When it comes to folic acid supplementation, many people think it's a task for pregnant women. In fact, folic acid is highly beneficial for the elderly as it can prevent stroke.
Folic acid can prevent stroke
As is well known, stroke is the biggest fear for patients with hypertension, which can lead to hemiplegia and sudden death. In recent years, the medical community has discovered that oral supplements containing folic acid can prevent the occurrence of stroke.
Atherosclerosis, a key factor in stroke, is often associated with hypertension. A substance called homocysteine can lead to atherosclerosis. Clinical studies have found that a deficiency in vitamins can cause hyperhomocysteinemia. Therefore, it is logical to use oral supplements of folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 to prevent stroke. Among these, folic acid has the most significant effect, followed by vitamin B12.
Finding foods rich in folic acid
Green vegetables: Lettuce, spinach, green leafy vegetables, mushrooms, etc.
Fresh fruits: Oranges, strawberries, bananas, peaches, grapes, kiwis, pears, etc.
Animal products: Animal liver, kidneys, poultry, and eggs, such as pork liver, chicken, beef, lamb, etc.
Legumes and nuts: Soybeans, soy products, walnuts, cashews, chestnuts, almonds, pine nuts, etc.
Grains: Barley, rice bran, wheat germ, brown rice, etc.
Folic acid is lost with prolonged cooking
From the above, it's clear that many foods contain folic acid, so there's no need to memorize them all. As long as you don't have a picky diet, you can get folic acid from your food. However, because folic acid is unstable when exposed to light and heat, the amount the body can actually obtain from food is not much. For example: after 2-3 days of storage, vegetables lose 50%-70% of their folic acid; cooking methods like stewing can cause a 50%-95% loss of folic acid in food; vegetables soaked in salt water will also lose a significant amount of folic acid.
Therefore, some cooking habits should be changed to minimize the loss of folic acid. For instance, some elderly people cook vegetables for a long time to make them easier to chew, which is an improper method. It is recommended to buy fresh ingredients and reduce cooking time.
Folic acid is not the more, the better
Although it is necessary to increase the intake of folic acid-rich foods, and supplements like folic acid tablets or multivitamins can be taken if necessary.
Folic acid supplementation is not always better. For example, taking high doses of folic acid can mask a deficiency in vitamin B12, leading to irreversible nervous system damage. The demand for folic acid varies greatly among different groups, so the dosage of supplementation depends on the purpose and the individual. Therefore, it is best to consult a doctor before supplementing with folic acid.