Top Folate Foods for Pregnancy (2024)

Folate (or folic acid, its synthetic form) is a member of the B vitamin family that offers many benefits before and during pregnancy. The top benefit? When taken in adequate amounts during pregnancy, it helps prevent neural tube defects (NTD), which are serious brain and spinal cord abnormalities, in the fetus.

"One of the best things you can do to ensure a healthy baby is to make sure you are eating a healthy diet, with plenty of folate-rich foods, before you get pregnant," says Bethany Thayer, MS, RD, director of wellness programs and strategies at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Studies show that if everyone who could get pregnant consumed the recommended amount of folic acid before and during early pregnancy, up to 80% of all NTDs could be prevented. The best way to guarantee you're getting enough folate is to take a multivitamin with at least 600 micrograms of folic acid and eat a diet full of folate-rich foods.

Read on for some of the top folate-rich foods to add to your diet before and during pregnancy.

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Fortified Cereals

Most fortified cereals supply a whopping 100 to 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid in each half-cup to one-and-a-half-cup serving.

To make sure you're getting the max, look for at least 35% of the daily value for folic acid on the nutrition label, says Thayer, as you're likely eating more than one cereal serving in a sitting (say that 10 times fast!).

Some ideas for how to incorporate fortified cereal into your routine:

Have a bowl in the morning with low-fat milk.
Sprinkle it on your yogurt.
Keep it in a snack-size plastic bag in your office drawer or glove compartment to munch on throughout the day.

To boost the nutrition of your cereal selection, look for at least 3 grams of fiber and fewer than 10 grams of sugar per serving, suggests Thayer.

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Cooked Lentils

These mighty members of the legume family contain 180 mcg of folate in each half-cup serving. They're also packed with protein and fiber and are low in fat, which makes them a super substitute for meat. Buy them dry in the grocery or health food store and put them in a strainer to rinse away any dirt, dust, or debris.

Boil them for 15 to 20 minutes and add spices (try turmeric or ginger) and serve over rice, or add them to soups or stews. If you don't have time to boil them, just pop open a can and rinse them before eating to remove as much as 40% of the sodium.

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Spinach

One cup of this raw, dark, leafy green contains about 58 mcg of folate. It's loaded with phytochemicals like beta-carotene and lutein, which protect against many forms of cancer.

Some ideas for incorporating spinach include:

Layer chopped frozen spinach in lasagna.
Saute it with some garlic and throw it on top of a baked potato.
Add it to an egg omelet.
Add baby spinach to a salad.

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Broccoli

This cruciferous vegetable is a veritable superfood. It has major antioxidant powers to help prevent certain cancers and soluble fiber to help with digestion.

Great Northern Beans

This type of white navy bean is full of fiber and protein and has no saturated fat. Research has found that legumes, including beans, may reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer.

Try beans in the following:

Stir-fries
Soups
Stews
Chili
Topped on salads

Beans are full of critical nutrients, including calcium and potassium, and a cup contains 181 mcg of folate. Going for convenience? Buy them canned (low-sodium is ideal). When you're ready to eat, rinse them under cold water and drain to wash away some of the sodium and help lessen the gas you may experience from eating them.

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Asparagus

These folate-rich spears are low in calories, contain no fat or cholesterol, and are an excellent source of potassium and fiber. One cup of boiled asparagus contains 84 mcg of folate.

Look for firm, fresh spears with closed, compact tips that are similar in diameter to cook evenly. The larger the diameter of the spears, the more tender the veggie. To prepare, trim the stem ends slightly and cook in boiling water for five to eight minutes. Or try them roasted in the oven with a little olive oil and salt.

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Enriched Pasta

People trying to conceive need plenty of energy, and pasta is a carbohydrate that supplies glucose, the fundamental fuel for your body.

Choose whole-wheat pasta, which digests more slowly and provides a steady stream of energy. It's also higher in fiber than the white type. One cup of cooked whole wheat spaghetti provides 32 mcg of folic acid.

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Cantaloupe

This deliciously sweet fruit is high in vitamins A and C and is a good source of folate. A cup of cubed cantaloupe provides 34 mcg of folate.

To find a ripe melon, tap it with the palm of your hand and listen for a hollow sound. Ensure there are no bruises or overly soft spots. The rind should be yellow or cream (if it's green, it's not ripe). Take a sniff: It should smell subtly sweet, but not too much so. A strong odor signals the fruit's too ripe.

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Eggs

Eggs are nutrient-dense, supplying a load of nutrition with a low calorie count. They're a great source of protein and contain almost every essential vitamin, including 22 mcg of folate.

Choose omega 3-enriched eggs; omega 3, especially docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), is critical for fetal brain development. Keep some hard boiled eggs in the fridge for a ready-to-go snack.