There’s incredibly conflicting research about wine and health, in all categories. I read a lot of it and usually wind up confused and/or annoyed. But last week my doctor asked me the routine “How much do you drink a week?” – being grapefriend, I have a bit more of an explanation about why I have wine every day. Still, she recommended doing a little more “tasting” and less “drinking” and also said I should make sure I’m getting enough folate, which can help balance the effects of drinking – most precisely putting you at higher risk for breast cancer.

I’m not a medical journalist so you should ask your own doctor, but I figure it can’t hurt, right? The daily recommended dose of folic acid is at least 400 micrograms a day. You can take a supplement, but it’s always best to get your vitamins in natural form, ie food (I worked in the food department at Glamour years ago and wrote about nutrition, so I do know that).

So here are some foods that are high in folate. I literally thought to myself, “Oh, I should do wine pairings with all of them!” But that would, uh, kind of defeat the purpose.

Dark Leafy Greens

Lightly cooking them brings out the folate in them, but don’t overcook because then it starts to reduce and mushy greens are vile anyway.

• Spinach, 1 cup = 263 mcg
• Collard Greens, 1 cup = 177 mcg
• Turnip Greens, 1 cup = 170 mcg
• Mustard Greens, 1 cup = 103 mcg
• Romaine Lettuce, 1 cup = 76 mcg
• Kale, 1 cup = 60 mcg (who’s a superfood now, kale???)

Asparagus: one cup = 262 mcg (stinky pee, here you come)

Broccoli: one cup = 100 mcg

• Papaya = 115 mcg (too bad I’m like the only person on the planet who doesn’t like it)
• Orange = 40 mcg
• Grapefruit = 30 mcg
• Strawberries, 1 cup = 25 mcg

• Lentils, 1 cup = 358 mcg
• Pinto, 1 cup = 294 mcg o
• Garbanzo, 1 cup = 282 mcg
• Black Beans, 1 cup = 256 mcg
• Navy Beans, 1 cup = 254 mcg
• Kidney Beans, 1 cup = 229 mcg
• Lima Beans, 1 cup = 156 mcg
• Split Peas, 1 cup = 127 mcg
• Green Peas, 1 cup = 101 mcg

Avocado: 1 cup = 90mcg

Brussels Sprouts: one cup= 100 mcg

Seeds and Nuts

• Peanuts, ¼ cup = 88 mcg
• Sunflower Seeds, ¼ cup = 82 mcg
• Flax Seeds, 2 Tbs = 54 mcg
• Almonds, 1 cup = 46 mcg

Cauliflower: one cup = 55 mcg

Beets: one cup = 136 mcg (plus have lots of antioxidants, great for liver cleansing)

Celery: hate it. who cares.

Squash

• Winter squash, 1 cup = 57 mcg
• Summer Squash, 1 cup = 36 mcg

Well, this has all been very educational and only mildly terrifying. Just remember, grapefriends: folate is your friend. I’ll leave it to someone else to start a blog called folatefriend.