Folate (Vitamin B9)
The B vitamin that builds DNA — its deficiency in the first weeks of pregnancy causes neural tube defects that are almost entirely preventable through food.
— Definition
Folate (Vitamin B9) is a water-soluble B vitamin essential for DNA synthesis, repair, and methylation. Folate from food is called folate; the synthetic form in supplements is folic acid — chemically identical but metabolised differently.
— In Detail
Folate functions as a methyl donor in one-carbon metabolism — the biochemical system that controls DNA methylation (gene expression), homocysteine recycling (cardiovascular risk), and nucleotide synthesis (required for all cell division). Deficiency causes: megaloblastic anaemia (large, dysfunctional red blood cells), neural tube defects (NTDs — spina bifida, anencephaly) when deficiency occurs in weeks 3–8 of pregnancy, elevated homocysteine (independent cardiovascular risk factor), and impaired immune function. Critical facts: (1) NTDs form before most women know they are pregnant — hence supplementation recommendations apply to all women of childbearing age; (2) The Indian diet's highest folate sources are not well-known — chickpea flour (besan) at 437µg/100g and toor dal at 568µg/100g are extraordinary sources that outperform most supplements; (3) Folate from food (polyglutamate form) requires conversion in the gut — this conversion is impaired in people with the MTHFR gene variant (10–15% of Indians), who may need methylfolate directly.
— Why It Matters
India's neural tube defect rate (3–5/1,000 births) is among the world's highest — and most preventable. The daily dal — Toor, Moong, Chana — consumed across India provides 200–570µg folate per 100g. Besan-based preparations (chilla, dhokla) are among the most folate-dense foods on earth. Traditional Indian diets eaten as intended provided adequate folate; the shift to refined wheat and polished rice removes it.
— Related Terms
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