9 Choline-Rich Foods Recommended by a Dietitian

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You may not have heard much about choline. It wasn't until 1998 that the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recognized choline as an essential nutrient. This may be why it isn't on many people's radar.

But choline plays many vital roles in your body. So, it's helpful to know where it comes from and how much you need. Knowing which foods are high in choline can help ensure you get enough of it each day.

What is choline?

Choline is an essential nutrient. This means that the majority of your choline has to come from food.

Choline works like folate and other B vitamins, but it's not classified as a B vitamin. And it plays many important roles in your body. Choline helps with basic cell functions, like building healthy cell membranes and helping cells communicate with each other.

But it may also help with:

• Heart health: Choline may help maintain normal blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

• Brain function: Research suggests choline may lower the risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia in older adults.

• Liver health: Choline helps carry fat out of the liver. This can help protect against metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).

• Pregnancy: Choline can protect against certain birth defects during pregnancy, like spina bifida.

Foods that are rich in choline

Your liver makes some choline, but it's not enough to meet your daily needs. That's why getting enough choline from your diet is important. These nine foods are all high in choline.

1. Eggs

Egg yolk is one of the best sources of choline. Two large eggs provide just over half of the Daily Value (DV) for choline. Eggs are also a healthy source of protein, fat, and other nutrients that support various functions in your body.

2. Beef

After eggs, beef is one of the next highest sources of choline. Just 3 oz of beef provides about 117 mg of choline, which is 21% of your daily needs. But it's important to note that beef can be high in saturated fat, which is linked to heart disease. So it's best to limit your intake to a couple of servings per week, and to eat it in the context of a balanced diet.

3. Fish

Many types of fish are rich in choline. Salmon provides the most, but other fish like cod and tuna are also good sources. Salmon and tuna also both contain omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s fight inflammation and may support many aspects of your health.

4. Soybeans

Soybeans are the best plant-based food source of choline. Half a cup of roasted soybeans provides 19% of your daily needs. Other forms of soybeans, such as edamame, also provide choline. Soybeans are also a great source of protein and fiber.

5. Poultry

Both chicken and turkey breasts provide about 72 mg of choline per 3 oz serving. This is about 13% of your daily needs. Poultry is also rich in protein, iron, and other important nutrients.

6. Cruciferous vegetables

Broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts all provide a decent amount of choline. A serving of 1 cup, boiled, contains about 8% to 12% of your daily choline needs. These cruciferous vegetables also offer many other health benefits, including supporting gut health and possibly reducing the risk of cancer.

7. Dairy

Many dairy products contain choline, including milk, yogurt, and cottage cheese. One cup can provide between about 5% to 8% of your daily choline needs.

Dairy products are also a great source of potassium and calcium, and many are also fortified with vitamin D. Both full-fat and low-fat dairy foods can be nutritious parts of your diet. Which type you choose will depend on your current health conditions and nutrition goals.

8. Grains

Grains like quinoa and brown rice can help you get the choline you need in your diet. One cup of cooked quinoa provides about 8% of your daily needs. The same size serving of rice will provide about 3%. These grains also have the benefit of being high in fiber.

9. Nuts

A 1 oz serving of nuts - like peanuts, pistachios, or almonds - provides 3% to 4% of your daily needs for choline. This value isn't as high as some of the other foods on this list. But it can add up if you regularly consume nut butters and/or whole nuts. Plus, nuts are an excellent source of fiber, vitamin E, and healthy unsaturated fats.

How much choline do you need per day?

There's no set recommended daily allowance for choline, but there are established adequate intakes (AIs). These can be used in cases when a recommended daily allowance hasn't been developed.

Here are the AIs for choline per day, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH):

Choline deficiency symptoms

Choline deficiency is rare in the U.S., especially among healthy non-pregnant adults. But when it happens, a choline deficiency can impact different functions in your body. These changes don't always cause noticeable symptoms. Signs of a choline deficiency can include:

• Accumulation of fat in your liver, which can potentially develop into MASLD

• Liver damage

• Low levels of the "bad" cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL)

• Muscle damage

• Cognitive problems associated with Alzheimer's disease

Many people in the U.S. don't get enough choline. But most people aren't considered deficient. This is likely because your liver makes some of the choline you need.

Still, some health conditions put you at higher risk of choline deficiency. These include:

• Pregnancy: We cover this in more in the next section.

• Total parenteral nutrition (TPN): This is a type of nutrition that people get through an IV. TPN is necessary when a person is unable to eat or get enough nutrients on their own.

• Certain genetic mutations: Some people with small genetic mutations may need higher amounts of choline. Genetic testing can determine whether you have these mutations. But many of them go unknown or undiagnosed.

Choline in pregnancy

During pregnancy, your body's need for choline increases. Choline is important both for you and the developing fetus. But studies estimate that 95% of pregnant people don't meet the AI for choline.

Until recently, most prenatal vitamins provided little or no choline. It wasn't until 2017 that the American Medical Association (AMA) recommended that prenatal supplements should contain choline.

Because choline is crucial for infant development, people who're pregnant should make sure their prenatal vitamin contains choline. Some people choose to add a choline supplement to their prenatal vitamin as well.

Can too much choline be harmful?

There may be some side effects if you consume too much choline. This is more likely to happen as a result of taking a high dose of choline supplements, rather than getting it from foods.

While consuming too much choline is rare, side effects may include:

• Vomiting

• Low blood pressure

• Liver toxicity

• A fishy body odor

• Excessive sweating and/or salivation

For this reason, an upper limit has been established for adults and children age 1 and older. This table shows the upper limit for choline.

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