Featured Nutrient: Folate/Folic Acid

Long linked to the health of pregnant women and their infants, folate is growing in repute. Physicians now prescribe diets rich in folate and folic acid, its synthetic equivalent, to patients at risk for heart disease and stroke. Recent studies also suggest that this B vitamin may keep depression and certain cancers at bay.

What it does:

Folate is necessary for the production of new cells, including red blood cells. Fortification of grain products like cereals and flour in the U.S. began six years ago, but experts say that folate deficiency remains a major cause of spinal-cord defects in newborns. Estimates vary, but by one count the average American woman is getting only 278 micrograms of folate a day, far below the recommended 400 mcg. If you are deficient in folate, you are also likely to have higher levels of homocysteine in your blood, a risk factor for heart disease and stroke. In one study, 800 mcg of folate per day reduced the risk of heart disease by 50 percent in nondrinkers. Other studies have shown that correcting a folate deficiency can sometimes reverse depression.

How much you need:

Many dietitians recommend taking a multivitamin with 400 mcg of folic acid (1,000 mcg per day is the safe upper limit for folic acid, which in excess can mask a vitamin B12 deficiency). People over age 50 taking folic acid are advised to take a supplement balanced with vitamin B12.

Food sources of folate:

Rich sources of folate include liver, dried beans and peas, spinach and leafy greens, asparagus and fortified cereals.

Kidney beans (1 cup cooked) = 230 mcg

Lentils (1 cup cooked) = 358 mcg

Asparagus spears 6 each = 134 mcg

Oatmeal (fortified) = 130 mcg

Spinach (1/2 cup cooked) = 121 mcg

Romaine lettuce (1 cup chopped) = 76 mcg

Peas (1/2 cup cooked) = 47 mcg