Folate

[Shannon]

A common recommendation is 800 mcg folate (not folic acid) for those with slow MTHFR enzymes.
Good sources of folate:

4 oz calf's liver	860 mcg
1 cup lentils	360 mcg
1 cup beans	200-300 mcg
1 cup cooked spinach	260 mcg
1 cup asparagus	260 mcg
1 cup cooked greens	100-170 mcg
2 cups romaine	150 mcg
1 cup beets	130 mcg
1 cup peas	100 mcg
1 cup brussels sprouts	90 mcg
1 cup broccoli	90 mcg
1/4 cup peanuts	90 mcg
1 cup avocado	90 mcg
1/4 cup sunflower seeds	80 mcg
1 cup cauliflower	50 mcg
1 cup green beans	40 mcg
1 cup boiled cabbage	30 mcg
1 egg yolk	25 mcg
1 Tbsp roe	11 mcg

"Folate contained in animal products (like beef liver) appears to be relatively stable to cooking, unlike folate in plant products (like cabbage) which can lose up to 40% of their folate content from cooking. Processed grains and flours can lose up to 70% of their folate."
World's Healthiest Foods

[Pat Robinson]

here is a link about folic acid complex and metabolism: http://www.nutritionalconcepts.com/supplements/actifolate.htm

this advertising pdf is more informative... http://www.bravacorp.com/metagenicsactifolate.pdf

[Pat Robinson]

Ferment your cabbage and soak your grains. ;-)


Pat

[Shannon]

And grind your own flour!

[TanyaL]

I wonder if fermenting your lentils would help with retaining some of that folate, or if it's just a function of the temperature, the fact that it's cooked. Cause raw lentils just aren't happening, for so many reasons!

[Sarah Cortes]

What about sprouted lentils ? Theyre sooo yummy :-)
However I've never sprouted any legume other than chickpeas, which 1/2 sprouted and the other 1/2 got stinky before sprouting. So you might wanna get instructions from someone other than me, if youre not already familiar with the process.

[Rachel J]

I recently sprouted lentils and ate them as a salad and mixed in with lettuce salad. Very good and "sprouty." I have trouble digesting unsoaked beans but had not problems with the sprouted, but still raw lentils. They were also very good cooked and mashed with some beef brone broth; supposed to be a mashed potato sub but my kids didn't buy it :)

[Sarah Wood]

Any idea how much folate is in nettle infusion?

[Pat Robinson]

tons of references here: http://heal-thyself.ning.com/profiles/blogs/mthfr-1

general info here: http://heal-thyself.ning.com/forum/topics/mthfr-c677t-folate

more extensive lay explanation: http://heal-thyself.ning.com/profiles/blogs/folate-vs-folic-acid

great tutorial (video) about homocysteine: http://heal-thyself.ning.com/video/homocysteine-1

The Basics: http://www.detoxpuzzle.com/mthfr.php

chart of folate pathways: http://heal-thyself.ning.com/group/nutritionbiochemistry/forum/topics/folic-acid-cycle

food sources: http://heal-thyself.ning.com/forum/topics/folate-1

[Patricia Lacoss-Arnold]

What about berries?  Dr Rawlins talks a lot about berries saving him because of their high methyfolate levels.  Are these methylfolate or all kinds of folate?  (his chart says that most dietary folate needs to be converted to turn it into methylfolate)  I can't find any listings of foods with methylfolate, yet.