Well, this sucks! No chocolate on MTX day! 😖😩

Arthuritis

What Vitamins Are in Chocolate?

Vitamin	Amount (Per 100g of Dark Chocolate).
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)	0.012 mg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)	0.06 mg
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)	0.43 mg
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid)	0.36 mg
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)	0.019 mg
Vitamin B9 (Folate)	5 μg
Vitamin B12	Trace
Vitamin D	Trace
Vitamin E	1.79 mg
Vitamin K	8.6 μg

Chocolate, specifically dark chocolate, is not only a source of joy for our palates but also offers a range of vitamins that contribute to various bodily functions:

• B Vitamins: The presence of multiple B vitaminsin chocolate aids in energy production, nerve function, and the maintenance of good skin health. For instance, B1 and B2 play key roles in metabolising food into energy, while B3 and B5 assist in digestion and the synthesis of hormones.
• Vitamin B6 & B9: These are essential for the proper function of our brains and for the formation of red blood cells. Additionally, folateis particularly important for pregnant women as it plays a pivotal role in foetal development.
• Vitamin E: Present in modest amounts, this vitamin acts as an antioxidant, protecting cells from damage. It also plays a role in maintaining good skin health.
• Vitamin K: This vitamin, though present in smaller amounts, is vital for blood clotting and maintaining bone health.
• Vitamin D: While chocolate isn't a significant source of Vitamin D, traces can be found, which is essential for bone health and calcium absorption.

Naomi33

Well I was never told that when I was taking them ???

Hermione

There's a lot about folate and folic acid here:

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Folate-Consumer/

and there is also a more scientific factsheet under the "health professional" tab at the top of the page. I am trying to work out whether folate is exactly the same as folic acid (ie how much folate do the folic acid tablets I take contain? Any pharmacists/chemists out there?) Chocolate is NOT listed as one of the foods containing a lot of folate. If it has 5 micrograms of folate per 100g, compare this with 90 micrograms in half a cup of white rice. Probably, honestly, nothing to worry about! Also the folic acid supplements I take are 5 milligrams (not micrograms), so I will continue to eat chocolate on any day with confidence that it's doing me much more good than harm.

What is interesting is that according to the above (health professional info page):

"Folate is naturally present in a wide variety of foods, including vegetables (especially dark green leafy vegetables), fruits and fruit juices, nuts, beans, peas, seafood, eggs, dairy products, meat, poultry, and grains. Spinach, liver, asparagus, and brussels sprouts are among the foods with the highest folate levels" (but I have never been advised not to eat these on MTX day) and "About 85% of supplemental folic acid, when taken with food, is bioavailable. When consumed without food, nearly 100% of supplemental folic acid is bioavailable" but there is no advice on my tablets to take them on an empty stomach so it probably makes very little difference at all.

I think, no need to tell anyone not to give you Easter eggs!

Arthuritis

@Hermione 😄You are absolutely right, it was a little tongue in cheek claim for the health benefits of my fav food, dark choc (>85% Peruvian). I don’t eat any cadbury products as in my opinion it was ruined when bought by Kraft (later Mondelez) . I don’t like Oreo’s, hershey bars or Hostess Twinkie’s either! They never seem to go off, so I suspect even bacteria don’t like them!

Back to folates:

Folic acid is a synthetic chemical very similar to natural folate. Liver enzymes convert folic acid & natural food borne folate to the active form:
L-5-Tetramethylhydrofolate. (L refers to how it rotates polarised light to the left, a weird thing about naturally occurring compounds, artificial sugars & amino acids rotate 50:50 left & right, with profoundly different outcomes for chemically identical compounds eg one form of nicotine is a stimulant, the other a deadly insecticide).

• Edamame: 482 mcg (121% DV) per cooked cup
• Chickpea flour: 392 mcg (98% DV) per cup
• Cranberry beans: 366 mcg (92% DV) per cooked cup
• Roasted soybeans: 363 mcg (90% DV) per cup
• Lentils: 358 mcg (90% DV) per cooked cup
• Black-eyed peas: 358 mcg (90% DV) per cooked cup
• Wheat germ: 323 mcg (80% DV) per cup
• Mung beans: 321 mcg (80% DV) per cooked cup
• Sunflower seeds: 319 (79% DV) per cup
• Adzuki beans: 317 mcg (79% DV) per cooked cup
• Pinto beans: 294 mcg (74% DV) per cooked cup
• Pink beans: 284 mcg (71% DV) per cooked cup 
• Chickpeas: 282 mcg (71% DV) per cooked cup
• Baby lima beans: 273 mcg (68%) per cooked cup
• Spinach: 263 mcg (66% DV) per cooked cup
• Black beans: 256 mcg (64% DV) per cooked cup
• Navy beans: 255 mcg (64% DV) per cooked cup
• Yardlong beans: 250 mcg (62% DV) per cooked cup 
• White beans: 245 mcg (61% DV) per cooked cup
• Asparagus: 243 mcg (60% DV) per cooked cup
• Mustard spinach: 238 mcg (59% DV) per raw cup
• Kidney beans: 230 mcg (58% DV) per cooked cup
• Conch: 227 mc (56% DV) per cooked cup
• Beef liver: 221 mcg (55% DV) per cooked 3 ounces
• Avocado: 205 mcg (51% DV) per cup
• Artichokes: 200 mcg (50% DV) per cooked cup
• Pigeon peas: 186 mcg (46% DV) per cooked cup
• Peanuts: 185 mcg (46% DV) per roasted cup
• Okra: 184 mcg (46% DV) per cooked cup
• Fava beans: 177 mcg (44% DV) per cooked cup
• Turnip greens: 170 mcg (42% DV) per cooked cup
• Broccoli: 168 mcg (42% DV) per cooked cup
• Brussels sprouts: 157 mcg (39% DV) per cooked cup
• Beets: 136 mcg (34% DV) per cooked cup 
• Hazelnuts: 130 mcg (32% DV) per cup
• Collard greens: 129 mcg (32% DV) per cooked cup
• Split peas: 127 mcg (31% DV) per cooked cup
• Chayote: 123 mcg (30% DV) per raw cup
• Escarole: 117 mcg (29% DV) per cooked cup
• Walnuts: 115 mcg (28% DV) per cup
• White potato: 114 mcg (28% DV) per large baked with skin
• Mustard greens: 105 mcg (26% DV) per cooked cup
• Broccoli: 103 mcg (25% DV) per cooked cup
• Corn: 103 mcg (25% DV) per canned cup
• Green peas: 101 mcg (25% DV) per cooked cup
• Cashews: 95 mcg (23% DV) per cup
• Parsley: 91 mcg (22% DV) per cup
• Parsnips: 90 mcg (22% DV) per cooked cup
• Durian: 87 mcg (21% DV) per cup
• Chinese broccoli: 87 mcg (21% DV) per cooked cup
• Guava: 81 mcg (20% DV) per cup
• Red potatoes: 81 mcg (20% DV) per large baked with skin

However, the folate levels of various foods can be affected by preparation methods.

For example, boiling folate-rich green vegetables can leech up to 49% of the folate into the cooking water, while steaming retains most of the nutrients.

In contrast, sprouting dried legumes can actually triple the folate availability, making them an excellent folate-rich food.

Frozen vegetables are a convenient and cost-effective option, but freezing initially reduces folate by about 25% and can lead to losses as high as 97% after 3 months in the freezer.

I usually do green smoothies in a blender, but sadly often forget the contents of my freezer compartment!