Legumes High in Folate: Top 16 per 100 g & per Serving
Per 100 g, the legumes highest in folate are Lentils (raw) (479 µg, 120% DV), Pigeon peas (mature seeds, raw) (456 µg, 114% DV) and Peanuts (valencia, raw) (246 µg, 62% DV). Per typical serving, Pigeon peas (mature seeds, raw) gives the most: 1 cup (205 g) has 935 µg (234% DV). 7 of the 16 legumes ranked are a good source (10% DV or more) in a typical serving; 3 reach 20% DV, the FDA bar for “high in”.
Highest in folate per 100 g
16 of 16 ranked legumes, most folate first. % = share of the FDA Daily Value. n/r = not reported.
| Rank | Food | Per 100 g | Typical portion | Per portion | Per 200 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lentils (raw) | 479 µg120% DV | 1 cup192 g | 920 µg230% DV | 272 µg |
| 2 | Pigeon peas (mature seeds, raw) | 456 µg114% DV | 1 cup205 g | 935 µg234% DV | 266 µg |
| 3 | Peanuts (valencia, raw) | 246 µg62% DV | 1 oz28 g | 70 µg17% DV | 86 µg |
| 4 | Peanuts (raw) | 240 µg60% DV | 1 oz28 g | 68 µg17% DV | 85 µg |
| 5 | Peanuts (virginia, raw) | 239 µg60% DV | 1 oz28 g | 68 µg17% DV | 85 µg |
| 6 | Lentils (mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt) | 181 µg45% DV | 1 cup198 g | 358 µg90% DV | 312 µg |
| 7 | Peanut butter (reduced sodium) | 92 µg23% DV | 1 tbsp16 g | 15 µg4% DV | 31 µg |
| 8 | Peanut butter (smooth style, without salt) | 87 µg22% DV | 2 tbsp32 g | 28 µg7% DV | 29 µg |
| 9 | Peanut butter (smooth, reduced fat) | 60 µg15% DV | 2 tablespoon36 g | 22 µg5% DV | 23 µg |
| 10 | Tofu (soft, prepared with calcium sulfate and magnesium chloride) | 44 µg11% DV | 1 cubic inch18 g | 7.9 µg2% DV | 144 µg |
| 11 | Tofu (raw, firm, prepared with calcium sulfate) | 29 µg7% DV | 1/4 block81 g | 23 µg6% DV | 40 µg |
| 12 | Tofu (fried) | 27 µg7% DV | 1 oz28 g | 7.7 µg2% DV | 20 µg |
| 13 | Tofu (firm, prepared with calcium sulfate and magnesium chloride) | 19 µg5% DV | 1/4 block81 g | 15 µg4% DV | 49 µg |
| 14 | Soymilk (original and vanilla, unfortified) | 18 µg5% DV | 1 cup243 g | 44 µg11% DV | 67 µg |
| 15 | Tofu (raw, regular, prepared with calcium sulfate) | 15 µg4% DV | 1/4 block116 g | 17 µg4% DV | 39 µg |
| 16 | Tofu yogurt | 6 µg2% DV | 1 cup262 g | 16 µg4% DV | 13 µg |
Most folate per typical serving
The same legumes ranked by what one typical USDA portion gives, which is what you eat.
| Rank | Food | Per 100 g | Typical portion | Per portion | Per 200 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pigeon peas (mature seeds, raw) | 456 µg114% DV | 1 cup205 g | 935 µg234% DV | 266 µg |
| 2 | Lentils (raw) | 479 µg120% DV | 1 cup192 g | 920 µg230% DV | 272 µg |
| 3 | Lentils (mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt) | 181 µg45% DV | 1 cup198 g | 358 µg90% DV | 312 µg |
| 4 | Peanuts (valencia, raw) | 246 µg62% DV | 1 oz28 g | 70 µg17% DV | 86 µg |
| 5 | Peanuts (raw) | 240 µg60% DV | 1 oz28 g | 68 µg17% DV | 85 µg |
| 6 | Peanuts (virginia, raw) | 239 µg60% DV | 1 oz28 g | 68 µg17% DV | 85 µg |
| 7 | Soymilk (original and vanilla, unfortified) | 18 µg5% DV | 1 cup243 g | 44 µg11% DV | 67 µg |
| 8 | Peanut butter (smooth style, without salt) | 87 µg22% DV | 2 tbsp32 g | 28 µg7% DV | 29 µg |
| 9 | Tofu (raw, firm, prepared with calcium sulfate) | 29 µg7% DV | 1/4 block81 g | 23 µg6% DV | 40 µg |
| 10 | Peanut butter (smooth, reduced fat) | 60 µg15% DV | 2 tablespoon36 g | 22 µg5% DV | 23 µg |
| 11 | Tofu (raw, regular, prepared with calcium sulfate) | 15 µg4% DV | 1/4 block116 g | 17 µg4% DV | 39 µg |
| 12 | Tofu yogurt | 6 µg2% DV | 1 cup262 g | 16 µg4% DV | 13 µg |
| 13 | Tofu (firm, prepared with calcium sulfate and magnesium chloride) | 19 µg5% DV | 1/4 block81 g | 15 µg4% DV | 49 µg |
| 14 | Peanut butter (reduced sodium) | 92 µg23% DV | 1 tbsp16 g | 15 µg4% DV | 31 µg |
| 15 | Tofu (soft, prepared with calcium sulfate and magnesium chloride) | 44 µg11% DV | 1 cubic inch18 g | 7.9 µg2% DV | 144 µg |
Most folate per 200 kcal
Nutrient density: folate for the same 200 calories of each food.
