Essential Takeaways
- Not enough folate means not enough red blood cells-which affect your energy levels.
- Dietary folate forms are either natural or synthetic. One of the most common synthetic forms of folate is called folic acid but up to 40% of us carry gene variants that make it harder to utilize folic acid.
Why is folate important?
Folate is an essential nutrient best known for supporting neural tube development during pregnancy. For non-pregnant women, Folate is still a must-have. It’s involved in multiple life-sustaining processes, including DNA synthesis. Without enough of this nutrient, the neurotransmitters that regulate your mood get lazy. Not enough Folate means not enough red blood cells, which may affect your energy levels.*
How should we get our folate?
The best dietary sources of natural Folate include fresh fruits, leafy greens, yeast, and legumes, but these can easily be degraded during food prep and cooking; this means that those foods often become less effective sources of Folate as soon as they’re manipulated, i.e. chopped or cooked. Taking that into account, supplementation is a great option to make sure you’re getting enough of this essential nutrient.*