Folate is part of the B vitamin family, in that assists in preventing too much stress on the body that come in the form of homocysteine levels. Homocysteine in excess promotes allergic reactions in the body, thus can lead to cardiovascular complications.
Folate is an optimal part of the methylation process in the body. The methylation system is made up of carbon atoms that are mostly bound to hydrogen atoms. The single carbon atom that attaches to the hydrogen atom is known as a methyl group.
The process used to transfer one methyl group to creatine and phosphatidylcholine is the process of methylation and folate is one component required to catalyze creatine and phosphatidylcholine.
Just a note about creatine and phosphatidylcholine.
Creatine ; (used for muscle growth, stomach acid production, energy for absorption of food, regeneration of healthy skin, and aids in hearing and vision.
Phosphatidylcholine (PC); (critical to cell membranes , as it is vitally important in the removal of fat from the liver. PC is a major precursor to acetylcholine, which is a vital neurotransmitter in charge of cognitive function, thus aids in focused attention. PC is also important in muscular contractions, thus required for all movement patterns.
Methylation requires optimal amounts of folate to synthesize creatine and phosphatidylcholine, and the optimal forms of folate come from liver, beans, and green vegetables, especially dark green vegetables.
Liver is the most stable form of folate, but consumption should be limited to 2 servings per week, as more can provide an abundance of other vitamins and minerals that come from liver that will nullify the effects of folate.
Sprouted beans are another way to get stable forms of folate. Sprouting requires beans to be soaked in water for at least 12 hours. As a side note, cooking will destabilize the folate, as cooking always destabilizes any food.
Folate in vegetables can be unstable, especially frozen vegetables; you will not find a stable form of folate in frozen vegetables.
The optimal form of folate, and the most stable is purchasing vegetables from a local farm, farmer’s market, or growing them in your own garden and using the vegetables within 2-3 days of picking or purchasing.
Never cut the vegetables up before you wash them; you will for sure lose the folate in the rinsing.
Now, if you use the vegetables in a crockpot and use the vegetable stock for consumption, you will get the folate from that source.
However, never cook beans and consume the stock; the juice from cooked beans can be toxic to the system. The outer covering of a bean is considered an oxalate, which is used as a natural pesticide to prevent animal consumption; thus sprouting is optimal for legume consumption.
Since liver is the optimal form of folate and many people do not like the taste of liver, there is an alternate form. I offer a significant discount on vital proteins products, and vital proteins liver supplement is one I take on a regular basis. The supplement can be found on my website: www.esthercise.org/supplements.
In Excellent Health,
Esther