Use the folate amount (micrograms DFE) to compare against the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for folate. For women of childbearing age, use the folic acid amount (micrograms) to meet the recommendation for 400 micrograms/day synthetic folic acid for prevention of birth defects.
Food |
Serving size |
Folic acid amount* (micrograms) |
Folate amount (micrograms DFE**) |
GRAIN FOODS† |
Bagel |
1 3-inch diameter |
30 |
70 |
Bread, roll, biscuit, ½ English muffin |
1 piece |
15 |
25-40 |
Breakfast cereal |
Usually 1 cup
(check label) |
100-400
(check label) |
170
(check label) |
Cookies |
1 ounce (about 2 medium size cookies) |
5-15 |
10-~25 |
Crackers, round, Ritz(TM) type |
5 crackers |
15 |
|
Crackers, saltine or melba |
½ ounce |
15 |
25 |
Flour tortilla, soft |
1 10-inch diameter |
80 |
140 |
Grits, cooked |
½ cup |
40 |
70 |
Macaroni, cooked |
1 cup |
80-90 |
140-160 |
Noodles, cooked |
1 cup |
90 |
160 |
Oatmeal, instant †† |
1 package |
70 |
125 |
Oatmeal, regular and quick, cooked †† , § |
½ cup |
0 |
5 |
Pretzels |
½ ounce (about 8 small thin twists) |
15 |
30 |
Spaghetti, cooked |
1 cup |
90 |
160 |
Toaster pastry |
1 pastry |
40 |
70 |
Wheat germ, toasted § |
2 Tablespoons |
0 |
50 |
White rice, cooked |
1 cup |
95 |
170 |
Food |
Serving size |
Folate amount (micrograms DFE*) |
FRUITS |
Apple (with skin) |
1 medium |
5 |
Banana |
1 medium |
20 |
Blueberries, fresh |
½ cup |
5 |
Cantaloupe |
¼ medium |
40 |
100% grapefruit juice, ready-to-drink |
1 cup |
25 |
Grapes |
1 cup |
40 |
Orange |
1 medium |
40 |
100% orange juice, ready-to-drink |
1 cup |
80 |
Peaches, canned, juice pack |
½ cup |
5 |
Raisins |
½ cup |
5 |
Strawberries, fresh |
8 medium |
80 |
VEGETABLES |
Asparagus, cooked |
5 spears |
100 |
Broccoli, cooked |
½ cup |
50 |
Brussels sprouts, cooked |
½ cup |
80 |
Carrots, cooked |
½ cup |
10 |
Cauliflower, cooked |
½ cup |
35 |
Corn on the cob |
1 large ear |
55 |
Corn, cooked |
½ cup |
20 |
French fries, prepared from frozen |
10 fries |
5 |
Green beans, cooked |
½ cup |
5 |
Green peas, cooked |
½ cup |
35 |
Lettuce, iceberg |
1 cup |
30 |
Lettuce, romaine |
1 cup |
40 |
Mashed potatoes |
½ cup |
10 |
Mustard greens, cooked |
½ cup |
90 |
Okra, cooked |
½ cup |
135 |
Potato, Idaho, baked (with skin) |
1 medium |
25 |
Spinach, cooked |
½ cup |
100 |
Spinach, raw |
1 cup |
110 |
Squash, yellow, cooked |
½ cup |
15 |
Tomato, raw |
½ tomato |
10 |
Tomato juice |
1 cup |
50 |
Turnip greens, cooked |
½ cup |
85 |
|
|
|
MEAT, POULTRY, FISH, DRY BEANS, EGGS & NUTS |
Beans, cooked (black, navy, pinto, kidney) |
½ cup |
115-145 |
Egg |
1 large |
25 |
Meat, fish, poultry (breaded or batter-fried with enriched flour) |
3 ounces (size of a deck of cards) |
25-50 |
Meat, fish, poultry (not breaded or batter-fried) |
3 ounces (size of a deck of cards) |
5-15 |
Peanut butter (REMEMBER... do NOT eat peanut butter if you have a peanut allergy!) |
2 tablespoons |
25 |
Peanuts, dry roasted (REMEMBER... do NOT eat peanuts if you have a peanut allergy!) |
1 ounce (about ¼ cup) |
40 |
|
|
|
DAIRY |
Cheese, American or hard cheeses (cheddar, etc.) |
1¼-inch cube |
5 |
Ice cream |
½ cup |
10 |
Milk |
1 cup |
10-15 |
|
