On Fri, 25 Aug 2000, Ben Balzer wrote:

> This helps explain the extremely long list of studies showing benefits from
> folic acid supplements- reduction of heart disease, birth defects, bowel
> cancer, Alzheimer's disease etc. The other factor is that many people eat so
> little fruit and vegetables these days, and so have a low folic acid intake.

As you pointed out in another message, liver is a rich source of
folate, even better than most fruits and vegetables.  Chicken and
goose liver are especially loaded with the stuff, which may be
yet another piece of the "French paradox" puzzle, since the
French probably eat more goose liver than anyone else.

To a great extent, liver and other organ meats have disappeared
from the American diet.  I'm not sure how it is in other
developed countries.  We may be paying a price for this, though.

When I was growing up, we never ate liver or any other organ
meat, because my father wouldn't eat them.  We seldom ate fish,
for the same reason.  I have managed to acquire a taste for fish,
although it is not a favorite.  I eat sardines a few times a
week, and enjoy them well enough but don't have a desire to eat
them more often.  As for liver, I find it difficult to eat, no
matter how it is prepared.  But I think this is a serious
omission, so I have been using dessicated liver, as Troy
Gilchrist suggested some time back.  This is a relatively
painless way to do it.

Todd Moody
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