A Recipe for Wellness: Folate-Rich Fruits & Vegetables

A Recipe for Wellness: Folate-Rich Fruits & Vegetables

What Is Folate?
Folate is one of several B vitamins found in foods. It is vital for making new, healthy body cells. Folate-rich foods include strawberries and citrus fruits and juices; leafy green vegetables such as spinach and romaine lettuce; whole-grain breads, rolls, and crackers; and pinto, navy, and kidney beans. Folic acid, a man-made form of folate, is found in fortified grain foods like bread, rolls, flour, cornmeal, rice, pasta, and ready-to-eat breakfast cereals.

Folate for Health
Studies have shown that folate is critical to maintaining good health. A form of anemia can result from not getting enough folate. Lack of folate affects the development of new red blood cells so they cannot carry as much oxygen.

If you are a woman between the ages of 14 and 50 and it's even slightly possible that you'll get pregnant, make sure you include plenty of folic acid in your eating plan. Here's why: getting enough folic acid before you become pregnant and in the first few weeks of pregnancy may reduce your baby's risk of devastating birth defects of the brain and spinal cord known as neural-tube defects. Each year about 2,500 babies in the United States are born with neural-tube defects. The great news is that studies estimate that up to 70% of these serious birth defects may be prevented by eating enough folate-containing foods, as well as folic acid-fortified foods.

Easing Folate into Your Eating Plan
It's easy: do it the delicious way by eating folate-rich foods (check out the list below). Also, since January 1998, enriched bread, cereal, pasta, flour, crackers, and rice have been fortified with folic acid.

Check your menu: you probably already eat some foods that have folate because many fruits and vegetables are an excellent source of this powerful vitamin. Start by adding just one more serving of a fruit or vegetable each day. Before you know it you'll be eating "5 a Day" for folate and you'll be on your way! We all know how great fruits and vegetables taste. They are good for us, too, since they provide vitamins like A and C, as well as fiber. Here are some additional ways you can power-pack your eating plan for folate:

  • Top your favorite cereal with slices of ripe strawberries.
  • Toss some fresh spinach into salads. Try the prewashed spinach for even more convenience. Top with low-fat salad dressing.
  • Stir-fry fresh asparagus, cauliflower, or broccoli with garlic and a splash of sesame oil for a flavorful side dish.
  • Make a colorful fruit salad by tossing together fresh berries, watermelon cubes, pineapple wedges, and orange sections.

Good sources of folate


Source		 Daily
Value*
Chickpeas 1/2 cup 35%
Spinach, cooked, 1/2 cup 33%
Kidney beans, 1/2 cup 29%
Orange juice, 1 cup 27%
Strawberries, 8 medium 20%
Green peas, 1/2 cup 12%
Orange, medium 12%
Broccoli, cooked, 1/2 cup 10%
Romaine lettuce, 1/2 cup
 10%
*Based on a Daily Value of 400 micrograms.

Strawberry Fruit Salad
with Three Dressings

8 cups lightly packed
spinach leaves
1 pint basket strawberries,
stemmed and halved
4 cups assorted melon chunks		 11/2 cups orange and grapefruit
segments
Orange-mint, strawberry-ginger, or
balsamic-pepper dressing

Line platter or 4 individual plates with spinach. Top with fruits, dividing equally. Serve with your choice of dressing on the side.

Makes 4 servings.



Orange-Mint Dressing: In bowl, whisk 1 8-ounce container plain nonfat yogurt, 3 tablespoons thawed orange juice concentrate, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Mix in 3 tablespoons chopped mint. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate up to 2 days.

Makes about 1 cup.



Strawberry-Ginger Dressing: In blender or food processor, purée 11/2 cups strawberries; transfer to bowl. Mix in 11/2 to 2 tablespoons honey, 11/2 tablespoons lime juice, 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger, and a pinch of salt. Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate up to 2 days.

Makes about 1 cup.



Balsamic-Pepper Dressing: In bowl, whisk 1 8-ounce container nonfat strawberry yogurt, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon honey, and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate up to 2 days.

Makes about 1 cup.

For more information
 The American Dietetic Association/National Center for Nutrition and Dietetics.
ADA's Consumer Nutrition Information Line (800/366-1655) provides recorded messages with timely, practical nutrition information as well as referrals to registered dietitians. Messages are available 24 hours daily with new topics each month.

 California Strawberry Commission
For further information and delicious recipes, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to: Strawberries, 1050 Battery, San Francisco, CA 94111 or visit our Web site at www.calstrawberry.com.

© ADAF 1998. This fact sheet is supported by a grant from the California Strawberry Commission. Acceptance of this grant does not constitute an endorsement by ADA of any company's products or services.