What are the best Foods High in Folate?
Folate is an essential B-complex vitamin found in numerous foods. It plays a particularly significant role in supporting healthy cell growth, DNA synthesis and red blood cell production.
Folate is also believed to prevent certain cancers, such as mouth and throat cancer. Additionally, it helps protect against heart disease by decreasing homocysteine levels in your blood.
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Foods High in Folate: Spinach
Spinach is an incredibly nutritious vegetable that can be enjoyed raw in salads or cooked in soups and stews. Its sweet, nutty taste pairs well with both meat and dairy ingredients.
Folate is an essential vitamin and mineral found in spinach, helping to produce red blood cells and transport oxygen throughout your body. Furthermore, it aids energy production as well as DNA synthesis.
Folate is also believed to reduce the risk of heart disease. Furthermore, it helps your body combat cancer by encouraging cell death and blocking new cancer cell growth.
Spinach also contains iron, an essential mineral for red blood cell function and energy production. Adequate amounts of this mineral help prevent iron deficiency anemia – which may leave you feeling fatigued and dizzy.
The good news is that you can easily get enough folate by eating spinach and other leafy greens on a regular basis. A cup of raw spinach provides 58 mcg of folate; cook it, however, and you’ll get an impressive 263 mcg in one serving!
Vitamin K is essential for bone health and helps you keep a strong, flexible body. Furthermore, this nutrient can assist you with weight loss as well as lower your risk of heart disease and diabetes.
Additionally, this fruit contains high levels of potassium and magnesium that can help lower your blood pressure. It’s especially beneficial for those who struggle with maintaining their blood pressure due to either excessive sodium intake or a deficiency in potassium.
Foods High in Folate: Mustard Greens
Folate-rich foods are an ideal way to increase your folate intake. Examples include leafy greens, beans and shellfish. One serving of cooked spinach provides 263 micrograms of folate while a cup of cooked turnip greens has 170 micrograms. Meanwhile, broccoli provides 84.2 micrograms and half a cup of cooked Brussels sprouts offers 46.8 micrograms of this vital nutrient.
Mustard greens are an excellent source of folate as well as vitamin C and Vitamin A, essential nutrients that promote good health by fighting infections, viruses and toxins in the body. Furthermore, these powerful antioxidants protect cell damage caused by free radicals and other environmental stresses.
Another advantage to eating these vegetables is their potential to lower cholesterol levels. They contain bile acid-binding compounds which aid the liver’s conversion of dietary cholesterol into bile acids, thus decreasing bad cholesterol in the bloodstream – an important factor as high levels of bad cholesterol have been linked with heart disease risk factors.
Studies have confirmed the health benefits of eating Brassica vegetables, with one finding that people who consumed a high dose of bile acid-binding compounds found in these vegetables had lower rates of cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, these compounds help protect against other chronic illnesses like cancers.
Due to their high concentrations of lutein and zeaxanthin, mustard greens are beneficial for eye health. These dietary carotenoids support macular pigment formation – essential for good vision – while helping prevent age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, and retinal detachment. Furthermore, these greens contain copper which plays an essential role in cell growth and function. Furthermore, phytochemicals and glucosinolates present in mustard greens also possess hepato- and nephroprotective properties which could keep your liver healthy too.
Foods High in Folate: Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts, also known as mini cabbages in Brussels, Belgium, are members of the brassica family (along with broccoli, cauliflower, kale and kohlrabi). They were first widely cultivated during the 16th century.
Brussels sprouts are high in folate, an essential nutrient that helps prevent cancer and other serious illnesses. A half cup serving of cooked Brussels sprouts provides 47 mcg of folate – or 12% of the Daily Value (DV).
Another health advantage of this cruciferous vegetable is its high content of glucosinolates, which help the body detoxify itself. Studies have demonstrated that these phytochemicals combat oxidative stress which may lead to cancer by blocking blood vessel growth within tumors – thus decreasing the risk for colon, lung, breast and prostate cancers.
They provide a good source of vitamin K, which is necessary for healthy blood clotting and helps protect bones from osteoporosis and bone fractures.
Additionally, they provide a great source of vitamin C. This essential nutrient supports an active immune system and has powerful antioxidant properties that combat inflammation in the body and prevent cell damage. Not only that, but it also strengthens gums and teeth, promotes eye health, and keeps skin supple.
Foods High in Folate: Endive
One of the most popular foods high in folate is endive. This leafy vegetable offers numerous health benefits and can be used to create delicious recipes.
Fruit and vegetables are an excellent source of fiber and various vitamins and minerals that can improve your health. Eating this nutritiously dense food may reduce the risk of heart disease, regulate blood pressure and cholesterol, prevent cancer, and enhance mental clarity.
Endive can be found at most supermarkets and farm markets, but for optimal flavor and texture it should be purchased fresh. Check the leaves for bright green hues with no signs of wilting or browning.
Begin your health journey with a nutritious bowl of chopped endive and walnuts mixed with blue cheese, olive oil and honey for an impressive salad. Or create a tasty dip by mixing avocado, lime juice, salt, pepper, jalapeno peppers and cilantro – it’s that quick!
The peppery endive is ideal for flavoring dishes with other vegetables. It pairs perfectly with bitter vegetables like radicchio or radish for an intriguing side dish.
Endive is not only a great food for folate-deficient individuals, but it’s also an ideal choice for women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant. It contains essential vitamins A and K as well as choline, iron, potassium and calcium – all vital nutrients for growing babies.
Another advantage of eating endive is its anti-cancer properties. Kaempferol, an active flavonoid, suppresses inflammation and induces cell death in tumors without harming healthy cells. Furthermore, endive provides a good source of calcium that may aid with bone strength as well as improved liver function.
Foods High in Folate: Green Peas
Though you may not have heard much about green peas, they are an incredibly nutritious vegetable high in folate that should be part of everyone’s diet. Not only that, but this veggie also supplies you with B vitamin folate which helps prevent neural tube defects in children and reduces heart disease risk for adults.
Green peas are an excellent option for those with folic acid deficiencies. A cup of cooked green peas contains 134 mcg of folate, nearly half the recommended daily allowance (RDA).
Peas are an easy food to incorporate into your diet, whether in salads, soups and stews for flavor and nutrition. Plus, peas have low calories but high fiber and protein content – perfect for those on a low calorie diet!
Green peas, with their high fiber content, can help regulate blood sugar levels and promote regularity. Green peas absorb water during digestion which slows down absorption of glucose by the body so there aren’t any sudden spikes in your glucose levels, while giving your pancreas time to release insulin at the appropriate time.
These nutritious peas are an excellent source of calcium, essential for strong bones. Furthermore, they contain vitamin K which helps to retain calcium within bones and slow its absorption by the body.
However, green peas do contain phytates and lectins which may cause gastrointestinal issues in some individuals. As these anti-nutrients inhibit absorption of certain vitamins and minerals, it’s best to limit your consumption if you’re worried about these effects. Soaking or sprouting your peas before eating them may also be helpful in alleviating these worries.