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Food Name | Folate | |
Milk, human | 5 | |
Milk | 5 | |
Milk, cow's, fluid, whole | 5 | |
Milk, cow's, fluid, whole, low-sodium | 5 | |
Milk, calcium fortified, cow's, fluid, whole | 5 | |
Milk, calcium fortified, cow's, fluid, 1% fat | 5 | |
Milk, calcium fortified, cow's, fluid, skim or nonfat | 5 | |
Milk, cow's, fluid, other than whole ("lowfat") | 5 | |
Milk, cow's, fluid, 2% fat | 5 | |
Milk, cow's, fluid, acidophilus, 1% fat | 5 | |
Milk, cow's, fluid, acidophilus, 2% fat | 5 | |
Milk, cow's, fluid, 1% fat | 5 | |
Milk, cow's, fluid, skim or nonfat, 0.5% or less butterfat | 5 | |
Milk, cow's, fluid, filled with vegetable oil | 5 | |
|
Usage Note
- Folate value is in mcg and calculated per 100g of food weight.
- Click on column header to sort foods by name or by folate content.
- Pie chart shows relative contributions to total calories from carbohydrate, protein
and fat (and alcohol, if exists).
- The mineral and vitamin charts show the relative contents of minerals and vitamins
of each food. The higher the bubble, the higher mineral or vitamin content a food
has relative to other foods. The larger the bubble, the greater the mineral or vitamin
content relative to the Recommended Daily Allowances.
FOLATE
information from the
National Institutes of Health
Folate is a water-soluble B vitamin that occurs naturally in food. Folic acid is
the synthetic form of folate that is found in supplements and added to fortified
foods.
Folate gets its name from the Latin word "folium" for leaf. A key observation of
researcher Lucy Wills nearly 70 years ago led to the identification of folate as
the nutrient needed to prevent the anemia of pregnancy. Dr. Wills demonstrated that
the anemia could be corrected by a yeast extract. Folate was identified as the corrective
substance in yeast extract in the late 1930s, and was extracted from spinach leaves
in 1941.
Folate helps produce and maintain new cells. This is especially important during
periods of rapid cell division and growth such as infancy and pregnancy. Folate
is needed to make DNA and RNA, the building blocks of cells. It also helps prevent
changes to DNA that may lead to cancer. Both adults and children need folate to
make normal red blood cells and prevent anemia. Folate is also essential for the
metabolism of homocysteine, and helps maintain normal levels of this amino acid.
Folate Sources
Leafy green vegetables (like spinach and turnip greens), fruits (like citrus fruits
and juices), and dried beans and peas are all natural sources of folate.
In 1996, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published regulations requiring
the addition of folic acid to enriched breads, cereals, flours, corn meals, pastas,
rice, and other grain products. Since cereals and grains are widely consumed in
the U.S., these products have become a very important contributor of folic acid
to the American diet.
Folate Deficiency
A deficiency of folate can occur when an increased need for folate is not matched
by an increased intake, when dietary folate intake does not meet recommended needs,
and when folate loss increases. Medications that interfere with the metabolism of
folate may also increase the need for this vitamin and risk of deficiency.
Medical conditions that increase the need for folate or result in increased loss
of folate include:
•pregnancy and lactation (breastfeeding)
•alcohol abuse
•malabsorption
•kidney dialysis
•liver disease
•certain anemias
Medications that interfere with folate utilization include:
•anticonvulsant medications (such as dilantin, phenytoin and primidone)
•metformin (sometimes prescribed to control blood sugar in type 2 diabetes)
•sulfasalazine (used to control inflammation associated with Crohn's disease and
ulcerative colitis)
•triamterene (a diuretic)
•methotrexate (used for cancer and other diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis)
•barbiturates (used as sedatives)
What are some common signs and symptoms of folate deficiency?
•Folate deficient women who become pregnant are at greater risk of giving birth
to low birth weight, premature, and/or infants with neural tube defects.
•In infants and children, folate deficiency can slow overall growth rate.
•In adults, a particular type of anemia can result from long term folate deficiency.
