folic acid day!

Did you know there is folic acid day in Japan? We just read news of it in the paper about it on 4/3. In Japan, April 3rd is pronounced like "yon-san" which sounds strikingly similar to "yong-san" which stands for folic acid, hence 4/3 being the day to celebrate folic acid and strike up awareness of it.

Folic acid can help combat cankersores (great news for me!), acne, osteoporosis, cancer, cervical cancer, and it is particularly good for elderly people with depression or women who are expecting. The lack of it in one's body may lead to anemia, insomnia, irritability, and other health problems.


Things rich in folic acid:
Spinach, asparagus, turnip greens, artichoke, oranges (orange juice, too), broccoli, corn, rapini, green peas, beets, brussel sprouts, parsnips, okra, strawberries, raspberries, melon, beans, liver, eggs.

You are in luck - it is the rapini (nano-hana) season and it's rich in folic acid! Eat it today!