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If you've been following my Web site for awhile, you know folic acid possesses a myriad of benefits:
Decreasing one's risk of colon cancer.
Lowering homocysteine levels associated with an increased risk of heart disease and strokes.
Affecting mood and the ability to think.
Building stronger bones.
Increasing your intake of folic acid can reduce your risk of high blood pressure too, according to a new study unveiled during a special meeting of the American Heart Association yesterday in Chicago.
Researchers found women who consumed more than 800 micrograms of folic acid through food and vitamin supplements lowered their risk of high blood pressure by almost a third compared to those who took in less than 200 micrograms a day.
More than 150,000 women in two age groups were studied to see if there was a link between the risk of high blood pressure and their folic acid intake. Women ages 26-46 who consumed more than 800 micrograms of folate daily boasted the most dramatic decrease in hypertension risk. Older women in the 43-70 age bracket who ate the most folate also cut their risk of high blood pressure, but by a more modest 13 percent.
There's no denying folic acid is good for you, but where you get it determines how much value you receive. Ideally, this nutrient is best obtained through organic, fresh whole vegetables. Nevertheless, supplement companies -- many of them drug companies -- have rushed to provide cheap chemical look-alikes that do not work.
The amount of vegetables your body requires, however, depends on your personal nutritional type. While we all need vegetables to stay healthy, you can begin to determine the type and amount by taking my free test.
Chicago Sun-Times October 12, 2004