| Rank | Food | Per 100 g | Typical portion | Per portion | Per 200 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lentils (mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt) | 181 µg45% DV | 1 cup198 g | 358 µg90% DV | 312 µg |
| 2 | Lentils (raw) | 479 µg120% DV | 1 cup192 g | 920 µg230% DV | 272 µg |
| 3 | Pigeon peas (mature seeds, raw) | 456 µg114% DV | 1 cup205 g | 935 µg234% DV | 266 µg |
| 4 | Tofu (soft, prepared with calcium sulfate and magnesium chloride) | 44 µg11% DV | 1 cubic inch18 g | 7.9 µg2% DV | 144 µg |
| 5 | Peanuts (valencia, raw) | 246 µg62% DV | 1 oz28 g | 70 µg17% DV | 86 µg |
| 6 | Peanuts (virginia, raw) | 239 µg60% DV | 1 oz28 g | 68 µg17% DV | 85 µg |
| 7 | Peanuts (raw) | 240 µg60% DV | 1 oz28 g | 68 µg17% DV | 85 µg |
| 8 | Soymilk (original and vanilla, unfortified) | 18 µg5% DV | 1 cup243 g | 44 µg11% DV | 67 µg |
| 9 | Tofu (firm, prepared with calcium sulfate and magnesium chloride) | 19 µg5% DV | 1/4 block81 g | 15 µg4% DV | 49 µg |
| 10 | Tofu (raw, firm, prepared with calcium sulfate) | 29 µg7% DV | 1/4 block81 g | 23 µg6% DV | 40 µg |
| 11 | Tofu (raw, regular, prepared with calcium sulfate) | 15 µg4% DV | 1/4 block116 g | 17 µg4% DV | 39 µg |
| 12 | Peanut butter (reduced sodium) | 92 µg23% DV | 1 tbsp16 g | 15 µg4% DV | 31 µg |
| 13 | Peanut butter (smooth style, without salt) | 87 µg22% DV | 2 tbsp32 g | 28 µg7% DV | 29 µg |
| 14 | Peanut butter (smooth, reduced fat) | 60 µg15% DV | 2 tablespoon36 g | 22 µg5% DV | 23 µg |
| 15 | Tofu (fried) | 27 µg7% DV | 1 oz28 g | 7.7 µg2% DV | 20 µg |
Concentrated forms (not ranked)
Flours, powders, concentrates, sugars and fortified foods with folate, listed by value per 100 g but left out of the rankings above.
| Food | Per 100 g | Typical portion | Per portion | Per 200 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peanut flour (low fat) | 133 µg33% DV | 1 oz28 g | 38 µg9% DV | 62 µg |
| Tofu (dried-frozen koyadofu) | 92 µg23% DV | 1 piece17 g | 16 µg4% DV | 39 µg |
Which foods are ranked
- The 16 legumes on CalorieExplorer with a reported folate value. They are generic USDA FoodData Central rows (Foundation Foods and SR Legacy) with a plain name: no branded products, restaurant items, survey mixed dishes, baby foods or regional specialty rows.
- Only foods with more than 0 µg are ranked (16 legumes); a food with no reported value is left out, never counted as 0.
- Flours, crude brans, powders and dehydrated foods, juice concentrates, mixes, sugars and fortified foods are not ranked: per 100 g they beat every food eaten as is. They are listed separately below.
- Ties share a rank: foods with the same value per 100 g get the same number, and the next number is skipped.
- Typical portion = USDA's own serving weight for that food (a medium fruit, 1 cup, 1 oz…), as on its food page. Per 200 kcal shows how much you get for the same calories; foods under 5 kcal per 100 g are not ranked that way (–).
- % DV = share of the FDA Daily Value for folate, 400 µg a day for adults and children 4 and older.
- FDA lets a label call a food “high in” a nutrient when one reference serving gives 20% of the Daily Value or more, and a “good source” at 10–19% (21 CFR 101.54). We apply it to the typical USDA portion, which is not always the label's reference amount.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, FoodData Central (Foundation Foods 2026-04-30; SR Legacy 2018-04). Values per 100 g as published in each food's record, at FDC's precision; serving weights from the same records, retrieved 2026-10-13. Each food page names its FDC ID.
% Daily Value: FDA Daily Values (2016 Nutrition Facts label rule, 21 CFR 101.9), adults and children 4+. How we calculate.
Last updated . Values are averages for the food as described; brands, varieties and cooking change them. Not medical advice.
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