Oats are a great source of vitamin B6 and folic acid. Vitamin B6 helps the body to use and store energy from food, which is why oats are perfect morning fuel. They also contain folic acid which helps the function of your immune system.
According to this study, one egg (60 g) may provide 40–86 µg of folates, which corresponds to 10–22% of the recommended daily intake for adults, 400 µg according to the Nutrition Standards for the Polish Population.
Many fruits contain folic acid, but citrus fruits rank highest — oranges are especially high in the vitamin. Other folate-rich fruits include grapefruit, papayas, grapes, bananas, strawberries, raspberries and cantaloupe.
Dairy products, especially fermented milk such as yogurt, are moderate folate sources.
Is there any food or drink I need to avoid? You can eat and drink normally while taking folic acid.
Blueberries provide traditional nutrients-carbohydrates, fiber, vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, folic acid, iron and potassium.
Weetabix is high in fibre, and is fortified, like most cereals, with extra minerals such as calcium and iron. They also contain folic acid, which is key for healthy cell and tissue development.
Avocados
Just one more reason to love avocados is their significant amount of folate per cup - around 90 mcg.
Like many other vegetables, broccoli is high in many essential vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C, vitamin K, and vitamin A. A 1-cup serving of raw broccoli has 57mcg of folate. The folate content is even higher when you cook broccoli, with a half-cup serving providing 84mcg.
Carrots
Just one cup of raw carrots will give you almost 5% of your daily recommended needs for folic acid. Eat baby carrots as a snack or add them to your salads for a folate boost!
Folic acid is the synthetic B vitamin form that is used in vitamin supplements and added to fortified foods. Folate is the B vitamin form found naturally in foods. Many cereals, bread products, pastas and rice are enriched with folic acid.
For instance, 250 g (fresh weight) of strawberries ( approximately 125 microg of folate) supplies approximately 50% of the recommended daily folate intake in various European countries (200-300 microg/day) or 30% of the U.S. recommendation (400 microg/day).
Source of Folate:
Baked beans contain folate a vitamin essential to release the energy in our food. One cup of Baked Beans provides more than 25% of the daily requirement (RDI 400 micrograms/day adults and teenagers).
In fact, eggs are not only rich in naturally-occurring folate derivatives, but they also contain vitamin A, iron, vitamin B12, riboflavin, choline, as well as zinc and calcium (Drewnowski, 2010). One egg (60 g) can provide between 40–86 µg of folate, which corresponds to 10–22% of the DRI for adults.
Raw Hazelnuts / Filberts (No Shell)
While many nuts contain vitamin B9, hazelnuts have some of the highest amounts of this essential vitamin.
A number of drugs such as aminopterin, methotrexate (amethopterin), pyrimethamine, trimethoprim and triamterene act as folate antagonists and produce folate deficiency by inhibiting this enzyme.
In particular, folic acid can act as an antioxidant within the body, preventing oxidative stress while promoting brain function. In relation to sleep, folic acid is needed for the synthesis of serotonin, which as I've already mentioned, is needed for a good sleep/wake cycle.
Folate deficiency caused by a lack of dietary folate is more common in people who have a generally unbalanced and unhealthy diet, people who regularly misuse alcohol, and people following a restrictive diet that does not involve eating good sources of folate.
While it is recommended that women who are pregnant take a folic acid supplement, tomatoes are a great source of naturally-occurring folate.
Serving your kids folate-fortified foods is a good way to make sure they are getting enough folate in their diet: Malt-o-Meal cereal. Fortified Breakfast Cereal (Total, Product 19, Special K, Cheerios, Rice Krispies, Raisin Bran, Wheaties, Honey Nut Cheerios, etc.) Fortified soy milk.