What lettuce is highest in folate?

December 21, 2025 •

3 min read

While all lettuce offers some nutritional value, a one-cup serving of shredded romaine lettuce contains 64 micrograms of folate, establishing it as the answer to what lettuce is highest in folate? Romaine far surpasses its paler, crunchier cousin, iceberg lettuce, in vitamin B9 content.

Quick Summary

Romaine is the best lettuce source for folate (vitamin B9), offering 64 micrograms per cup. While dark, leafy greens like spinach and turnip greens contain even higher amounts, romaine is an excellent, crunchy option for salads and meals, boosting your daily nutrient intake effectively.

Key Points

Romaine is the highest-folate lettuce: A one-cup serving of shredded romaine provides significantly more folate than other common varieties, including iceberg.
Romaine is nutritionally superior to iceberg: Beyond folate, romaine contains higher levels of vitamins A and K, making it a more nutrient-dense choice for salads and meals.
Consider other greens for even more folate: While romaine is great, leafy greens like spinach, turnip greens, and Brussels sprouts contain even higher concentrations of folate per serving.
Cook with care to preserve folate: To maximize the folate you get from greens, eat them raw or steam them briefly, as high heat and boiling water can degrade this water-soluble vitamin.
Diversify your diet: Incorporating a variety of folate sources, including legumes, citrus fruits, and fortified grains, ensures you meet your daily vitamin B9 requirements.

Romaine: The Top Lettuce for Folate

Among the most common supermarket varieties, romaine lettuce consistently ranks as the highest in folate, also known as vitamin B9. This leafy green is not only a superior source of folate compared to other lettuces like iceberg, but it is also packed with other essential nutrients. A one-cup serving of shredded romaine provides approximately 16% of the recommended daily value of folate for adults. Its rich, green leaves indicate a denser concentration of vitamins and minerals, a general rule of thumb when comparing leafy greens.

The folate in romaine lettuce plays a critical role in several bodily functions. This essential B vitamin is necessary for producing red and white blood cells in bone marrow and is crucial for forming DNA and RNA. For individuals trying to conceive or who are pregnant, adequate folate intake is especially vital for proper fetal brain and spinal cord development. Including romaine in your diet is a simple and delicious way to increase your intake of this important nutrient.

A Nutritional Comparison of Lettuce Varieties

While romaine is the clear winner among lettuces for folate content, other types are often consumed. Here is a comparison to illustrate why choosing a darker green variety is more beneficial from a nutritional standpoint. Amounts listed are per 100 grams of raw lettuce, where applicable.


Nutrient	Romaine Lettuce	Iceberg Lettuce	Difference
Folate (mcg)	136	25-56	Romaine has 2-5x more
Vitamin A (mcg)	436	25	Romaine has 17x more
Vitamin C (mg)	Moderate	Low	Romaine has more
Vitamin K (mcg)	40% DV	20% DV	Romaine has more
Calcium (mg)	33	18	Romaine has nearly 2x more

Moving Beyond Lettuce: Greens with Even More Folate

For those seeking the highest folate concentration possible from leafy vegetables, it's worth exploring greens beyond the lettuce family. While romaine is an excellent choice, other greens pack an even greater folate punch.

Consider these folate-dense greens:

Spinach: A half-cup serving of cooked spinach contains 131 mcg of folate.
Turnip Greens: One cup of cooked turnip greens provides an impressive 170 mcg of folate.
Mustard Greens: A half-cup of cooked mustard greens offers 52 mcg of folate.
Brussels Sprouts: A half-cup serving of cooked Brussels sprouts contains 78 mcg of folate.

Cooking Methods to Maximize Folate Intake

Folate is a water-soluble vitamin, which means some of it can be lost during cooking, particularly in processes involving high heat and significant water. To get the most folate from your greens, follow these preparation tips:

Eat Them Raw: The best way to preserve folate is to consume your greens raw in salads, wraps, or sandwiches. This is why romaine is so effective as a folate source.
Steam Instead of Boil: When cooking, opt for steaming rather than boiling. This minimizes the vitamin's exposure to water and heat, helping to retain more nutrients.
Minimize Cook Time: If you must cook them, do so for as short a time as possible, just until they are tender-crisp.

Other Dietary Sources of Folate

Folate can be found in a wide variety of foods, not just leafy greens. By incorporating a diverse range of items into your diet, you can easily meet your daily needs. Other naturally occurring sources include:

Legumes (e.g., lentils, black-eyed peas, kidney beans)
Citrus fruits (e.g., oranges, grapefruits)
Asparagus
Broccoli
Avocado
Nuts (e.g., peanuts)
Eggs
Liver

Additionally, many common foods are fortified with folic acid, the synthetic form of folate, including enriched bread, cereals, and pasta. For comprehensive information on folate and other nutrients, the National Institutes of Health is an authoritative source.

Conclusion: Making the Best Choices

For anyone looking to increase their folate intake through lettuce, romaine is the definitive highest-folate variety. Its superior nutritional profile, including higher amounts of vitamin A and K, makes it a more beneficial and versatile choice than iceberg. However, incorporating a variety of leafy greens like spinach and turnip greens, along with other folate-rich foods, offers the most significant nutritional benefits. By making simple dietary swaps, such as choosing romaine for your salad base or adding more legumes to your meals, you can effectively boost your daily vitamin B9 intake and support overall health.

Frequently Asked Questions

Among the most common types available, romaine lettuce has the highest folate content. A single cup of shredded romaine offers approximately 64 mcg of this essential B vitamin.

Yes, many other leafy greens contain significantly higher amounts of folate. Spinach and turnip greens are notably superior sources, with spinach offering 131 mcg per half-cup (cooked) and turnip greens providing 170 mcg per cup (cooked).

Romaine is nutritionally superior to iceberg lettuce because its darker leaves are more nutrient-dense. Romaine contains higher amounts of folate, vitamin A, and vitamin K compared to the lighter-colored, more watery iceberg.

Folate is the natural form of vitamin B9 found in foods like leafy greens. Folic acid is the synthetic, man-made version added to supplements and fortified foods like cereals and bread.

A folate deficiency can lead to megaloblastic anemia. Symptoms include persistent fatigue, weakness, mouth sores, a sore tongue, irritability, and in severe cases, neurological issues like memory problems.

Since folate is water-soluble and sensitive to heat, the best way to preserve it is by eating vegetables raw. When cooking, prefer steaming over boiling and minimize cooking time to retain the most nutrients.

Yes, adequate folate intake is especially important for women who are pregnant or may become pregnant, as it helps prevent serious neural tube defects in the developing baby.