Folate Rich Food

Folate, also known as folic acid, or B9, is a micro vitamin that belongs to the B vitamin group. A lot of research has established that the human body absorbs folic acid more efficiently in its naturally occurring form, folate. Although food enriched with synthetic folate is available, many do not include a sufficient quantity of these in the diet to meet the actual daily requirement.

Folic acid has many essential roles to play at the cellular level. It is involved in nucleotide biosynthesis and DNA synthesis. It also helps prevent anemia by supporting blood cell generation and plays a vital role in the prevention of fetal deformities, Alzheimer’s disease, osteoporosis related bone fractures and several cancers.

The daily folate requirement of an adult is 400 micrograms per day. For women, it increases to 600 micrograms per day during pregnancy. It cannot be stored in the body as its soluble in water. Therefore, it is important to include folate rich food in the diet to meet its RDA (recommended dietary allowances).

Some food items that are rich in this vital nutrient are:

Green leafy vegetables - Greens are one of the healthiest food items rich in folate. Kale, spinach, collard and romaine lettuce are rich sources and including a plateful of these would meet the daily requirement.

Avocado - A cup of butter pear covers approximately 22% of the daily folate requirement and is also an excellent source of fatty acids, vitamin K and dietary fibers. Include avocado in sandwiches, shakes and salads for a tasteful delight.

Citrus fruits - The fruits that belong to the citrus group have the highest folate levels. Oranges, in particular are the richest source, providing nearly 55 micrograms of folate when taken as fruit and about 75 micrograms when taken as juice. Other folate rich fruits are papaya, grapes, cantaloupe, banana and strawberries.

Broccoli - A cup of broccoli provides almost a fourth of the daily folate requirement along with numerous other nutrients. It is also one of the best detoxifying food sources.

Asparagus - Asparagus is indeed the best source of folate among all the vegetables. One cup of boiled asparagus provides 262 micrograms of this nutrient and covers almost 64% of the daily requirement. It is also a good source of vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin A and manganese.

Brussels sprouts - A cup of boiled brussels sprouts covers nearly 25% of the daily folate requirement. It also provides other vital nutrients like potassium, manganese, vitamin C, vitamin K and vitamin A. Brussels sprouts are rarely made a part of one’s diet, but, it is important  that these are thoughtfully and innovatively included.

Lentils - All lentils are rich in folate and cover the entire day’s requirement in just one bowl of its serving. Beans and peas are excellent sources and one can choose from a variety of lentils like, pinto beans, lima beans, green peas and black eyed peas.

Other food items with good folate concentration are lady’s finger (okra), seeds like pumpkin seeds, corn, celery and nuts. It is important that women of child bearing age, and those who are already pregnant, take folic acid supplements. Taking these supplements helps avoid any deficiency that may cause complications in the baby’s normal growth and development.