Folic Acid: Everything You Need to Know

Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate, a water-soluble vitamin also known as vitamin B9. It does not occur naturally in food but is frequently added to supplements and refined grain products, such as bread and cereals. Since folic acid is different from natural folate, it must be converted into an active form before your body can use it. Your genetics affect how quickly this conversion takes place, so folic acid is a hot topic in current nutrition research. This article discusses folic acid, its benefits, sources, your risk of deficiency and more.