“Unless you’ve been pregnant, you probably haven’t heard of it. Yet research shows that folate, or folic acid (the synthetic form of folate found in fortified foods and supplements), is as important to general health as its more celebrated cousins, vitamin C, calcium, iron, and protein. Part of the B-vitamin family, today it’s a routine part of prenatal care because of its role in the prevention of birth defects such as spina bifida.”