Frequently asked questions about folate and folic acid
Updated BfR FAQ, 2. April 2015
The term "folate" denotes a water-soluble vitamin that is essential for human health. The vitamin plays a role in many metabolic processes in the human body and must therefore be supplied in adequate amounts through the food we eat.
Folate compounds occur naturally in foods of plant and animal origin, such as green cabbage, lamb's lettuce or eggs. The synthetically produced form of folate is called "folic acid". Folic acid is used in food supplements and for fortification of foods.
Women who want to or might become pregnant and women in the first trimester of pregnancy are advised to take folic acid in supplement form, in addition to a high-folate diet, as this can reduce the risk of a neural tube defect (spina bifida) in their child.
The BfR has put together the following important FAQ on folate and folic acid.