Folate can be classified into three categories according to the source from which it is obtained: dietary folate, synthetic folic acid and 5-methyltetrahydrofolate.

Dietary folate 

Dietary folate is mainly found in liver, cereals, legumes, dark green leafy vegetables, oranges and eggs.

The main component of Dietary folate is L-5-methyltetrahydrofolate a complex mixture of polyglutamates and monopolymeric glutamates. The degree of glutamate polymerisation is 2-14.

When folate is ingested, it is first hydrolysed into mono- or di-glutamic acid by the appropriate hydrolytic enzymes before it can be absorbed and utilised.

Folate is most abundant in fresh green leafy vegetables, but also in liver, kidney, yeast and mushrooms. It can be destroyed by cooking, curing and prolonged storage of food, especially by boiling in water.

Folate in food exists in the form of pteroyl polyglutamic acid, which is hydrolysed by bile and γ-glutamyl carboxypeptidase in the small intestine into pteroyl monoglutamic acid and diglutamic acid before it can be absorbed, mainly in the proximal jejunum. Therefore, Dietary folate is not directly absorbed.

Food is the main way in which people obtain folate on a daily basis. However, in many cases, it is difficult to obtain adequate amounts of folate from food, especially for the various groups of people who require large increases in folate, such as pregnant women, and it is almost impossible to obtain adequate amounts of folate from food. This is because Dietary folate is found in very small amounts in food and is also lost in large amounts during the preservation of ingredients and during processing.

According to studies, vegetables lose 50% to 70% of their folate after 2 to 3 days of storage; cooking methods such as soups can cause a loss of 50% to 95% of folate in food. Therefore the utilisation of folate in food is generally below 50% and even as low as 5%.

Magnafolate® is a patent protected Crystalline L-5-methyltetrahydrofolate calcium (L-5-MTHF-Ca), developed by China Jinkang Hexin in 2012.

Magnafolate's L-5-methyltetrahydrofolate calcium has the following advantages over Dietary folate

- More Safer

- Suitable for a wide range of people, including those with MTHFR gene mutations

- Higher bioavailability

- No metabolism required, can be absorbed directly

- Ultra-pure 99% purity

- Stable shelf life of 3 years in the IVB climate zone

- Numerous global patent protections