4 Superfoods That Are High In Folic Acid
Need more folic acid in your diet? Try adding some of these healthy superfoods…
If you have been told that you need to increase folic acid in your diet, you may have already researched how to do so. One great way to get more folic acid is to eat more “superfoods.” Superfoods get their name from the wide variety of essential vitamins and minerals they contain. These 4 super-healthy foods contain not just folic acid, but a wide range of other nutrients that can boost your health in a variety of ways.
1.) Broccoli
If it seems like broccoli turns up on just about every list of superfoods you’ve ever seen, it’s for good reason. Broccoli contains dozens of minerals and vitamins that are essential for good health – including folic acid. Besides these benefits, broccoli is also easy to find just about anywhere, and easy to prepare in numerous tasty ways. For best health benefits, you should eat broccoli regularly, and make sure it is fresh and organically grown. Organic broccoli usually isn’t terribly expensive, and if you’d rather grow it yourself, that’s even better, as you will be getting the maximum nutritional value when eating broccoli that is fresh from the garden! But if you don’t have a green thumb, no worries – organic broccoli is easy to find in both fresh and frozen forms at your local grocery store.
2.) Peanuts
Peanuts are great for snacking, but you may not realize that they are also a great source of folic acid. They can be eaten directly or put into a trail mix with other nuts, seeds, and dried fruit – which can all have health benefits. If you do not like trail mix or plain peanuts, you can opt to have peanuts in butter form. Making your own peanut butter is the healthiest option, and it’s very easy. All you need is a tablespoon of olive oil and some roasted peanuts. Blend them in a blender or food processor to make your peanut butter. You can add salt as needed to taste, and avoid the high sodium and sugar content found in many commercially produced peanut butters. Use it alongside fruits or as a spread on bread or whole-grain crackers to increase your folic acid intake.
3.) Avocados
As we mentioned last month, avocado is a superfood that can be used in so many ways. If you don’t care for avocado in chunks or slices, you can go with some other options. One is to put it in a blender and make a spread that can be used in place of mayonnaise. Add a dash of vinegar and a pinch of salt and mustard for a tasty kick. If this does not appeal to you, you can also use avocados as a topper for salads and sandwiches, or even mix it in with potatoes when making potato salad.
4.) Bananas
Bananas are also a great way to get more folic acid. They are also affordable, easy to find, and can be eaten as a snack when you’re on the go. If you can’t eat or don’t like any of the other options on this list, you will want to eat 2-3 bananas per day to get the recommended amount of folic acid.
Otherwise, eating a combination of all of these “super foods” foods on a regular basis can help you get a healthy amount of folic acid in your diet.
