DEAR DR. BLONZ: Is folate the same as folic acid? I read about the importance of folate, but when I look at the label of my multivitamin, it says "folic acid." -- S.I., San Diego

DEAR S.I.: They are both the same. Throughout its history, the vitamin we call folic acid or folate has gone by many names, including Wills Factor, anti-anemia factor, SLR factor, PGA, factor U and factor R, not to mention vitamins M, Bc, U, B9, B10 and B11. The explanation is that many different laboratories were doing research on the same substance at the same time, and many were working on related compounds that had the same vitamin activity.

Folate, it turns out, is a generic term referring to a family of related compounds, the simplest of which is folic acid. We usually don't find folic acid in nature; instead, we find one of the folates, which you can think of as being forms of folic acid with different lengths of a particular side chain attached.

Folate is usually associated with food, therefore, while folic acid is usually associated with supplements. Folic acid appears to be a key compound in human nutrition. The increasing frequency of articles on the benefits of folate reflect the fact that an inadequate intake of this nutrient is now being associated with a number of different ailments, including heart disease and certain birth defects. What's of interest here is that you don't need megadoses to avoid problems. One can get all the folate they need from a healthy diet. Good sources include green leafy vegetables, organ meats, legumes, orange juice, beets, avocado and broccoli.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: I had been in search of the perfect fancy butter dish, and I just found one at an estate sale. I learned that it is made of leaded crystal (24 percent lead), and when showing off my dish to a friend, she told me about your column on leaded crystal. Are you saying that I should pitch this new treasure -- or at least not put any butter on it and then into my digestive system? I only want to use it as a serving dish, but not if it's going to poison my body. -- M.B., Danville, Calif.

DEAR M.B.: Lead is a toxic substance, and the risk with this type of crystal is that the lead is not tightly bound. When in contact with liquids (water or alcohol), small amounts of the lead can slowly dissolve or leach into the liquid. Dried grains would not be an issue -- not that many would choose to store rice or whole wheat in leaded glass. Butter is primarily fat, but it does contain a small amount of water (as does margarine). There would be negligible risk to using your leaded crystal as a serving dish, so go ahead, enjoy, and congratulations on your find.

Send questions to: "On Nutrition," Ed Blonz, c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO, 64106. Send email inquiries to questions@blonz.com. Due to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: I was shopping for an upcoming party and considered purchasing grated cheese to save prep time in the kitchen. I have gotten into the habit of reading the labels of any packaged foods that I buy, and this one gave me pause. I know that fresh cheese is usually made from some type of milk along with salt and enzymes, but the package of grated cheese listed natamycin as an ingredient. I have no idea what that is. There was also powdered cellulose listed, which is a bit more familiar, but I am not certain why it is required either. Are these things I need to be concerned about? -- N.Z., via email

DEAR N.Z.: Finding unknown ingredients on your food labels can be troubling, especially if they have imposing-sounding names. It's easy to become concerned that something unwholesome is in the package. Ingredients -- even entirely wholesome ones -- often sound more onerous than they actually are, and in this case, there is little cause for concern.

When cheese is grated, there is a great increase in surface area, and with this increased area comes more space for unwanted molds or yeasts to grab on and make themselves at home. The natural moisture present in cheese can also create a friendly environment. Grated cheeses are usually packaged under a controlled atmosphere to inhibit the growth of such organisms, but that would not prevent them from being introduced and growing after the package is opened.

Natamycin is a naturally occurring preservative compound that helps prevent the growth of undesirable molds or yeasts. It is often used with cheeses because it doesn't work against the friendly bacteria that are essential for flavor development during the ripening process. You can find products that don't contain this preservative, but it is doubtful that it is cause for concern. It, along with the protein in the cheese, will be denatured and destroyed during the digestive process.

The powdered cellulose, a naturally occurring carbohydrate from plants, is there to prevent the grated cheese from clumping together. Cellulose, which is not digested, is the most plentiful carbohydrate substance in nature. It is actually considered to be dietary fiber, but such a small amount is needed for anti-caking purposes that the fiber won't even register on the nutrition label.

Regarding food additives in general, you can limit the problem by sticking to whole or minimally processed foods, but even this is no guarantee. As a group, food additives are a mixed lot, containing a variety of substances that accomplish some rather amazing things. They are all chemicals -- one and all -- but the same can be said for all foods, whether they come fresh from the garden or from a package on the shelf.

Send questions to: "On Nutrition," Ed Blonz, c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO, 64106. Send email inquiries to questions@blonz.com. Due to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: I read with interest your article on the Sensa weight-loss product. Although you did not state a definite "yea" or "nay" on the product, I thought I would share that I've been on Sensa for five months and have lost 36 pounds. I was skeptical at first, but am now a firm believer in the product. If you sprinkle it on all foods (except liquids) and drink at least 64 ounces of water a day, you do lose weight. The weight loss is slow, as it should be. Sensa also has an awesome support community online and a coach to answer any questions about the product. Just my two cents. -- J., via email

DEAR J: Thanks for the two cents. I don't often write twice about a particular product, but yours is a wonderful story and you have my congratulations. But in addition, I wanted to explain the basis for my obvious skepticism, which goes beyond this product and is reflective of the field of weight-loss products in general. Namely, my skepticism is based on the lack of reliable, objective evidence affirming the effectiveness of this product -- and many others.

Not to lessen your ongoing accomplishment in the slightest, but you can find individuals who write about successful experiences with most approaches. I look for support that is evidence-based and objective. The testing of a product or theory is only considered objective when it's conducted by individuals who have no association with the success of the method, and one must be reserved in the claims for any product until such evidence has been gathered. What is needed is a controlled test of each method, with the results then written up, put through a peer-review process and published in scientific literature. Until that happens, all we have are products being promoted by those with a financial interest in sales, and associated theories where we don't really know what might be causing what.

For example, you state that you are drinking at least 64 ounces of water a day. A review article in the December 2009 issue of the journal Eating Behaviors reported that increased consumption of water, by itself, is associated with a decreased caloric intake. Granted, none of the studies summarized in that report found that water consumption was associated with weight loss approaching 2 pounds a week, like yours, so something is obviously going on in your case. But does the Sensa produt involve an actual biochemical mechanism that will work for others?

There is also the "you gotta believe" aspect: There is evidence in the scientific literature that a significant part of any approach to weight management is a personal commitment to it and a belief in its efficacy. One using a method because of personal motivation is more likely to be successful than another who is only using the same method at the insistence of another. Marketing and support services can serve as important adjuncts to success, but nothing replaces personal motivation and belief.

You have my wishes for your continued success. Keep me informed of how things proceed.

Send questions to: "On Nutrition," Ed Blonz, c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO, 64106. Send email inquiries to questions@blonz.com. Due to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.