•Other signs of folate deficiency are often subtle. Digestive disorders such as
diarrhea, loss of appetite, and weight loss can occur, as can weakness, sore tongue,
headaches, heart palpitations, irritability, forgetfulness, and behavioral disorders.
An elevated level of homocysteine in the blood, a risk factor for cardiovascular
disease, also can result from folate deficiency.
Many of these subtle symptoms are general and can also result from a variety of
medical conditions other than folate deficiency. It is important to have a physician
evaluate these symptoms so that appropriate medical care can be given.
Do women of childbearing age and pregnant women have a special need for folate?
Folic acid is very important for all women who may become pregnant. Adequate folate
intake during the periconceptual period, the time just before and just after a woman
becomes pregnant, protects against neural tube defects. Neural tube defects result
in malformations of the spine (spina bifida), skull, and brain (anencephaly). The
risk of neural tube defects is significantly reduced when supplemental folic acid
is consumed in addition to a healthful diet prior to and during the first month
following conception. Since January 1, 1998, when the folate food fortification
program took effect, data suggest that there has been a significant reduction in
neural tube birth defects. Women who could become pregnant are advised to eat foods
fortified with folic acid or take a folic acid supplement in addition to eating
folate-rich foods to reduce the risk of some serious birth defects. For this population,
researchers recommend a daily intake of 400 μg of synthetic folic acid per day from
fortified foods and/or dietary supplements.
Who else may need extra folic acid to prevent a deficiency?
People who abuse alcohol, those taking medications that may interfere with the action
of folate (including, but not limited to those listed above), individuals diagnosed
with anemia from folate deficiency, and those with malabsorption, liver disease,
or who are receiving kidney dialysis treatment may benefit from a folic acid supplement.
Folate deficiency has been observed in alcoholics. A 1997 review of the nutritional
status of chronic alcoholics found low folate status in more than 50% of those surveyed.
Alcohol interferes with the absorption of folate and increases the amount of folate
the kidney gets rid of. In addition, many people who abuse alcohol have poor quality
diets that do not provide the recommended intake of folate. Increasing folate intake
through diet, or folic acid intake through fortified foods or supplements, may be
beneficial to the health of alcoholics.
Anti-convulsant medications such as dilantin increase the need for folate. Anyone
taking anti-convulsants and other medications that interfere with the body's ability
to use folate should consult with a medical doctor about the need to take a folic
acid supplement.
Anemia is a condition that occurs when there is insufficient hemoglobin in red blood
cells to carry enough oxygen to cells and tissues. It can result from a wide variety
of medical problems, including folate deficiency. With folate deficiency, your body
may make large red blood cells that do not contain adequate hemoglobin, the substance
in red blood cells that carries oxygen to your body's cells. Your physician can
determine whether an anemia is associated with folate deficiency and whether supplemental
folic acid is indicated.
Several medical conditions increase the risk of folic acid deficiency. Liver disease
and kidney dialysis increase the loss of folic acid. Malabsorption can prevent your
body from using folate in food. Medical doctors treating individuals with these
disorders will evaluate the need for a folic acid supplement.
Folate-Rich Foods
Most of folate-rich foods are ready-to-eat cereals. These are fortified with folate by their manufacturers. Folate content is in micrograms per 100 grams of food weight.
