The primary cause for the rise in cardiovascular diseases leading to coronary artery disease and heart attack deaths is hardening or loss of elasticity in the arteries supplying blood to the heart. Medical research has shown that B vitamins, specifically folic acid, reduce thickening of arterial walls in those individuals who are at high risk of acquiring a cardiovascular disease. To prevent the onset of arterial thickening, apart from taking a folic acid supplement, you can also add foods high in folic acid to your diet through foods such as dark leafy green vegetables, citrus fruits, beans, peas and lentils, corn, cauliflower, seeds and nuts.