Taking folic acid can reduce the risk of heart disease and strokes, according to research. British scientists have discovered that raised levels of the amino acid homocysteine in the blood is one of the causes of cardiovascular disease. They say that increasing intake of folic acid would be a relatively cheap and simple way of reducing heart disease. Previous studies have also suggested that eating plenty of folic acid, a type of vitamin B, could help to prevent strokes and some cancers and could potentially halve the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Since folic acid helps to lower homocysteine, the scientists believe increasing intake of the vitamin could help to reduce the risk of disease. The Department of Health recommends that all women take a daily supplement of 0.4mg of folic acid before they conceive and for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy while the baby’s spine is developing to help prevent spina bifida. Folic acid is already recommended to pregnant women as it is known to help prevent spina bifida in babies. Rich dietary sources of folic acid include fortified breakfast cereals, bread, green leafy vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, broccoli, spinach […]