Folic acid is the synthetic form of the vitamin folate.  Unfortunately, natural folate is not shelf-stable so the only form that can be used in food fortification is folic acid.  The terms “folic acid” and “folate” are considered legally interchangeable in the US and many other countries, but if the label includes either, it refers to folic acid. Folic acid is not a good form of folate for people with the MTHFR polymorphism.