How to get 5mg of folic acid from food? (It's Not Possible)

November 28, 2025 •

3 min read

The recommended daily intake of folic acid for most adults is just 400 micrograms (0.4mg), making it virtually impossible to obtain the therapeutic amount often discussed, which is significantly higher, from diet alone. This article clarifies why certain higher amounts are beyond the reach of natural food sources and explains the critical role of medical guidance.

Quick Summary

Obtaining a significant amount of folic acid, particularly therapeutic quantities, cannot be achieved through diet alone; this level is typically medically prescribed and requires supplements, not just food intake.

Key Points

Impossible to Get High Amounts from Food: It is not possible to obtain very high doses of folic acid from dietary sources alone, as the amount in food is significantly lower.
Folate vs. Folic Acid: Folate is natural vitamin B9 from food, while folic acid is the synthetic, more easily absorbed version found in supplements and fortified foods.
High Dose Is Medical: Higher dosages, like the 5mg often discussed, are therapeutic measures prescribed by a doctor for specific conditions like anaemia or high-risk pregnancy, not a standard dietary goal.
Cooking Reduces Folate: Water-soluble folate is sensitive to heat; steaming or microwaving vegetables retains more nutrients than boiling them.
Supplementation is Necessary: For individuals requiring a higher dose, supplementation under medical supervision is the only safe and effective route.
Health Risks of Excessive Intake: Taking very high doses of folic acid without medical guidance can mask a vitamin B12 deficiency, potentially leading to nerve damage.

Understanding the Difference: Folate vs. Folic Acid

Before addressing the topic of high dosages, it's crucial to distinguish between folate and folic acid. Folate is the naturally occurring form of vitamin B9, found in a wide variety of foods, particularly green vegetables and legumes. Folic acid, by contrast, is the synthetic version used in dietary supplements and fortified foods, such as cereals, breads, and pasta. Your body absorbs synthetic folic acid more readily than natural folate. However, the amount of naturally occurring folate in food is significantly lower than the high levels found in some supplements.

Why You Can't Get High Amounts of Folic Acid from Food

Reaching a high daily intake, such as that sometimes medically recommended, from food is not a practical or safe approach. To put the required volume into perspective, a single cooked cup of edamame contains 482 micrograms (0.482mg) of folate. To reach significantly higher amounts, the volume of food needed would be enormous. For leafy greens, the numbers are even more staggering. According to Health New Zealand, a person would have to eat 500g of raw spinach or 900g of boiled spinach daily to get just the amount needed for neural tube defect prevention, which is far below higher, medically relevant amounts. The sheer volume of food required makes this strategy unviable and potentially dangerous due to overconsumption of other nutrients.

The Role of High-Dose Folic Acid

Higher doses of folic acid, such as those sometimes discussed as 5mg, are typically reserved for specific medical scenarios, not for general dietary needs. Common reasons for a higher-than-average intake include:

Treating Anaemia: For individuals with folate deficiency anaemia, a doctor may prescribe a specific dosage for several months.
High-Risk Pregnancy: For women with a higher chance of having a baby with a neural tube defect, a higher dose may be recommended before and during early pregnancy.
Long-Term Conditions: Certain chronic health issues can necessitate long-term folic acid supplementation.

It is critical to note that the decision to take such a high dose should always be made in consultation with a healthcare professional. Self-prescribing can be dangerous.

Maximizing Natural Folate from Your Diet

While you won't get a very high therapeutic amount from food, you can still optimize your intake of natural folate to meet standard daily requirements. Cooking methods play a huge role, as folate is a water-soluble vitamin that leaches into cooking water.

To get the most out of folate-rich foods, try these tips:

Steam or lightly microwave vegetables instead of boiling to retain more nutrients.
Incorporate more raw folate sources like fresh salads with spinach, romaine lettuce, or avocado.
Use cooking water from vegetables in soups or gravies to capture lost folate.
Choose fortified breakfast cereals and breads to supplement your intake.

Comparison: Food Folate vs. Supplementation


Feature	Dietary Folate from Food	Prescribed Folic Acid Supplementation
Source	Naturally occurring in fruits, vegetables, legumes, and liver.	Synthetic, in tablet form.
Amount	Difficult to monitor and significantly lower than therapeutic amounts.	Precisely measured doses available.
Bioavailability	Variable; cooking and processing can reduce content.	Generally high; better absorbed by the body.
Purpose	General health, meeting recommended daily allowance (400 mcg).	Therapeutic treatment for specific medical conditions.
Medical Supervision	Not required for a standard healthy diet.	Often required due to higher dosages and specific medical needs.
Risk of B12 Masking	Minimal risk, as it's balanced with other nutrients.	Higher dosages can mask a Vitamin B12 deficiency; requires medical supervision.

Conclusion: Trust Your Doctor, Not Just Food

It is a health myth that you can get very high therapeutic amounts of folic acid from food. A higher dose is a therapeutic, and often short-term, medical treatment for specific conditions like anaemia or high-risk pregnancies, not a general nutritional goal to be achieved through diet. While consuming a diet rich in folate-containing foods is always beneficial for general health, it should not replace medically prescribed supplementation. Always follow your doctor's advice regarding higher-dose folic acid, as they will determine the safest and most effective way for you to receive the correct amount. For further reading on the function of folate and folic acid, consult reliable health resources such as the National Institutes of Health Fact Sheet on Folate.

Frequently Asked Questions

A 5mg dose of folic acid (5,000 micrograms) is considered high because it is twelve and a half times the standard recommended daily intake of 400 micrograms for most adults.

A higher dose may be prescribed to treat folate deficiency anaemia or for women at high risk of having a baby with a neural tube defect. It is used for therapeutic, not preventative, purposes.

Excellent natural sources of folate include leafy green vegetables like spinach and kale, legumes such as lentils and black-eyed peas, asparagus, liver, and fortified foods like breakfast cereals.

No. While fortified foods like cereals and bread contain added folic acid, they provide a smaller amount to help meet the standard daily value (often 400 mcg). The quantities needed to reach significantly higher amounts are simply too large.

Excessive intake of folic acid from supplements can hide the signs of a vitamin B12 deficiency. If left undiagnosed, this can lead to permanent nerve damage.

You should always follow your doctor's or pharmacist's specific instructions. Generally, folic acid tablets are taken orally with water, and consistency in timing is recommended.

To preserve more folate, opt for steaming or microwaving vegetables instead of boiling them. This helps prevent the water-soluble vitamin from leaching out into the cooking water.