Folate is a water-soluble B vitamin found naturally in many foods. If you've heard of folic acid, it's the synthetic version of it, found in dietary supplements and fortified foods. Not only is folate essential for expecting mothers, but it's necessary for all people since it's needed to make DNA and RNA, the building blocks of the cells in our bodies. It's also needed to make red blood cells, to Read more

If you're expecting, you may want to indulge in some chocolate covered strawberries this Valentine's Day. Since the juicy fruit contains both vitamin B and folate, they are a perfect snack for pregnant women. A California Strawberry Commission press release said: The good news for strawberry lovers is that a serving of eight medium berries provides nearly 9 per cent of the daily requirement Read more

Time at college is often looked back on as the good ol' days, but new reports indicate new trends in college aged kids might be making them old before their time. A recent survey of 800 University of New Hampshire undergraduates found some unhealthy traits in the students surveyed. More than two-thirds of the women were not meeting their RDI's of iron, calcium or folate. While well over 50 Read more

I have heard so many bad things about beets that I feel I must defend one of my favorite veggies. This root is sweet in taste despite its tough looking skin. The guys over at Men's Health say we should think of beets as red spinach since they are loaded with nutrition. They are high in folate an important nutrient for expectant mothers, even before they conceive! It is also high in betaine, Read more

The folks at Fitness, the magazine that is, are savvy to our changing nutritional needs. As we age our bodies and our lifestyles change. Curious if you are meeting the nutritional challenges of your generation? If you're a 30 something here's some food for thought. Eat Folate More and more women are waiting to have children in their 30's, making folate an important nutrient for your diet since Read more

Here's another friendly reminded to get make sure you're getting enough folic acid. Researchers at the University of York and Hull York Medical School have confirmed that that while low folate does not cause depression, the two are linked. The reason behind it is that folate is linked to the production of some of the "feel good" chemicals in the brain, such as serotonin, and some people with Read more

I'm sure you've heard that pregnant women should take folic acid (vitamin B9) to prevent birth defects, but did you know that you should start taking it a month before you conceive? Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate and it can reduce certain birth defects of the brain and spinal cord by more than 70 percent. These birth defects are called neural tube defects (NTDs). NTDs happen when Read more

For me, the word snack is synonymous with crunch. I find snacks more satisfying if they have some snap to them. Needless to say I am a chip lover, but they are not the most nutritious food on the planet and can be rather fattening too. Luckily, my love affair with chips is cooling now that I have found jicama. It is a Spanish word; so pronounce the "j" with the sound of "h". Native to the Read more