| Foods High in Folate |
Folate |
| Yeast extract spread |
3786 |
| Leavening agents, yeast, baker's, active dry |
2340 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, QUAKER, CAP'N CRUNCH'S Homerun Crunch Cereal |
1676 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, QUAKER, CAP'N CRUNCH |
1555 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, QUAKER, SWEET CRUNCH/QUISP |
1555 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, QUAKER, CAP'N CRUNCH'S PEANUT BUTTER CRUNCH |
1554 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, QUAKER, QUAKER CRUNCHY BRAN |
1554 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, QUAKER, CAP'N CRUNCH'S Halloween Crunch |
1550 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, QUAKER, CAP'N CRUNCH'S Touchdown Cereal |
1539 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, QUAKER, CAP'N CRUNCH with CRUNCHBERRIES |
1539 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, QUAKER, Christmas Crunch |
1537 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, QUAKER, HONEY GRAHAM OH!S |
1515 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, QUAKER, Honey Nut Oats |
1500 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, QUAKER, Honey Graham bagged cereal |
1500 |
| Cereals, MALT-O-MEAL, plain, dry |
1448 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, QUAKER, Maple Brown Sugar LIFE Cereal |
1436 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, QUAKER, QUAKER APPLE ZAPS |
1400 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, QUAKER, Toasted Oats/OATMMM'S |
1400 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, KELLOGG, KELLOGG'S ALL-BRAN COMPLETE Wheat Flakes |
1379 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, GENERAL MILLS, Multi-Grain Cheerios |
1379 |
| QUAKER, Cap'n Crunch's OOPS! All Berries Cereal |
1353 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, KELLOGG, KELLOGG'S ALL-BRAN BRAN BUDS |
1345 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, KELLOGG, KELLOGG'S Complete Oat Bran Flakes |
1345 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, QUAKER, KING VITAMAN |
1334 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, GENERAL MILLS, TOTAL Corn Flakes |
1333 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, GENERAL MILLS, Whole Grain TOTAL |
1333 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, KELLOGG, KELLOGG'S PRODUCT 19 |
1333 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, QUAKER, QUAKER OAT CINNAMON LIFE |
1318 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, QUAKER, QUAKER Honey Graham LIFE Cereal |
1311 |
| Foods High in Folate |
Folate |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, KELLOGG, KELLOGG'S ALL-BRAN Original |
1310 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, KELLOGG, KELLOGG'S SPECIAL K |
1290 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, QUAKER, QUAKER COCOA BLASTS |
1273 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, MALT-O-MEAL, Crispy Rice |
1214 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, KASHI HEART TO HEART, Honey Toasted Oat |
1212 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, KASHI HEART TO HEART, Warm Cinnamon |
1210 |
| Cereals, MALT-O-MEAL, chocolate, dry |
1208 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, MALT-O-MEAL, Honey BUZZERS |
1059 |
| Formulated bar, LUNA BAR, NUTZ OVER CHOCOLATE |
1057 |
| Cereals, MALT-O-MEAL, Farina Hot Wheat Cereal, dry |
990 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, KELLOGG, KELLOGG'S CRISPIX |
967 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, MALT-O-MEAL, BERRY COLOSSAL CRUNCH |
955 |
| Cereals, KASHI HEART TO HEART, Instant Oatmeal, golden brown maple, dry |
930 |
| Cereals, KASHI HEART TO HEART, Instant Oatmeal, Apple Cinnamon, dry |
930 |
| Formulated bar, MARS SNACKFOOD US, SNICKERS Marathon Double Chocolate Nut Bar |
905 |
| Formulated bar, MARS SNACKFOOD US, SNICKERS Marathon Honey Nut Oat Bar |
905 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, QUAKER, QUAKER Toasted Oatmeal Cereal |
896 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, QUAKER, Oatmeal Cereal, Brown Sugar Bliss |
889 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, MALT-O-MEAL, Maple & Brown Sugar Hot Wheat Cereal, dry |
882 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, MALT-O-MEAL, Honey Nut TOASTY O'S Cereal |
881 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, GENERAL MILLS, Wheat CHEX |
851 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, GENERAL MILLS, Multi-Bran CHEX |
851 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, QUAKER, QUAKER toasted Oatmeal Cereal, Honey Nut |
847 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, QUAKER, QUAKER OAT LIFE, plain |
839 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, KELLOGG, KELLOGG'S Low Fat Granola without Raisins |
816 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, GENERAL MILLS, TOTAL, Blueberry Pomegranate |
816 |
| Formulated bar, MARS SNACKFOOD US, SNICKERS Marathon Energy Bar, all flavors |
816 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, KELLOGG, KELLOGG'S SMART START Strong Heart Antioxidants Cereal |
800 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, GENERAL MILLS, KIX |
787 |
| Leavening agents, yeast, baker's, compressed |
785 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, GENERAL MILLS, TOTAL Raisin Bran |
755 |
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