Last updated: October 11, 2026. Information checked at the time of writing.
Short answer: in Health Canada’s 2026 Canadian Nutrient File, the richest common food is “Chicken, liver, all classes, cooked, pan-fried”, at 560 mcg DFE per 100 g. The Daily Value used on Canadian labels is 400 mcg DFE. The table ranks 30 foods by amount per 100 g and shows the amount in a typical serving.
The ranking
| Rank | Food (CNF) | Serving | Per serving | % DV per serving | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicken, liver, all classes, cooked, pan-fried | 75 g | 420 mcg DFE | 105% | 560 mcg DFE |
| 2 | Lamb, liver, pan-fried | 75 g | 300 mcg DFE | 75% | 400 mcg DFE |
| 3 | Veal, liver, pan-fried | 75 g | 262 mcg DFE | 66% | 350 mcg DFE |
| 4 | Beef, liver, pan-fried | 75 g | 195 mcg DFE | 49% | 260 mcg DFE |
| 5 | Seeds, sunflower seed kernels, dry roasted | 60 ml | 77.0 mcg DFE | 19% | 237 mcg DFE |
| 6 | Cereal, ready to eat, Cheerios, General Mills (fortified) | 250 ml | 59.0 mcg DFE | 15% | 198 mcg DFE |
| 7 | Lentils, mature seeds, boiled | 175 ml | 265 mcg DFE | 66% | 181 mcg DFE |
| 8 | Egg, chicken, yolk, cooked | 1 yolk | 30.0 mcg DFE | 8% | 177 mcg DFE |
| 9 | Beans, pinto, mature seeds, boiled | 175 ml | 218 mcg DFE | 54% | 172 mcg DFE |
| 10 | Chickpeas (garbanzo beans, bengal gram), mature seeds, boiled | 175 ml | 209 mcg DFE | 52% | 172 mcg DFE |
| 11 | Pork, liver, braised | 75 g | 122 mcg DFE | 30% | 163 mcg DFE |
| 12 | Parsley, fresh | 125 ml | 48.0 mcg DFE | 12% | 152 mcg DFE |
| 13 | Asparagus, boiled, drained | 125 ml | 142 mcg DFE | 36% | 149 mcg DFE |
| 14 | Beans, black, mature seeds, boiled | 175 ml | 190 mcg DFE | 48% | 149 mcg DFE |
| 15 | Spinach, boiled, drained | 125 ml | 139 mcg DFE | 35% | 146 mcg DFE |
| 16 | Beans, navy, mature seeds, boiled | 175 ml | 189 mcg DFE | 47% | 140 mcg DFE |
| 17 | Lettuce, cos or romaine | 250 ml shredded | 80.0 mcg DFE | 20% | 136 mcg DFE |
| 18 | Beans, kidney, dark red, mature seeds, boiled | 175 ml | 170 mcg DFE | 42% | 130 mcg DFE |
| 19 | Turnip greens, boiled, drained | 125 ml chopped | 90.0 mcg DFE | 22% | 118 mcg DFE |
| 20 | Nuts, filberts or hazelnuts, dried | 60 ml whole | 39.0 mcg DFE | 10% | 113 mcg DFE |
| 21 | Soybeans, green (edamame), boiled, drained | 125 ml | 106 mcg DFE | 26% | 111 mcg DFE |
| 22 | Seeds, hemp seeds, hulled | 60 ml | 45.0 mcg DFE | 11% | 110 mcg DFE |
| 23 | Broccoli, boiled, drained | 125 ml chopped | 89.0 mcg DFE | 22% | 108 mcg DFE |
| 24 | Seeds, sesame seeds, whole, roasted and toasted | 60 ml | 37.0 mcg DFE | 9% | 98.0 mcg DFE |
| 25 | Nuts, walnuts, English or Persian | 60 ml chopped | 29.0 mcg DFE | 7% | 98.0 mcg DFE |
| 26 | Seeds, sesame butter, tahini, roasted and toasted kernels | 30 ml | 30.0 mcg DFE | 8% | 98.0 mcg DFE |
| 27 | Arugula, raw | 250 ml | 20.0 mcg DFE | 5% | 97.0 mcg DFE |
| 28 | Peanuts, all types, dry roasted | 60 ml | 36.0 mcg DFE | 9% | 97.0 mcg DFE |
| 29 | Peanut butter, smooth type, fat and sugar added | 30 ml | 28.0 mcg DFE | 7% | 87.0 mcg DFE |
| 30 | Seeds, flaxseed (linseed), whole and ground | 60 ml whole | 37.0 mcg DFE | 9% | 87.0 mcg DFE |
Source: Health Canada, Canadian Nutrient File 2026 (14th edition). Amounts per 100 g and per serving as listed by the CNF; servings use CNF measures such as one Canada’s Food Guide serving of meat (75 g).
What to know
- Liver, legumes and leafy greens lead. Fortified foods appear because folic acid is added to flour and some cereals in Canada.
- Health Canada advises anyone who could become pregnant to take a multivitamin with 0.4 mg of folic acid daily, in addition to folate-rich foods.
See also: the beef liver guide, the organ meats guide and the best beef liver supplements in Canada.
FAQ
What food has the most folate?
Chicken liver, then lamb, veal and beef liver, in the Canadian Nutrient File 2026.
How much folate do I need a day?
The Daily Value on Canadian labels is 400 mcg DFE.
What is the difference between folate and folic acid?
Folate is the natural form in food; folic acid is the synthetic form used in supplements and fortified foods.
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Written by the team at Rise Nutrition, Toronto, Canada’s single-ingredient ancestral nutrition brand. Questions: ray@risenutritions.ca
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