Top 10 Foods Highest in Choline

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Top 10 Foods Highest in Choline

Choline is an essential nutrient necessary for a wide range of functions from cellular maintenance to creating neurotransmitters. (1)

While rare, a deficiency in choline often appears as an increase in liver enzymes and can lead to liver disease, heart disease, and even neurological disorders. (1)

While more research needs to be conducted, preliminary studies suggest that the health benefits of adequate choline intake include a reduced risk of dementia, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. (2)

High choline foods include lean chicken, fish, lean pork, eggs, beef, shrimp, beans, low-fat milk, broccoli, and green peas. (3) The daily value (DV) for choline is 550mg per day. (4)

Below is a list of common foods high in choline. For more see the extended list of choline rich foods, and the complete ranking of 200 foods high in choline.

List of Foods High in Choline

A roast chicken1 Lean Chicken Breast
Choline
in a 6oz Breast		Choline
per 100g		Choline
per 200 Calories
198.9mg
(36% DV)		117mg
(21% DV)		149mg
(27% DV)
Nutrition Facts for Lean Chicken Breast (Cooked). (Source)

More Poultry High in Choline

  • 33% DV in a roasted chicken leg
  • 17% DV in a chicken wing
  • 17% DV in a chicken thigh

See all meats high in choline.

Salmon2 Fish (Salmon)
Choline
per 6oz Fillet		Choline
per 100g		Choline
per 200 Calories
191.4mg
(35% DV)		112.6mg
(20% DV)		144.4mg
(26% DV)
Nutrition Facts for Cooked Sockeye Salmon. (Source)

More Fish High in Choline

  • 27% DV in a 6oz cod fillet
  • 24% DV in a 6oz tuna fillet
  • 20% DV in a 5oz herring fillet

See all fish high in choline.

A pork chop3 Lean Pork Chops
Choline
in a 6oz Chop		Choline
per 100g		Choline
per 200 Calories
152.8mg
(28% DV)		89.9mg
(16% DV)		92.2mg
(17% DV)
Nutrition Facts for Pork Chops (Lean). (Source)

More Pork Products High in Choline

  • 23% DV in 1 cup of roasted ham
  • 16% DV in 3oz of spam
  • 15% DV in a bratwurst sausage

See all meats high in choline.

Eggs4 Eggs
Choline
in 1 Large Egg		Choline
per 100g		Choline
per 200 Calories
146.9mg
(27% DV)		293.8mg
(53% DV)		379.1mg
(69% DV)
Nutrition Facts for Hard Boiled Eggs. (Source)

Note: Choline found in eggs is concentrated in the yolks. Egg whites contain very little choline.

A steak on a plate5 Beef (Skirt Steak)
Choline
per 6oz Steak		Choline
per 100g		Choline
per 200 Calories
132.3mg
(24% DV)		77.8mg
(14% DV)		58.1mg
(11% DV)
Nutrition Facts for Skirt Steak. (Source)

More Beef Products High in Choline

  • 62% DV in a 3oz slice of beef liver
  • 20% DV in 3oz of chuck pot roast

See all meats high in choline.

Whole Shrimp6 Shrimp
Choline
per 3oz (About 12 Large Shrimp)		Choline
per 100g		Choline
per 200 Calories
115.1mg
(21% DV)		135.4mg
(25% DV)		227.6mg
(41% DV)
Nutrition Facts for Cooked Shrimp. (Source)

More Shellfish High in Choline

  • 20% DV in 1 cup of blue crab
  • 17% DV in 3oz of scallops
  • 16% DV in 3oz of oysters

See all fish high in choline.

Navy Beans7 Navy Beans
Choline
per Cup		Choline
per 100g		Choline
per 200 Calories
81.4mg
(15% DV)		44.7mg
(8% DV)		63.9mg
(12% DV)
Nutrition Facts for Navy Beans. (Source)

More Beans High in Choline

  • 16% DV in 1 cup of edamame
  • 15% DV in 1 cup of canned baked beans
  • 13% DV in 1 cup of chickpeas (garbanzo beans)

See all beans high in choline.

