Food Chart

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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.

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FruitsGrainsVegetablesDairyProteins

Food Serving Size Folic Acid Amount*
(micrograms)		 Folate Amount
(micrograms DFE**)
* Synthetic folic acid content.
** DFE = dietary folate equivalents. Micrograms DFEs = food folate content + (folic acid content x 1.7). The DFE takes into account that synthetic folic acid is better absorbed than foods with the natural form of the vitamin.
GRAIN FOODS†
Bagel 1, 3-inch diameter 30 70
Bread, roll, biscuit, ½ English muffin 1 piece 15 25-40
Breakfast cereal 1 cup
(check label)		 100-400
(check label)		 170
(check label)
Cookies 1 ounce, 2 medium size cookies 5-15 10-25
Crackers, round 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, 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
Source: Bailey and Suitor, Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 2000 except
††USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 17. Accessed February 8, 2005.
† All foods are enriched or made with enriched flour unless otherwise noted.
§ Not enriched.
Food Serving Size Folate Amount
(micrograms DFE*)
* DFE = dietary folate equivalents. Fruits, vegetables, dairy foods, meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs and nuts do not contain synthetic folic acid.
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 5
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 (do NOT eat if you have a peanut allergy) 2 tablespoons 25
Peanuts, dry roasted (do NOT eat if you have a peanut allergy) 1 ounce, 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

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