Foods High in Folic Acid and Folate: 17 Best Sources

The foods highest in folate are beef liver, cooked spinach, black-eyed peas, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, and fortified grains such as breakfast cereal and enriched rice.¹ Folic acid itself (the manufactured form of vitamin B9) only comes from enriched or fortified foods and supplements, while vegetables, beans, fruit, and animal foods contain natural folate.²¹

Below are the 17 best everyday sources with exact amounts per serving, grouped by food type, plus how to read the numbers and why food alone is not enough before pregnancy.

The 17 best food sources of folate, ranked

All amounts are in micrograms of Dietary Folate Equivalents (mcg DFE), the unit used on U.S. labels. The adult target is 400 mcg DFE a day.¹

Source: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements food table.¹ The % DV column uses the 400 mcg DFE Daily Value for adults and children aged 4 and older.¹

A food that supplies 20% or more of the Daily Value per serving counts as a high source.¹ By that standard, the top six foods on this list clearly qualify, and Brussels sprouts (78 mcg DFE, 19.5% DV) sit right at the line.

Leafy greens and other vegetables

Leafy vegetables are among the best-known natural folate sources.² Spinach leads the group: 1/2 cup boiled provides 131 mcg DFE, and 1 cup raw provides 58 mcg DFE.¹ Shredded romaine lettuce adds 64 mcg DFE per cup.¹

Notice that the two spinach entries use different servings (1/2 cup boiled versus 1 cup raw). Always compare foods by the serving size listed, and remember that processing and preparation change the numbers.¹

Other vegetables worth knowing:

• Asparagus: 89 mcg DFE in 4 boiled spears.¹
• Brussels sprouts: 78 mcg DFE per 1/2 cup boiled.¹
• Broccoli: 52 mcg DFE per 1/2 cup cooked.¹

Beans and peas

Beans and peas are a reliable plant source of folate.² Black-eyed peas are the standout, with 105 mcg DFE per 1/2 cup boiled, about a quarter of the adult Daily Value.¹ Canned kidney beans provide 46 mcg DFE per 1/2 cup.¹

Fortified and enriched grains

This is the only food group on the list that supplies folic acid itself rather than natural folate. Since 1998, U.S. law has required folic acid to be added to specified enriched grain products at 140 mcg per 100 g, including many enriched breads, flours, cereals, rice, pasta, and cornmeal products.⁴¹

Source: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements.¹

"Whole grain" and "enriched" are not the same thing. A whole-grain product might contain natural folate, but it is not necessarily fortified unless the ingredient list or Nutrition Facts panel says so.⁵² Our guide to fortified foods with folic acid explains how to spot the difference on a label.

Fortification works at the population level. CDC estimates it has prevented about 1,300 NTD-affected births per year in the U.S.⁶

Fruit and animal foods

Fruit

Fruit contributes smaller amounts, but it adds up. Avocado is the best fruit source on the list at 59 mcg DFE per 1/2 cup sliced.¹ Citrus is a classic source: 3/4 cup of orange juice provides 35 mcg DFE and a small orange provides 29 mcg DFE.¹²

Animal foods

Liver is the single richest common source, with 215 mcg DFE in 3 oz of braised beef liver.¹ Eggs, seafood, dairy, meat, and poultry also contain natural folate.²¹ One large hard-boiled egg provides 22 mcg DFE.¹

What 400 mcg DFE looks like on a plate

Here is one example of a food-only day built from the table above. It shows that the adult RDA is reachable without supplements.¹

Amounts from NIH Office of Dietary Supplements.¹

Notice that every item in that day is natural folate. It meets the general adult target, but it contains no folic acid, which matters for anyone who could become pregnant (see below).⁷

Folate vs folic acid in food: what DFE means

Your body absorbs different forms of folate at different rates. About 50% of natural food folate is absorbed, compared with at least 85% of folic acid eaten with food and nearly 100% of folic acid taken on an empty stomach.¹ Dietary Folate Equivalents (DFE) adjust for that so sources can be added together.¹

Source: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements.¹

That is why a supplement label can say "667 mcg DFE (400 mcg folic acid)": 400 mcg of folic acid taken with food is about 667 mcg DFE.¹ To convert your own numbers, use our folate DFE calculator. For a deeper explanation of the two forms, see folate vs folic acid.

Simple ways to get more folate from meals

You do not need special foods to eat well for folate. A few habits, built on the numbers above, go a long way.¹

• Add a leafy green or legume most days. Half a cup of boiled spinach (131 mcg DFE) or black-eyed peas (105 mcg DFE) covers about a quarter to a third of the adult target on its own.¹
• Choose enriched grains if you eat refined grains. Enriched rice, pasta, and bread carry added folic acid under U.S. rules, while whole-grain products are only fortified if the label says so.⁴⁵
• Check the label for 20% DV. A serving with 20% or more of the Daily Value counts as a high source of folate.¹
• Read the parentheses. On a Nutrition Facts panel, total folate appears in mcg DFE and any added folic acid is shown in parentheses.¹
• Look up specific products. Brand and recipe change folate content, so use the label or USDA FoodData Central rather than a generic list.¹³

When food may not be enough

Some people struggle to absorb or keep enough folate even with a good diet. Risk contexts include alcohol use disorder, celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, bariatric or other gastric surgery, and medicines that impair folate absorption or metabolism.⁸¹ Alcohol, for example, can reduce absorption, speed up folate breakdown, and increase losses in urine.¹ If any of these apply, ask a clinician whether your diet covers your needs.

Can food alone replace folic acid before pregnancy?

No. A balanced diet can meet the adult RDA, especially with fortified foods, but people who could become pregnant should still get 400 mcg of folic acid daily from supplements, fortified foods, or both, in addition to food folate.⁹¹ CDC advises combining folate-rich foods with a vitamin containing folic acid, fortified foods, or both.⁷

The reason is the evidence. CDC states that folic acid is the only form of folate shown in studies to help prevent neural tube defects.² USPSTF recommends a daily supplement of 400 to 800 mcg starting at least one month before conception.⁸ Read more in our guide to folic acid before pregnancy.

Total folate needs also rise to 600 mcg DFE during pregnancy, which can be hard to reach reliably from unfortified foods alone.¹¹⁰

For daily amounts by age and life stage, see how much folic acid you should take.

This article is for general education and is not medical advice. Doses and needs differ from person to person, so talk with your clinician or pharmacist about your situation. Read our editorial policy and medical disclaimer.