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Choline-Rich Foods To Add To Your Diet

Choline-Rich Foods To Add To Your Diet

Choline is necessary for metabolic, heart & brain health. It's found in foods such as organ meats, beans & even dairy products. Learn more about choline-rich food to make sure you're getting enough in your diet.

WOWMD StaffBy WOWMD Staff
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Choline-Rich Foods To Add To Your Diet

Are you getting enough foods high in choline in your diet? While you may know the importance of taking vitamins and minerals daily, choline is less familiar to many and was only officially recognized by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) as an essential nutrient in 1998. 

Choline is vital in supporting metabolic, liver, heart, and brain health. Adequate levels help transport fat out of the liver, support healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels, enhance cerebral cell function, and boost neurotransmitter synthesis to keep cognitive functions like memory and learning sharp. In addition, choline is essential during pregnancy to support optimal fetal development and help prevent birth defects. 

While some choline is produced by the liver, the levels are not high enough to support these essential functions, so it is important to consume foods with choline daily. Fortunately, there are many dietary sources of this key nutrient that you can include in a balanced regimen, even if you follow a plant-based diet. In this article, we review the best sources of choline to incorporate into your daily meals.

Key Takeaways

  • Choline is a vital nutrient that helps support metabolic, liver, heart, and brain health.
  • While the liver produces a small amount, we require foods with choline daily to support adequate levels and ensure optimal health.
  • What foods have choline? Choline-rich foods include beef, poultry, fish, eggs, organ meats, and dairy products, and plant sources include nuts, seeds, peas, beans, cruciferous vegetables, shiitake mushrooms, and whole grains.
  • Higher levels of choline are required in women who are pregnant and breastfeeding to support the growing fetus or infant.

Foods High in Choline: Meat and Dairy Sources

What foods have choline? These are some of the best choline foods for those who consume meat and dairy products. Include some of these in your daily diet to promote optimal levels.

Beef

Beef is rich in choline, and the amount varies depending on the cut. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 3 ounces of cooked beef contains about 116 mg, which is 21% of the required daily intake. 

Beef also contains protein and iron, essential for several bodily processes and functions, but it is high in saturated fat. For this reason, despite the high choline levels, you should limit your intake to 2 servings weekly.

Poultry

Poultry is high in lean protein, low in fat, and rich in nutrients like vitamins B, C, D, iron, calcium, and magnesium. In addition to supporting heart and bone health, chicken and turkey are choline-rich foods that contain 72 mg of choline per 3-ounce serving. This makes poultry an ideal addition to your diet if you want to ensure healthy levels.

Organ Meats

Organ meats like liver, kidneys, and tongue are full of protein and rich in nutrients like iron, zinc, folate, and vitamins A, B6, and B12. They help build muscle mass, support weight management, offer several other health benefits, and are also a rich source of choline.

Beef liver, for example, has 356 mg per 3-ounce serving or 65% of the daily value. Include these choline-rich foods in your diet no more than 2-3 times a week, however, because in high amounts they could increase cholesterol.

Fish

Fish and seafood are rich in choline, and some of the best sources are those high in omega-3 fatty acids like salmon, tuna, tilapia, halibut, and sardines. A 3-ounce serving of salmon, for example, offers 187 mg of this nutrient, which is 37% of your daily required intake. According to the American Heart Association, you should include fatty fish in your diet twice a week.

Caviar, or salt-cured roe, is one of the most choline-rich foods, with 285 mg in 3 ounces or 52% of the daily required intake. However, it is also high in fat, and registered dietician Patricia Bridget Lane, RDN, LD/N explains:

It’s always a good idea to watch how much you are eating of it. Too much of a good thing is not always a good thing because it can contribute to elevated triglycerides and cholesterol.

Eggs

Foods high in choline include eggs, one of the richest sources, and the nutrient is found primarily in the yolk. One whole egg contains 169 mg of choline, which is approximately 35% of the required daily intake. 

