folate during pregnancy can also help to prevent other problems such as low birth weight (6). In addition to its role during pregnancy, folate has also been shown to reduce the risk of certain types of cancer such as colorectal cancer (7). 7. The Side Effects of Folic Acid Most people can safely consume folic acid without any side effects (8). However, some people may experience stomach upset, diarrhea, or constipation when taking large doses of folic acid supplements (9). If you experience any negative side effects after taking folic acid supplements, stop taking them and speak with your doctor immediately. 8. The Side Effects of Folate Like folic acid, most people can safely consume folate without any side effects (10). However, some people may experience stomach upset, diarrhea, or constipation when taking large doses of folate supplements (11). If gofolic.org experience any negative side effects after taking folate supplements stop taking them and speak with your doctor immediately
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