Folate is found in green leafy vegetables, other vegetables, fruit, beans, and fortified grains.
It's one of the most common vitamin deficiencies because of poor diet but also because chronic conditions and various medications such as aspirin and birth control pills can also lead to deficiency.
Besides food, folic acid is also available as a supplement or as part of a B-complex vitamin.
Researchers at Harvard University have found that depressed people with low folate levels don't respond as well to antidepressents, and taking folic acid in supplement form can improve the effectiveness of antidepressants.
Sources: green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and broccoli, asparagus, fruits, such as bananas, legumes, yeast, cereals, mushrooms, organ meat, orange juice and tomato juice. It is also available as a vitamin supplement.
