Folate

(Folacin, Folic Acid)

This is one in a series of fact sheets containing information to help you select foods that provide adequate daily amounts of vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber as you follow the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The Guidelines are - Eat a Variety of Foods Maintain Desirable Weight Avoid Too Much Fat, Saturated Fat, and Cholesterol Eat Foods with Adequate Starch and Fiber Avoid Too Much Sugar Avoid Too Much Sodium If You Drink Alcoholic Beverages, Do So in Moderation WHAT IS MEANT BY A GOOD FOOD SOURCE? A good food source of folate contains a substantial amount of folate in relation to its calorie content and contributes at least 10 percent of the U.S. Recommended Dietary Allowance (U.S. RDA) for folate in a selected serving size. The U.S. RDA for folate is 400 micrograms per day. (The U.S. RDA given is for adults, except pregnant or lactating women, and children over 4 years of age.) As you can see, in 1985 and 1986, over one-third of the folate in the diets of women was provided by fruits and vegetables. Of this group, citrus fruits and tomatoes and vegetables - other than dark-green or deep-yellow vegetables or potatoes - contributed the most to folate intakes. Grain products were also important sources. Foods that contain small amounts of folate but are not considered good sources can contribute significant amounts of folate to an individual's diet if these foods are eaten often or in large amounts. WHY DO WE NEED FOLATE?

Folate, a water-soluble vitamin, helps the body form red blood cells and aids in the formation of genetic material within every body cell.

DO WE GET ENOUGH FOLATE?

According to recent USDA surveys, the average intake of folate by women and men 19 to 50 years of age met their RDA for folate.

HOW CAN WE GET ENOUGH FOLATE?

Eating a variety of foods that contain folate is the best way to get an adequate amount. Healthy individuals who eat a balanced diet rarely need supplements. The list of foods will help you select those that are good sources of folate as you follow the Dietary Guidelines. The list of good sources was derived from the same nutritive value of foods tables used to analyze information for recent food consumption surveys of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Human Nutrition Information Service.

Click here for nutrition table for 7,248 foods.

HOW TO PREPARE FOODS TO RETAIN FOLATE

Folate can be lost from foods during preparation, cooking, or storage. To retain folate:

.Serve fruits and vegetables raw whenever possible.

.Steam, boil, or simmer vegetables in a minimal amount of water.

.Store vegetables in the refrigerator.

WHAT ABOUT FORTIFIED FOODS?

Most ready-to-eat cereals are fortified with folate. Fortified ready-to-eat cereals usually contain at least 25 percent of the U.S. RDA for folate. Since cereals vary, check the label on the package for the percentage of the U.S. RDA for a specific cereal.

WHAT IS A SERVING?

The serving sizes used on the list of good sources are only estimates of the amounts of food you might eat. The amount of nutrient in a serving depends on the weight of the serving. For example, 1/2 cup of a cooked vegetable contains more folate than a 1/2 cup serving of the same vegetable served raw, because a serving of cooked vegetable weighs more. Therefore, the cooked vegetable may appear on the list while the raw form does not. The raw vegetable provides the nutrient - but just not enough in a 1/2-cup serving to be considered a good source.

WHAT ARE GOOD SOURCES OF FOLATE?

FOOD SELECTED PERCENTAGE OF SERVING SIZE U.S. RDA (1)

BREADS, CEREALS, AND OTHER GRAIN PRODUCTS

English muffin, whole-wheat 1 + Pita bread, whole-wheat 1 small + Ready-to-eat cereals, fortified(2) 1 ounce ++ Wheat germ, plain 2 tablespoons +

FRUITS

Grapefruit and orange juice, frozen, reconstituted 3/4 cup + Orange juice: Fresh 3/4 cup + Frozen, reconstituted 3/4 cup +

VEGETABLES

Artichoke, globe (french), cooked 1 medium + Asparagus, cooked 1/2 cup + Beets, cooked 1/2 cup + Broccoli, cooked 1/2 cup + Brussels sprouts, cooked 1/2 cup + Cauliflower, cooked 1/2 cup + Chinese cabbage, cooked 1/2 cup + Corn, cream style, cooked 1/2 cup + Endive, chicory, escarole, or romaine; raw 1 cup + Mustard greens, cooked 1/2 cup + Okra, cooked 1/2 cup + Parsnips, cooked 1/2 cup + Peas, green, cooked 1/2 cup + Spinach: Cooked 1/2 cup ++ Raw 1 cup + Turnip greens, cooked 1/2 cup +

MEAT, POULTRY, FISH, AND ALTERNATES

Meat and Poultry Liver, braised: Beef or calf 3 ounces +++ Pork 3 ounces ++ Chicken or turkey 1/2 cup diced +++

Fish and Seafood Crabmeat, steamed 3 ounces +

Dry Beans, Peas, and Lentils Beans, cooked: Bayo, black, brown, calico, chickpeas (garbanzo beans), lima, mexican, pinto, or white 1/2 cup + Black-eyed peas (cowpeas) 1/2 cup +++ Red kidney 1/2 cup ++ Lentils, cooked 1/2 cup +++ Peas, split, green or yellow, cooked 1/2 cup +

(1) A selected serving size contains -

+ 10-24 percent of the U.S. RDA for adults and children over 4 years of age

++ 25-39 percent of the U.S. RDA for adults and children over 4 years of age

+++ 40 percent or more of the U.S. RDA for adults and children over 4 years of age

(2) See section on fortified foods. January 1990 ??

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