Heading to the farmers’ market? Buy asparagus — this springtime veggie offers 60 percent of your folate RDA in one cup.

Love eating seasonal produce? Head to the farmers’ market to pick up some asparagus, one of our favorite springtime veggies. Asparagus is one of the best food sources for folate. (Folic acid is the synthetic form found in supplements and fortified food.) If you’re a woman, you’ve probably been told about the importance of getting plenty of folic acid, a B vitamin that decreases the risk of birth defects. That’s because it’s needed to make DNA and RNA, the building blocks of cells. But even if you’re not planning on becoming pregnant, folic acid is necessary for a host of other reasons, like preventing changes in DNA that could lead to cancer. Just one cup of cooked asparagus provides 60 percent of your daily recommended intake of folic acid — and only 32 calories. To prepare: Chop off the tough part of the stalks, or use a vegetable peeler to remove the bottom’s outer layer. Toss spears with olive oil and salt, and place on the grill for six to 10 minutes, depending on their thickness.

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