Folate or vitamin B9 is a critical nutrient to the Methylation Cycle- a series of chemical changes that occur in the body, with the primary purpose of regulating brain neurotransmitters, managing genetic repair and expression, and generating energy in the body.
A nutritional deficiency in folate can lead to number of illnesses, including:
Depression
Anxiety
Extreme tiredness
Headaches
Anemia
Brain fog
Glaucoma
Birth abnormalities
Asthma
Cancer
The best sources of folate include liver, green leafy vegetables, like asparagus, spinach and kale, citrus fruits and beans/legumes.
Is folate the same as folic acid?
It is very common to find supplements such as prenatal vitamins, and packaged foods fortified with folic acid. Unfortunately, Folic acid is synthetic and is not absorbed properly by our cells(1). Since folic acid looks similar to folate it will bind to folate receptors (like a lock and key) and prevent natural folate from binding- causing deficiency symptoms. Foods like cereals, milks and white breads are often fortified with folic acid and should be swapped out for fresh vegetables for adequate folate intake. Multivitamins including prenatal vitamins should contain active folate- methylfolate for effectiveness.
This Warm Roasted Asparagus & Potato Lentil Salad has 60% of the daily folate requirement as well as 8 grams of fiber and 13 grams of protein .
Warm Roasted Asparagus & Potato Lentil Salad
Ingredients:
2 3/4 cup Mini Potatoes (chopped into 1/2 inch pieces)
1 1/2 tbsps Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 3/4 cups Asparagus (ends broken off, chopped into 1 inch pieces)
3/4 cup Dry Green Lentils
Salt and Pepper
For the Dressing:
2 tbsps Whole Grain Mustard
1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 Lemon (3-4 tablespoons, juiced)
1 1/2 tsps Maple Syrup
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
1/3 cup Fresh Dill (chopped)
3 tbsps Chives (chopped)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line two baking trays with parchment papers.
2. Place the potatoes on one of the prepared baking trays and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Spread into an even layer and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Place in the oven and roast for 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, place the chopped asparagus on the second baking tray and toss with the 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil. Spread out on the second baking tray into an even layer and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Meanwhile, in a medium pot, combine the lentils with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to a simmer, uncovered for 15-20 minutes until the lentils are tender. If necessary, add more water while cooking so lentils do not dry out. Drain the lentils and leave them in the colander.
5. After the potatoes have roasted for 20 minutes, add the pan of asparagus to the oven and roast for 12-17 minutes, until the potatoes are golden and the asparagus is fork-tender. Be careful not to overcook the asparagus- a little resistance is perfect.
6. Prepare the dressing by whisking together the whole grain mustard, Dijon mustard, olive oil, lemon juice (starting with 3 tablespoons), maple syrup, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk vigorously to combine. Taste and adjust the flavours by adding more lemon juice, maple syrup or salt.
7. Assemble the salad in a large bowl. Add the potatoes, asparagus and lentils and pour the dressing over top, toss well to combine. Sprinkle on the dill and chives. Serve and enjoy!
________________________________________________________________________________________________________(1) Lynch, Ben. Dirty Genes: A Breakthrough Program to Treat the Root Cause of Illness and Optimize Your Health. HarperOne: 2018.
