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Publication #FCS8560

 

Healthy Eating: Folate1

Linda B. Bobroff2

Why is folate important?

Folate is one of the B vitamins. Our bodies use folate to make new cells. Folate is especially important for women of childbearing age, pregnant and nursing women, growing children, and older people.

If you don't get enough folate in your diet, you could get anemia. You also could be at higher risk for heart disease, stroke, cancer, or memory problems.

How much folate do I need?

All adults need 400 micrograms of folate a day.

Table 1. 

Good Sources of Folate

Food

Folate

(micrograms)

Fortified cereal, 1 serving

200 – 700

Spinach, cooked, ½ cup

130

Romaine lettuce, shredded, 1 cup

75

Kidney beans, cooked, ½ cup

65

Orange juice, ¾ cup

45

Peanuts, dry roasted, ½ cup

40

What foods contain folate?

Figure 1. 

Dark green leafy vegetables like spinach are excellent sources of folate.


Credit:

iStockphoto


[Click thumbnail to enlarge.]

  • Dark green leafy vegetables

  • Orange juice

  • Beans and lentils

  • Peanuts

  • Fortified cereals and breads

If you do not get enough folate from the foods you eat, you may need to take a supplement. Supplements contain a form of the vitamin called folic acid. Too much folic acid can be harmful, so talk to your doctor first.

Footnotes

1.

La version en español de este documento es Alimentación Saludable: Folato (FCS8560-Span).This publication is FCS8560, one of a series of the Department of Family, Youth, and Community Sciences, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. This leaflet was developed with funding from the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, in partnership with state, county and local agencies. Publication date: March 2000. Revised: February 2006, September 2012. Please visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

2.

Linda B. Bobroff, PhD, RD, LD/N, professor, Department of Family, Youth, and Community Sciences, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Nick T. Place, Dean.