Is folate calcium?

When it comes to our health and nutrition, there are always new questions popping up. What foods should we eat? What vitamins or supplements do we need? And the age-old question that we’re tackling today: is folate calcium?

If you’ve ever found yourself scratching your head over this confusion, don’t worry – you’re not alone. In fact, it’s a common mistake to assume these two nutrients are one and the same. So let’s clear things up!

First Things First: What Exactly IS Folate?

Before we dive into whether folate is calcium or not, let’s make sure everyone knows what folate actually is.

According to Healthline, folate (also known as vitamin B9) is an essential nutrient that helps with cell growth and division. It plays a crucial role in proper brain function and development, making it especially important for pregnant women who want to prevent birth defects.

Folate can be found naturally in certain foods like leafy greens (think spinach), citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruits, beans (hello hummus!), and nuts/seeds (we see you avocados). Additionally, many types of breads/cereals/pastas have been fortified with folic acid – a synthetic version of folate – because its importance has been so well established.

Now Onto Calcium…

So if that’s what folate is all about…what exactly does “calcium” mean?

Calcium (/ˈkælsiəm/ KAL-see-əm)
noun
a chemical element with symbol Ca [from Latin calx], atomic number 20; an alkaline earth metal occurring naturally as carbonate in limestone

Wait wait wait WHOA…can you break that down for us non-chemistry wizards out here?! Essentially: calcium = a mineral necessary for strong bones and teeth.

Calcium also helps muscles to contract properly, blood vessels to relax and constrict as needed, and nerves to transmit messages throughout the body. Just like folate (and all other vitamins & minerals), our bodies require calcium for proper function.

Okay okay…so what’s the fuss about whether or not these two nutrients are one in the same?

They’re Different Things, Y’all!

Let it be known: folate is NOT calcium. In fact, there are actually some key differences between these two essential nutrients!

For starters: remember how we talked about folate being a vitamin (B9)? Calcium is not a vitamin; instead it’s classified as a mineral.

Additionally, while both of these nutrients have important roles in the human body – they perform different functions entirely! Folate is all about cell growth/function/development/etc., whereas calcium plays an integral role in creating healthy bones/teeth/muscles/cardiovascular systems.

Benefits of Both

Just because they aren’t interchangeable…doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t make sure you’re getting enough of both! Here are just some benefits associated with each nutrient:

Folates

  • Prevention against birth defects when taken during pregnancy
  • Reducing risk for several types of cancers
  • Helps your body make DNA/RNA

Calciums

  • Building strong bones/healthy teeth for life-long health
  • Strengthening muscular tissue
  • Enhance nerve transmission throughout body

Bottom line? You need ’em both!

But Wait – What About Supplements That Contain BOTH Folate and Calcium?

Ah-ha! You bring up an interesting point. Plenty of supplements out there will contain added doses of multiple vitamins/minerals – including BOTH calcium AND folate!

While this might initially seem confusing (I mean come on….aren’t they completely different?), manufacturers often include multiple nutrients in supplements because they’ve discovered that there’s a synergistic effect between certain vitamins/minerals. So while taken by themselves folate and calcium may not have the same impact, when combined their overall health benefits increase (the more you know 🔮).

In Conclusion…

It might seem like a silly question to ask whether or not folate is calcium…but I think we can all agree that sometimes nutrition education get confusing!

Regardless of how our different bodily elements give us strength and FUNCTION….we need ’em all!

So eat your veggies…and drink your milk (or almond milk/soy milk/etc). You need both Folates AND Calciums for ultimate body function.

Stay happy, healthy, and educated out there!

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