nutrition

Folic acid in food

Food sources, intake levels and nutrition status

Food sources and recruitment levels in Italy

Folate is found in meat (especially offal) and in vegetables (especially beans, tomatoes, oranges), in a more or less bound and available form. In fact, in foods there are folate inhibitors or other unknown factors that reduce their absorption (by 20% in legumes and 80% in orange juice). States of marginal lack of folic acid occur in Italy as well as in other countries. In the elderly a folate deficiency was found in 20% of men and 12% of women (Maiani et al., 1993).

In a study conducted on global diets consumed in two different Italian locations (Bagnara Calabra and Trino Vercellese), average daily intake values ​​of 161 µ g (from 89 to 259) and 84 µ g (from 44 to 104) respectively emerged below therefore the recommended values ​​(Adorisio et al., 1992).

Recommended intake levels

As regards the recommended levels, the Italian nutritional situation does not differ from the European one; therefore we adapt to the levels recommended by the EEC experts ( Commission of the European Communities, 1993) equal to 200 µg / day. The importance of folate supplementation in pregnancy should be underlined for the prevention of spina bifida and anencephaly in the newborn, as the recommendation is doubled (400 µg / day)

FOLIC ACID: SOURCE DATA SINU-LARN

CategoryAgeWeightfolate
(years) (1)(kg) (2)(micrograms)
infants0, 5-17-1050
children1-39-16100
4-616-22130
7-1023-33150
males11-1435-53180
15-1755-66200
18-2965200
30-5965200
60+65200
Females11-1435-51180
15-1752-55200
18-2956200
30-4956200
50+56200
expectant400 (12) *
Nourish350

1 The upper limits of the age range are understood up to the completion of the next birthday (for example with "1 - 3 years" means from 1 year just completed up to the completion of the 4th year). The last age group of women is "50 and more" because with menopause the needs of two important nutrients change: calcium and iron. In humans the last age group is "60 and over".

2 In infants, children and adolescents, the weight ranges are the reference values ​​taken from table 1 of the "Energy" chapter: the lower limit of the interval corresponds to the weight of the females in the lower age class, while the upper limit corresponds to the weight of males in the highest age group. The average desirable weight of males and females in the Italian population has been reported in the adult (see chapter "Energy").

Mineral and vitamin content of food >>