How can you get B9? Sources, Benefits, and Your Comprehensive Guide to Folate

October 24, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a sufficient intake of B9 is crucial for preventing neural tube defects during pregnancy. For everyone, it is vital for healthy cell growth and function. Discovering how can you get B9 through a balanced diet and other means is a cornerstone of proactive health management.

Quick Summary

This guide details the difference between naturally occurring folate and synthetic folic acid, explores excellent dietary sources including fortified foods, and outlines supplementation strategies for ensuring adequate intake to support overall health.

Key Points

Differentiate Folate and Folic Acid: Folate is the naturally occurring form of B9, while folic acid is the synthetic, more bioavailable form found in supplements and fortified foods.
Eat Legumes and Leafy Greens: Beans, lentils, spinach, and asparagus are some of the richest natural sources of B9.
Choose Fortified Grains: Many common foods like bread, pasta, and cereals are enriched with folic acid to help prevent deficiencies.
Consider Supplements for Certain Needs: Women of childbearing age and individuals with malabsorption issues should consider supplementation to ensure adequate intake.
Cook with Care: To preserve folate in vegetables, opt for steaming or microwaving instead of boiling, as heat can degrade the vitamin.
Support Pregnancy and Heart Health: Sufficient B9 intake is critical for preventing birth defects and for managing homocysteine levels for heart health.

Understanding the Difference: Folate vs. Folic Acid

Before exploring sources, it's important to clarify the distinction between folate and folic acid. Folate is the naturally occurring form of vitamin B9 found in various foods. It is water-soluble, meaning it dissolves in water and is not stored in the body long-term, requiring regular intake. Folic acid, on the other hand, is the synthetic (man-made) version of vitamin B9. It is used in fortified foods and supplements because it is more stable and better absorbed by the body than natural folate. For most people, a combination of both forms from diet is the most effective strategy for meeting daily needs.

Why is B9 so important?

Vitamin B9 plays a critical role in several bodily functions:

Cell Division and Growth: It is essential for the formation of DNA and RNA, which are the building blocks of cells.
Red Blood Cell Formation: Proper B9 intake is necessary to produce healthy red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body. A deficiency can lead to megaloblastic anemia.
Pregnancy and Fetal Development: Adequate B9, particularly folic acid, is crucial in the early stages of pregnancy to prevent major birth defects of the baby's brain and spine.
Heart Health: It helps break down homocysteine, an amino acid associated with an increased risk of heart and blood vessel diseases when present in high levels.

Excellent Natural Food Sources of Folate

Many natural food sources offer rich quantities of folate. To maximize absorption, it is best to eat vegetables raw or lightly steamed, as excessive heat can degrade the vitamin. Some of the best sources include:

Legumes: Lentils, chickpeas, black beans, and black-eyed peas are among the highest sources of folate. A single cup of cooked lentils provides a significant portion of the recommended daily intake.
Dark Green Leafy Vegetables: Spinach, romaine lettuce, asparagus, and broccoli are all packed with folate. A half-cup of cooked asparagus provides about 34% of the daily value.
Fruits: Citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruit, and papayas are good sources, as are bananas and avocados. A medium orange contains 55 mcg of folate.
Animal Products: Beef liver is one of the most concentrated sources of folate available. Eggs also provide a good amount.
Nuts and Seeds: Peanuts, sunflower seeds, and almonds are good choices for boosting your folate intake.

Fortified Foods and Supplements

In many countries, mandatory food fortification programs ensure a widespread intake of folic acid, reducing deficiency risk. This is particularly important for preventing neural tube defects in infants.

Fortified Grains: Look for the word “enriched” on the packaging of breads, cereals, pasta, and rice, which indicates the addition of folic acid. Some breakfast cereals are fortified with 100% of the daily value per serving.
Supplements: Folic acid is available as a standalone supplement or in multivitamins, including prenatal vitamins. Supplements are recommended for women of childbearing age, as well as individuals with malabsorption issues or dietary restrictions. The recommended daily intake for adults is 400 micrograms (mcg) DFE (Dietary Folate Equivalents). Supplemental folic acid is nearly 100% bioavailable when taken on an empty stomach.

Comparison of Folate-Rich Foods


Food Source	Serving Size	Approximate Folate (mcg)	Percent Daily Value (DV)*
Lentils, boiled	1 cup	358	90%
Spinach, boiled	1/2 cup	131	33%
Black-eyed peas, boiled	1/2 cup	105	26%
Asparagus, boiled	4 spears	89	22%
Beef liver, braised	3 ounces	215	54%
Avocado, raw, sliced	1/2 cup	59	15%
Orange, fresh	1 small	29	7%
Fortified breakfast cereal	1/2 cup	100	25%

*Based on a 400 mcg Daily Value for adults.

Cooking Methods and Absorption

Folate is highly sensitive to heat and water, which means cooking methods significantly affect its retention in food. Boiling vegetables, for example, can cause a substantial loss of folate as it leaches into the water. To preserve as much folate as possible, consider these techniques:

Steaming or Microwaving: These methods use minimal water and shorter cooking times, helping to retain the vitamin.
Using Cooking Water: If you do boil vegetables, use the cooking water to make soups or sauces to benefit from the folate that has leached out.
Incorporating Raw Foods: Including raw, folate-rich foods like romaine lettuce, avocados, and fresh fruit in your diet is a surefire way to get the most nutritional value.

Conclusion

Getting an adequate amount of vitamin B9, whether as natural folate or synthetic folic acid, is essential for numerous physiological processes, from red blood cell production to DNA synthesis. Fortunately, a wide variety of delicious foods are rich in this vital nutrient, including leafy greens, legumes, and fortified grains. For those with specific needs, such as during pregnancy, folic acid supplements provide a reliable and bioavailable source. By focusing on a balanced diet with a mix of fresh produce and fortified products, and consulting a healthcare provider about supplementation when necessary, you can ensure you are meeting your body's B9 requirements for optimal health.

For more detailed information, consult the National Institutes of Health fact sheet on folate: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Folate-HealthProfessional/.

Frequently Asked Questions

Folate is the naturally occurring form of vitamin B9 found in food, while folic acid is the synthetic, man-made form added to fortified foods and supplements. Folic acid is generally more easily absorbed by the body.

Some of the best natural food sources of folate include legumes (like lentils and black-eyed peas), dark green leafy vegetables (such as spinach and asparagus), citrus fruits, avocados, and animal products like beef liver.

Pregnant women are advised to take folic acid supplements because it is crucial for preventing major birth defects of the baby's brain and spine, known as neural tube defects, especially in the early stages of pregnancy.

Yes, folate is water-soluble and can be sensitive to heat. Cooking methods like boiling can cause a significant amount of folate to be lost. Steaming or eating vegetables raw can help preserve their folate content.

Symptoms of a B9 deficiency can be subtle but include fatigue, weakness, pale skin, shortness of breath, a sore or swollen tongue, and mood changes. A severe deficiency can lead to a type of anemia.

It is unlikely to consume excessive folate from natural food sources. However, consuming high doses of supplemental folic acid can potentially mask a vitamin B12 deficiency, so it is important not to exceed the recommended daily upper limit of 1,000 mcg from supplements unless advised by a doctor.

Yes, fortified foods are a reliable source of folic acid, which is highly bioavailable. Many countries have mandatory fortification programs that add folic acid to staple grains like flour, bread, and cereals to help prevent deficiencies in the general population.