The choline in eggs is bound to phospholipids, which makes it absorb easily and efficiently into the digestive tract. A research review in Nutrients indicates that without consuming eggs, it is very difficult to achieve the daily recommended amount of choline.

The yolk of the egg alone has 680 mg of choline per 100 grams, helping significantly to boost levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and enhance brain function. A 12-week study published in Lipids in Health and Disease found that a 300 mg/day intake of egg yolk choline enhanced verbal memory in middle-aged adults.

Dairy Products

Dairy products are choline foods, and they are also rich in protein and other nutrients like phosphorus, calcium, vitamin D, and potassium. You can also derive about 3-4% of this nutrient from 100g of whole milk, cheddar or Swiss cheese, cottage cheese, or yogurt. 

However, the best sources are sweetened condensed milk, dry milk, milk-based protein powder, and cream cheese. For example, 100g of Philadelphia cream cheese has 65.2mg of choline or 13% of the daily requirement. 

Foods High in Choline: Plant-Based Sources

If you follow a plant-based diet, there are several foods high in choline that you can incorporate to ensure optimal levels.

Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds are rich in plant protein, fiber, healthy fats, and a range of required nutrients including choline. The richest nuts are pistachio, providing 14.3% of the daily value, and other potent sources include almonds, pine nuts, and peanuts. 

You can also find choline in moderate amounts in pecans, walnuts, cashews, and hazelnuts. When it comes to seeds, the best sources are flaxseed and pumpkin seeds.

Cruciferous Vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables like Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, and collared greens are choline-rich foods, and they are also high in fiber, vitamins A, C, and K, and other antioxidants that offer a wealth of health benefits. 

The highest levels of choline are found in cooked collard greens, where one cup provides 13% of the daily required intake. One cup of cooked broccoli or Brussels sprouts gives you 11%, and you can get 9% of the daily value from a cup of cooked cauliflower.

Beans and Peas

Plant-based foods high in choline include beans and peas, and moderately good sources include lentils, green peas, black beans, navy beans, kidney beans, and edamame. 

Chickpeas are rich in this nutrient, providing 70.2 mg per cup, but by far the best source in this category is soybean. A study in the Journal of Animal Science concluded that the availability of choline in soybean products is approximately 60 and 75%.

Shiitake Mushrooms

Among the best foods with choline for those on a plant-based diet, one cup of cooked shiitake mushrooms contains 116 mg of choline, which is 21% of the required value. 

Incorporating them into your diet can help support brain function, heart health, and muscle movement, and shiitake is also rich in other nutrients and antioxidants that support overall health and immune function like vitamins B6 and D, iron, and magnesium.

Whole Grains

Whole grains like wheat bran, oats, buckwheat, and pearl barley contain some choline, although in lower amounts than meats and other plant-based foods. However, foods high in choline in this category include quinoa, which provides 8% of the daily value in one 42 mg cup, and wheat germ, which offers a whopping 28% of the needed daily requirement in 3 ounces.

Are You Getting Enough Choline-Rich Foods?

How do you know that your diet includes enough choline? If you are uncertain, consult with a medical practitioner for a blood or urine test to assess your levels. Some of the signs of choline deficiency may include:

  • Impairments in memory or other cognitive functions
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle pain
  • Liver damage, sometimes leading to fatty liver disease
  • Changes in mood
  • Tingling in the hands and feet from nerve damage

Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding require higher levels of choline to support the growing fetus and infant, making it particularly important to include a range of choline foods and check your levels with a doctor if you suspect you are low.

In addition, some hereditary conditions can increase the risk of choline deficiency. If you consume high levels but still have related issues, consider seeing a medical practitioner for genetic testing.

Conclusion

Officially recognized as an essential nutrient in 1998, choline supports the health and function of the heart, brain, liver, metabolism, and other important bodily processes. There are numerous foods high in choline for both meat and plant-based diets, making it easy to incorporate this vital nutrient. If you are uncertain about your choline levels, see a medical practitioner for a test, and consider meeting with a registered dietician for help with meal planning.

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