Vitamin B9: what are the best foods to stock up on?

Often overlooked, vitamin B9, also known as folic acid or folates, is nevertheless essential for the proper functioning of the body, especially in pregnant women. It plays a vital role in the formation of cells, the nervous system, and maternal tissue. A diet rich in vitamin B9 helps prevent deficiencies, which can sometimes lead to serious consequences, such as birth defects.

What does vitamin B9 do in the body?

Vitamin B9 is one of the water-soluble B vitamins. It is essential for several key functions:

• the synthesis of DNA and RNA,
  

• the formation of red blood cells,
  

• the development of maternal tissues during pregnancy,
  

• the proper functioning of the immune system.
  
  

In pregnant women, a sufficient intake of folates helps to reduce the risk of neural tube defects, a serious abnormality in fetal neurological development. This is why vitamin B9 supplementation is systematically recommended at the beginning of pregnancy, sometimes even before conception.

The Recommended Nutrient Intakes (RNI) set the requirements at 330 to 400 µg of vitamin B9 per day for an adult, with an increase for pregnant women.

What foods are rich in vitamin B9?

Vitamin B9 is naturally present in many plant foods, especially green leafy vegetables. However, it is sensitive to heat, oxygen, and light, which often reduces its content during cooking or storage.

Here is a selection of foods rich in vitamin B9 to incorporate into a balanced diet:

A varied diet, rich in legumes, green vegetables, and oilseeds, can cover a good part of folate needs, provided that cooking losses are limited (prefer gentle steaming or short cooking times).

When should supplementation be considered?

In some cases, diet alone is not enough to cover the needs: a poorly diversified diet, pregnancy, digestive disorders, or excessive alcohol consumption. A vitamin B9 deficiency can then occur, resulting in:

• persistent fatigue,
  

• mood disorders or memory problems,
  

• anemia (linked to insufficient red blood cell formation),
  

• an increased risk of neural tube defects in the fetus.
  
  

Folic acid supplementation is then indicated, in the form of dietary supplements, respecting the doses recommended by health authorities.

Vitamin B9 is a key nutrient, especially for pregnant women, but also for all individuals concerned about their energy, immunity, and neurological health. A diet rich in green leafy vegetables, kidney beans, dried fruits, or liver, combined with supplementation if necessary, helps to prevent deficiencies.