Required for DNA synthesis and cell division; of established importance before and during early pregnancy.
Every figure here is per 100 g of the food, not per serving. That makes foods comparable to each other, but it is not how anyone eats: 100 g of a dried spice and 100 g of a leafy green are very different portions, so a high position in this list does not tell you what a meal contributes.
Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.
% DV compares the per-100 g amount with the FDA Daily Value of 400 µg for adults and children aged 4 and over. It is a labelling reference, not a personal target.
24 entries with a measured folate value, highest first.
Gallus gallus domesticus
A small, soft organ meat with a milder flavour and finer texture than beef liver, which is why it dominates pâtés and parfaits.…
147% of the Daily Value per 100 g
Cicer arietinum
A pulse eaten whole, ground into gram flour, or blended into hummus, with the large kabuli and small desi types differing in seed…
139% of the Daily Value per 100 g
Lens culinaris
Flat pulses sold whole or split, and the only common legume that cooks from dry without soaking. The USDA reference entry is for…
120% of the Daily Value per 100 g
Phaseolus vulgaris
A common bean variety whose dark seed coat carries anthocyanin pigments, staple across Latin America and the Caribbean. The USDA…
111% of the Daily Value per 100 g
Phaseolus vulgaris
The large red-skinned variety of the common bean, and the one carrying the highest concentration of the toxic lectin…
99% of the Daily Value per 100 g
Glycine max
The legume behind tofu, soy milk, tempeh and miso, eaten either as mature dry beans or as edamame, the immature green pod…
94% of the Daily Value per 100 g
Bos taurus
The metabolic and storage organ of cattle, and consequently one of the most nutrient-concentrated foods in the human diet by a…
73% of the Daily Value per 100 g
Salvia officinalis
The grey-green leaf of Salvia officinalis, used fresh or dried and traditionally paired with fatty meats. The USDA entry is per…
69% of the Daily Value per 100 g
Arachis hypogaea
Botanically a legume that ripens underground, not a tree nut, though its fat content and culinary use put it with the nuts. The…
60% of the Daily Value per 100 g
Origanum vulgare
The dried leaf of Origanum vulgare, dominated by the phenols carvacrol and thymol. The USDA entry is per 100 g of dried leaf,…
59% of the Daily Value per 100 g
Helianthus annuus
The hulled kernels of the sunflower, one of the densest common food sources of vitamin E. The USDA reference entry is for the…
57% of the Daily Value per 100 g
Spinacia oleracea
A fast-growing leafy annual in the amaranth family, eaten raw as young leaves or cooked as mature ones. It wilts to a fraction of…
49% of the Daily Value per 100 g
Chenopodium quinoa
A pseudocereal seed from a plant related to spinach and beet, cooked and used as a grain. The USDA reference entry is for the…
46% of the Daily Value per 100 g
Petroselinum crispum
A biennial Apiaceae herb eaten fresh in quantity in dishes such as tabbouleh and used as a garnish elsewhere. It is unusually…
38% of the Daily Value per 100 g
Anethum graveolens
The feathery leaf of Anethum graveolens, used fresh with fish, cucumber and cultured dairy; the seed is a separate spice with a…
38% of the Daily Value per 100 g
Gallus gallus domesticus
The fat-soluble half of the egg, carrying essentially all of its fat, cholesterol, fat-soluble vitamins, choline and carotenoid…
37% of the Daily Value per 100 g
Mentha × piperita
A natural hybrid of watermint and spearmint, grown for its high menthol content and used fresh, dried or as an essential oil. The…
28% of the Daily Value per 100 g
Corylus avellana
The round nut of the hazel shrub, mostly grown in Turkey and Italy and largely destined for confectionery. The USDA reference…
28% of the Daily Value per 100 g
Cannabis sativa
The hulled seed of industrial hemp, a cannabis variety bred to contain negligible THC. The USDA reference entry is for the hulled…
28% of the Daily Value per 100 g
Beta vulgaris
The swollen taproot of a cultivated Beta vulgaris, deep red from betalain pigments. It is among the richest dietary sources of…
27% of the Daily Value per 100 g
Salvia rosmarinus
A woody Mediterranean shrub whose needle-like leaves are used fresh or dried. Rosemary extract is also used industrially as a…
27% of the Daily Value per 100 g
Capsicum annuum
Dried ground fruit of hot Capsicum annuum varieties. The USDA entry is per 100 g of the dried spice; a shake over a dish is well…
27% of the Daily Value per 100 g
Juglans regia
The wrinkled kernel of the walnut tree, unusual among common nuts for being dominated by polyunsaturated rather than…
25% of the Daily Value per 100 g
Sesamum indicum
Small oil-rich seeds used whole, toasted, or ground into tahini across the Middle East, Africa and East Asia. The USDA reference…
24% of the Daily Value per 100 g