Food sources of folate (folate-rich foods)
About 91% of foods contained folate (also known as folacin, folic acid, and vitamin B9). On the basis of the proposed method, the average (%) of foods containing appropriate folate levels in food groups was 22.62%, of which 11.23% was the average of folate source (good source of folate) foods, and 11.39% was the average of high folate (excellent source of folate) foods. Breakfast cereals with 78.54%, meals, entrees, and side dishes with 73.08%, fast foods with 70.44%, legumes and legume products with 60.34%, baby foods with 47.93%, baked products with 44.08%, and cereal grains and pasta with 35.26% had the highest averages of foods containing appropriate folate levels. Breakfast cereals with 75.86%, legumes and legume products with 42.19%, meals, entrees, and side dishes with 32.69%, cereal grains and pasta with 31.21%, fast foods with 23.9%, and vegetables and vegetable products with 11.92% had the highest averages of high folate foods. Most foods containing appropriate folate levels in 10 food groups (American Indian/Alaska Native foods; baby foods; baked products; beverages; breakfast cereals; cereal grains and pasta; fast foods; meals, entrees, and side dishes; restaurant foods; snacks) were allocated to folate-fortified foods. Foods containing appropriate folate levels were not found in three food groups (fats and oils; spices and herbs; sweets) and were few in nine food groups (beef products; pork products; sausages and luncheon meats; lamb, veal, and game products; dairy and egg products; poultry products; finfish and shellfish products; soups, sauces, and gravies; beverages). The highest amounts of folate were found in breakfast cereal (folate-fortified), energy drink (folate-fortified), duck liver, goose liver, turkey liver, chicken liver, formulated bar (folate-fortified), chicken giblets, edamame, turkey giblets, lamb liver, beef liver, veal liver, arrowroot, cowpeas, cranberry beans, macaroni (folate-fortified), spaghetti (folate-fortified), protein shake (folate-fortified), lentils, pork liver, yardlong beans, moth beans, pinto beans, whey protein powder isolate (folate-fortified), mung beans, pink beans, adzuki beans, granola bar (folate-fortified), pasta (folate-fortified), chickpeas, white rice (folate-fortified), lima beans, nutrition shake (folate-fortified), black beans, asparagus, rice and vermicelli mix (folate-fortified), noodles (folate-fortified), spinach, breakfast cereal made with wheat germ, navy beans, instant breakfast drink (folate-fortified), white beans, chicken liver pate, macaroni and cheese (folate-fortified), peanut butter (folate-fortified), kidney beans, great northern beans, turnip greens, pigeon peas, bread stuffing (folate-fortified), black turtle beans, artichokes, conch, bread (folate-fortified), garland chrysanthemum, chrysanthemum leaves, fava beans, immature seeds of pigeon pea, green soybeans, immature seeds of cowpea, chocolate drink (folate-fortified), bagels (folate-fortified), French beans, rolls (folate-fortified), yellow beans, potherb jute, mustard spinach, rice mix (folate-fortified), pancakes (folate-fortified), soybeans, yogurt parfait with granola (folate-fortified), soy-based protein powder, fava beans in pod, bean burrito (folate-fortified), French toast sticks (folate-fortified), lupin beans, hush puppies (folate-fortified), endive, cornmeal (folate-fortified), kale, pasta in tomato sauce (folate-fortified), vine spinach, romaine or cos lettuce, leafy tips of bitter gourd, pizza (folate-fortified), ravioli (folate-fortified), tortilla (folate-fortified), collards, papad, beef kidney, taro leaves, soy burgers, muffins (folate-fortified), dumpling (folate-fortified), corn flour (folate-fortified), English muffin (folate-fortified), split-peas, fireweed leaves, lasagna (folate-fortified), chicory greens, wheat flour (folate-fortified), toaster pastries (folate-fortified), Spanish rice (folate-fortified), boysenberries, bakery flour mix (folate-fortified), leafy tips of cowpea, black bean soup, egg rolls (folate-fortified), spinach soufflé, turnover (folate-fortified), quinoa, arugula, and immature seeds of fava bean.
Suggested citation: Forouzesh, Abed; Forouzesh, Fatemeh; Samadi Foroushani, Sadegh; Forouzesh, Abolfazl. A new method for calculating folate content and determining appropriate folate levels in foods. SSRN 2022. DOI: 10.2139/ssrn.4133391
