Folate is an important part of women's nutrition. It can be found in dark green lettuces, as well as leafy vegetables such as broccoli. You can also find folate in citrus fruits, such as oranges. An 8oz glass of orange juice contains around 150 micrograms of folate.

The recommended daily intake for girls and women 14 and older is 400 micrograms, so making sure to drink at least a glass of orange juice each day will help take care of your folate intake. It's surprising, though, how easily you can fail to reach that intake level. Those who consume massive amounts of fast food generally won't, but grabbing one of those small cups of orange juice with your meal, if you decide that you absolutely need fast food, can help you get there.

Cooking methods for folate-rich foods also affect the resulting folate left in the foods after preparation. Minimal preparation is best, so serve vegetables raw whenever possible. Boiling vegetables can reduce their folate content (since you pour out the water, which contains some folate removed from the vegetables during boiling), so use as little water as possible while boiling vegetables.

My lunch generally consists of a salad and some kind of juice (I usually go with cranberry), which takes care of most of my folate intake requirements. Fortified breakfast cereals also will help make sure that you reach your daily intake requirement. Other great sources of folate include asparagus, spinach, and peas.

It's also important to note that folate requirements further increase for pregnant women, who should consume at least 600 micrograms of the nutrient. Folate deficiency has been linked to birth defects, so one should absolutely adhere to the minimum requirements throughout pregnancy, in addition to the 400 microgram minimum at all other times.