🥦 Foods Highest in Folate — TOP 30(per 100g)
Required for DNA synthesis and cell division, and critical before and during early pregnancy. Richest in legumes and leafy greens. FDA Daily Value: 400μg.
1–30 of 6,385 foods
What Folate Does
Folate (vitamin B9) is required for DNA synthesis and cell division, which makes it most critical wherever cells divide rapidly — in red blood cell production and, decisively, in early fetal development.
Yeast extract heads the ranking at 3,786μg per 100g and active dry yeast at 2,340μg, followed by a run of fortified breakfast cereals. US grain enrichment has included folic acid since 1998.
Naturally, folate concentrates in legumes and dark leafy greens — cooked lentils at 181μg per 100g are the standout, with black beans, chickpeas, asparagus, spinach, and avocado following.
Daily intake reference (FDA Daily Value)
FDA Daily Value: 400μg DFE per day. People who could become pregnant are generally advised to get 400μg of folic acid daily from fortified food or supplements, in addition to dietary folate.
Getting Enough Folate
Legumes are the densest natural source
Cooked lentils supply 181μg per 100g — about 45% of the Daily Value — making legumes the most reliable whole-food folate source in the American diet.
Cooking destroys a real share of it
Folate is both water-soluble and heat-sensitive. Dry mung beans show 625μg per 100g against 159μg cooked, a larger drop than water dilution alone explains. Steaming beats boiling.
Canned loses the most
Canned red kidney beans carry about 28μg of folate per 100g against 149μg for home-cooked black beans. Canned is still convenient — just not the folate strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is the difference between folate and folic acid?
A. Folate is the form occurring naturally in food; folic acid is the synthetic form used in supplements and fortification. Folic acid is more stable and better absorbed, which is why it is used for enrichment.
Q. Why is folate emphasized in pregnancy?
A. Adequate folate around conception substantially reduces the risk of neural tube defects. Because the neural tube closes very early — often before pregnancy is known — the recommendation applies to anyone who could become pregnant.
Q. Which everyday foods are highest in folate?
A. Cooked lentils (181μg per 100g), black beans (149μg), chickpeas (172μg), pinto beans (172μg), asparagus, spinach, and avocado. Fortified cereals and enriched grains also contribute substantially in US diets.
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Data source: USDA FoodData Central (Public Domain) — fdc.nal.usda.gov