Vitamin B9 helps to produce healthy red blood cells and the natural form of this vitamin is called folate .

Folate is critical during periods of rapid growth such as during pregnancy and fetal development and your body need to make DNA and other genetic material for your cells to divide. To add on, a form of folate called folic acid is used in fortified foods and most dietary supplements. Folate deficiency can also produce soreness and shallow ulcerations on the tongue, changes in skin, hair or fingernail pigmentation.