Foods High in Folate: Folate Rich Foods With USDA Values

The foods high in folate in USDA data are cooked liver, legumes such as edamame, lentils, black-eyed peas and pinto beans, dark green vegetables such as spinach, turnip greens, asparagus and Brussels sprouts, and grain products enriched with folic acid. A cup of boiled lentils supplies about 90% of the Daily Value, according to USDA FoodData Central. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) uses folate, sometimes called vitamin B9, as the general name for the natural forms in food and for folic acid, the form added to enriched grains and most supplements.

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Foods high in folate: USDA values per serving

The table uses USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy entries, converted to common serving sizes, with folate in micrograms of dietary folate equivalents (DFE). The percent Daily Value (%DV) uses the FDA Daily Value printed on Nutrition Facts labels; ODS notes that a food with 20% of the Daily Value or more is considered a high source.

Legumes dominate the list; our guides to lentils, black-eyed peas, chickpeas and edamame cover their other nutrients. Liver is concentrated too, and our chicken liver guide explains why it is also very high in vitamin A. Our spinach and asparagus guides cover two foods ODS names among the richest sources, and our avocado guide covers the fruit that ranks highest in this USDA table.

Folate rich foods by food group

• Legumes: lentils, black-eyed peas, edamame and pinto, black, navy and kidney beans lead the USDA data.
• Organ meats and dark green vegetables: liver, spinach, turnip greens, asparagus, broccoli and romaine; see our guide to leafy vegetables.
• Fruits: avocado, oranges and orange juice.
• Nuts and seeds: sunflower seeds lead; peanuts supply less.
• Enriched grains: under FDA standards, enriched white rice, pasta, bread and flour carry added folic acid; unenriched versions carry very little.

Most top entries are plants, so these vitamin B9 foods suit plant-based eaters, unlike vitamin B12, which our B12 foods guide covers. Our sibling guide to foods high in nitrates shows some of the same vegetables topping a very different list.

Fortified grains and folic acid in the US

ODS explains that in January 1998 FDA began requiring manufacturers to add folic acid, at 140 micrograms per 100 grams, to enriched breads, cereals, flours, corn meals, pastas, rice and other grain products. The federal standards of identity for enriched flour (21 CFR 137.165) and for enriched white rice (21 CFR 137.350) both list folic acid among the required nutrients. In April 2016, FDA approved the voluntary addition of folic acid to corn masa flour, according to ODS.

Our guides to white rice and pasta cover those foods in more detail. The SR Legacy corn tortilla entry (FDC 175036) lists only about 1 microgram DFE per tortilla, so check tortilla labels for folic acid, as our tortillas guide explains. ODS reports that neural tube defect rates in the US have fallen by 28% since fortification began, and a 2015 CDC analysis in MMWR estimated that about 1,326 births each year are unaffected by a neural tube defect that otherwise would have been.

What DFE means on a Nutrition Facts label

ODS notes that at least 85% of folic acid is absorbed when eaten with food, compared with about 50% of the folate naturally present in food. Dietary folate equivalents adjust for that, so FDA labels count each microgram of folic acid as 1.7 micrograms DFE. When folic acid has been added, the label lists folate in micrograms DFE with the folic acid amount in parentheses; FDA does not require folate on a label otherwise, according to ODS. That explains the enriched white rice row above: in USDA data, about 87 micrograms of folic acid become about 153 micrograms DFE.

ODS notes that supplements may contain folic acid or another form, 5-MTHF. Our methylfolate guide explains how the forms differ and what ODS says about the MTHFR gene variant.

Folate RDA, Daily Value and upper limit (reference facts)

These are population reference values from the ODS fact sheet, not personal targets. The Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) applies only to folic acid and other synthetic folate from supplements and fortified foods; ODS states that no UL was set for folate from food, because high intakes from food have not been reported to cause adverse effects.

ODS reports that most people in the US consume adequate folate, while about 5% of adults aged 51 to 70 exceed the folic acid UL, mainly because of supplements.

Neural tube defects: what CDC and the USPSTF say

CDC describes neural tube defects as major birth defects of the brain and spine, such as anencephaly and spina bifida, that happen in the first few weeks of pregnancy, often before a person knows they are pregnant. CDC states that folic acid is the only type of folate shown in studies to help prevent them.

CDC’s general recommendation comes from the U.S. Public Health Service: anyone who could become pregnant should get folic acid daily to help prevent neural tube defects, and CDC notes that the Institute of Medicine and the USPSTF support it. In its 2023 reaffirmation, the USPSTF concluded with high certainty that folic acid supplementation has a substantial net benefit for people planning to or able to become pregnant, and it recommends a daily folic acid supplement for all of them, an A grade. ODS adds that about half of US pregnancies are unplanned.

Food folate still matters: CDC suggests adding folate-rich foods like leafy greens, beans or oranges to meals. FDA also authorizes a label health claim (21 CFR 101.79) that healthful diets with adequate folate may reduce a woman’s risk of having a child with a brain or spinal cord birth defect. CDC says anyone who had a past pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect should talk with a doctor before trying again. Amounts and forms are a question for your clinician; our prenatal vitamins guide covers the supplement side.

Who may run low, and why B12 status matters

ODS describes frank folate deficiency as rare in the US but lists these groups as more likely to have marginal status:

• People with alcohol use disorder: ODS notes that alcohol interferes with folate absorption and liver uptake, speeds its breakdown and increases its loss in urine.
• Women who could become pregnant: ODS notes that some get too little even with supplements; the RDA rises from 400 to 600 micrograms DFE in pregnancy.
• People with malabsorptive conditions: ODS names tropical sprue, celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease, plus low stomach acid from atrophic gastritis or stomach surgery.
• People with the MTHFR 677C>T variant, per ODS.

ODS explains that large amounts of folate can correct the anemia of B12 deficiency but not its nerve damage, and that concern has shifted to large amounts worsening the anemia and cognitive symptoms of low B12; our vitamin B12 guide covers who is at risk. ODS also lists medicines that interact with folate: methotrexate, some antiepileptic drugs (phenytoin, carbamazepine and valproate) and sulfasalazine. If you are prescribed one of them, talk with your prescriber before changing your folate intake.

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a health condition. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Last reviewed October 2026.

Related guides: Foods High in Nitrates: Vegetable Values and Meat Curing Rules, Methylfolate vs Folic Acid: Folate Forms, MTHFR and Safety, Leafy Greens: USDA List of Dark Greens, Spinach vs Kale and Tips, Lentils Benefits: USDA Nutrition per Cup, Protein and Types of Lentils.