Folate is the natural form of vitamin B9, the leafy-green vitamin that takes its very name from “foliage”. It is abundant in spinach, lentils, asparagus, broccoli and citrus fruit, and is the nutrient famously needed before and during early pregnancy to help a baby’s neural tube close properly. Beyond pregnancy, folate is busy in every dividing cell, building DNA and renewing blood. The water-soluble form is fragile, so prolonged boiling leaches much of it away; light steaming or eating greens raw preserves far more.
What is Folate?
Folate is a water-soluble B vitamin that plays a critical role in synthesising and repairing DNA, forming red blood cells and supporting healthy growth in pregnancy. While many general diets overlook it, maintaining optimal levels of Folate is frequently tracked by people working to optimize their Homocysteine.
Top Foods High in Folate
A data-driven breakdown of the foods with the highest concentration of Folate per 100 g.
| Food | Folate | % DV |
|---|---|---|
| Chickpeas | 557 ug | 139.3% |
| Pinto Beans | 525 ug | 131.3% |
| Lentils | 479 ug | 119.8% |
| Black Beans | 444 ug | 111% |
| Kidney Beans | 394 µg | 98.5% |
| Rosemary | 307 ug | 76.8% |
| Thyme | 274 ug | 68.5% |
| Oregano | 237 ug | 59.3% |
| Sunflower Seeds | 227 ug | 56.8% |
| Spinach | 194 µg | 48.5% |
| Edamame | 185.3 µg | 46.3% |
| Asparagus | 182.5 µg | 45.6% |
| Parsley | 152 ug | 38% |
| Beetroot | 109 µg | 27.3% |
| Mint | 105 ug | 26.3% |
| Peanut Butter | 97.29 µg | 24.3% |
| Sesame Seeds | 97 µg | 24.3% |
| Cauliflower | 97 µg | 24.3% |
| Brussels Sprouts | 86 µg | 21.5% |
| Avocado | 81 µg | 20.3% |
How Folate Impacts Homocysteine
Research links diets rich in Folate to changes in Homocysteine. Diets naturally abundant in this compound often support lower Homocysteine markers by supplying the methyl groups that, together with vitamin B12, convert homocysteine back into methionine and keep this remethylation cycle turning.
Written by the Nutrition Encyclopedia team · medically reviewed by Dr. Sunaina Tariq, MBBS
Last updated 22 June 2026
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