Patient Resources

Folic acid in food

Foods rich in folic acid:

  • Livers: chicken liver (560 µg), lamb liver (240 µg), foie gras (566 µg)
  • Dairy products: Brie (150 µg), Camembert (96 µg).
  • Vegetables: raw (192 µg) and boiled (140 µg) spinach, Brussels sprouts (132 µg), chives and asparagus (130 µg), endive (115 µg), boiled broccoli (73 µg), cabbage (78 µg), boiled leek (55 µg), radish (50 µg).
  • Nuts: sunflower seeds (227 µg), groundnuts (168 µg), walnuts (155 µg), hazelnuts (113 µg).
  • Fruits: Melon canteloupe (73 µg), Avocado (54 µg), Mango (51 µg), Papaya (45 µg), Orange (39 µg).
  • Pulses: Boiled chickpea (100 µg), Boiled white bean (76 µg), Boiled soybean (54 µg).
  • Cereals: Corn flakes for breakfast, mixed with chocolate (353 µg), Wheat germ (350 µg)
  • Eggs: chicken egg yolk (140 µg), egg (30-60 µg).
  • Seafood and derivatives: mussels (37 µg), caviar (30 µg).

(Values over 100gr of food)

How his deficit manifests itself:

In the blood test: low folic acid, larger erythrocytes.
On a physical level: Anemic symptoms, others.

Other considerations:

Involved in the synthesis of nucleic acids and proteins, necessary for the production of red blood cells, DNA and tissue growth, increases appetite and stimulates the formation of digestive acids. Its deficit can produce defects in the neural tube of the fetus and megaloblastic anemia associated with neuropsychiatric syndrome.

People who follow very strict diets, coeliacs, people on dialysis, chronic alcoholics, people who habitually take certain drugs (barbiturates, anticonvulsants, oral contraceptives), people with hyperthyroidism, haemolysis or any type of cancer have a greater risk of deficit.

Folate requirements are increased to 400 µg/day in the case of the pregnant woman.