From promoting fetal growth and reducing the risk of birth defects to maintaining energy levels and boosting muscle strength and concentration, folic acid can do a lot. Also often known as vitamin B9, this water-soluble vitamin is crucial- not just for pregnant women but for other adults too. The body needs at least 400 micrograms of the vitamin on a daily basis, and that can be achieved by adding folate-rich foods to your diet.
Read on to discover the five (5) best folate-rich foods you need to add to your diet.
Bananas
Bananas are known to be the nutritional powerhouse of the fruit world, and while they may be widely known for their potassium content, they also pack in a lot of folate. A single medium banana can give you around 24 micrograms of the vitamin, and when you pair a couple of bananas with other folate-rich foods, you’ll be able to meet your day’s requirement easily!
Broccoli
Broccoli is often considered a superfood, and quite frankly, it does live up to the name. Just half a cup of cooked broccoli can give you 52 micrograms of folate, along with a big boost of antioxidants and vitamins A, C, and K.
When cooking it, however, make sure you steam it instead of boiling it, since folate is a water-soluble vitamin, and may leach into the water when you boil the veggie!
Related: Make these Lifestyle Changes to Prepare for Pregnancy
Avocado
Avocados are super popular thanks to their creamy texture and healthy fat content, but wait- there’s more! Just half of a raw avocado can lend you more than 21% of your daily requirement of folate, making it one of the smartest food choices.
Slice it up and add it to your salads or start your day with topping it onto your toast.
Legumes
Most legumes, particularly black-eyed peas, contain almost 95% of your body’s daily requirement of folate in just a cup worth of serving which is great. What’s even better is the fact that legumes also pack in a lot of protein and other nutrients (antioxidants, fiber, magnesium, potassium, and iron), which makes them some of the healthiest foods on the planet.
Plus, making them a part of your meals is super easy, since they’re so versatile.
Spinach
Leafy greens like spinach, arugula, and kale are chock full of nutrients that are great for your body, and at the same time, are super low in terms of calorie content. Just a cup of raw spinach has been found to offer you more than 15% of your daily recommended intake of folate. In addition, the consumption of leafy greens and cruciferous veggies has been found to reduce inflammation in the body and reduce the risk of chronic health conditions.
Related: What I did to Ensure I had a Successful IVF Cycle
Try to find ways to sneak in more of these veggies into your meals on a daily basis.
What are some ways you ensure you’re adding folate-rich foods to your diet?