A glass of milk8 Low-Fat Milk
Choline
per 16oz Glass		Choline
per 100g		Choline
per 200 Calories
80mg
(15% DV)		16.4mg
(3% DV)		65.6mg
(12% DV)
Nutrition Facts for Low-Fat Milk 2%. (Source)

More Dairy Products High in Choline

  • 8% DV in 1 cup of buttermilk
  • 7% DV in 1 cup of yogurt
  • 4% DV in 1/2 cup of ricotta cheese

See all dairy and egg products high in choline.

Broccoli Stalk9 Broccoli
Choline
per Cup Cooked		Choline
per 100g		Choline
per 200 Calories
62.6mg
(11% DV)		40.1mg
(7% DV)		229.1mg
(42% DV)
Nutrition Facts for Broccoli (Cooked). (Source)

More Cruciferous Vegetables High in Choline

  • 14% DV in 1 cup of lima beans
  • 13% DV in 1 cup of cooked collard greens
  • 12% DV in 1 cup of brussels sprouts

See all vegetables high in choline.

Green Peas10 Green Peas
Choline
per Cup Cooked		Choline
per 100g		Choline
per 200 Calories
47.5mg
(9% DV)		29.7mg
(5% DV)		70.7mg
(13% DV)
Nutrition Facts for Cooked Green Peas. (Source)

More Vegetables High in Choline

  • 10% DV in 1 cup of shiitake mushrooms
  • 9% DV in 1 cup of artichokes
  • 9% DV in 1 cup of asparagus

See all vegetables high in choline.

See All 200 Foods High in Choline

Printable One Page Sheet

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Printable list of high choline foods including lean chicken, fish, lean pork, eggs, beef, shrimp, beans, low-fat milk, broccoli, and green peas.

More Choline Rich Foods

FoodServingCholine
1 Whey Protein Isolate
View (Source)
per 3 scoops (3oz)35% DV
(193.5mg)
2 Roasted Lean Buffalo
View (Source)
per 3oz serving18% DV
(97.6mg)
3 Shiitake Mushrooms
View (Source)
per cup cooked10% DV
(53.4mg)
4 Toasted Wheat Germ
View (Source)
per oz9% DV
(50.7mg)
5 Cauliflower
View (Source)
per cup cooked9% DV
(48.5mg)
6 Fish Roe (Ikura, Caviar)
View (Source)
per tblsp9% DV
(47mg)
7 Oyster Mushrooms
View (Source)
per cup cooked8% DV
(41.9mg)
8 Pickled Beets
View (Source)
per cup6% DV
(34.1mg)
9 Sweet Corn
View (Source)
per cup cooked6% DV
(33.4mg)
10 Flax Seeds
View (Source)
per oz4% DV
(22.4mg)

About the Data

Data for the curated food lists comes from the USDA Food Data Central Repository.

You can check our data against the USDA by clicking the (Source) link at the bottom of each food listing.

Note: When checking data please be sure the serving sizes are the same. In the rare case you find any difference, please contact us and we will fix it right away.

About Nutrient Targets

Setting targets can provide a guide to healthy eating.

Some of the most popular targets include:
  • Daily Value (%DV) - The %DV is a general guideline for everyone and accounts for absorption factors. It is the most common target in the U.S. and is the target on the nutrition labels of most products. It is set by the U.S. FDA.
  • Recommended Dietary Allowance (%RDA) - The RDA sets an average daily dietary intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97.5 percent) healthy individuals and is specific to age and gender. The RDA is set by the US National Instutites of Health.
  • Adequate Intake (%AI) - Sets a target for Omega 3 and Omega 6 fats. The Adequate Intake is also set by the U.S. Institute of Medicine. It represents a number to ensure adequacy but lacks the same level of evidence as the Reference Dietary Intake. In short, the number is less accurate than the RDI.
  • Reference Dietary Intake (%RDI) -The reference dietary intake is similar to the recommended daily allowance, and is specific to age and gender. The RDI for amino acids is set by the U.N. World Health Organization.

    • See the Guide to Recommended Daily Intakes for more information.

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View more food groups with the nutrient ranking tool, or see ratios with the nutrient ratio tool.

Data Sources and References

  1. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements on Choline
  2. Dietary Reference Intakes for Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Vitamin B12, Pantothenic Acid, Biotin, and Choline.
  3. U.S. Agricultural Research Service Food Data Central
  4. NIH: Dietary Supplement Label Database

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