Best choline foods inlcude liver, eggs, cauliflower, mushrooms, dark and leafy green vegetables, oysters, asparagus, brussels sprouts, cooked bok-choy, fish and broccoli.

Amongst all the nutrients that are essentially required by our body, choline holds an important position. It is a water soluble nutrient which is a member of the methyl. It is at times grouped with vitamin B complex due to the similarity in properties that they share. From cellular maintenance to creating neurotransmitters, it has a varied range of functions in our body. Our body does not produce enough choline to fulfill all our needs, so it becomes mandatory to note the food items which provide us with choline. But, before that you must be aware of the associated benefits, side effects and the proper dosage of choline. So, before we dive into the details of the food items containing choline, let’s look into its other facets.

Benefits and Side Effects of Choline in Your Diet

The significant functions of choline include the formation of fats that are required for the formation of the cell structure and helps in the making of the compounds that act as cell messengers. It also helps in making of a substance which transports cholesterol from the liver, if you suffer from a deficiency of choline, it can lead to accumulation of cholesterol in the liver. It has an important role to play in DNA synthesis as well. Moreover, it is a constituent of acetylcholine which is an essential neurotransmitter. Basic functions such as memory, muscle movement and heartbeat regulation are influenced by choline. Along with these benefits it also protects us from certain diseases such as, dementia, cardiovascular diseases, cancer and some neurodegenerative disorders.

However even after having so many benefits intact excessive choline can have adverse effects. Vomiting, fishy body odour, excess sweat, excessive salivation, hypotension and liver toxicity are some of the side effects of including excess of choline in your diet.

11 Best Choline Foods That Should Be Included in Diet

Liver (beef and chicken)

Liver of chicken and beef contains enough amount of choline to be needful for your daily need. Beef liver contains around 418.2 mg of choline in every 100gm. Chicken liver contains 222 mg in each slice, that is, 68 grams of chicken.

Eggs

100 grams of egg contains 293.8 mg of choline which is fifty three percent of the adequate intakes. The maximum amount of choline is in the yolk of the egg. Fish roe is also a good source of choline. So, even if you include some amount of egg in your diet, you will get enough amount of choline.

Cauliflower (raw)

100 grams of cauliflower contains 44.3 mg of choline. So, here is a great option for people who do not eat non-veg food. You can incorporate raw cauliflower in your diet in form of salad. Even cooked cauliflower contains good amount of choline.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms are favourite of many people. What can be better if you find out that your favourite mushroom is loaded with numerous benefits. 100 grams of mushroom contains about 59.3 mg of choline. The maximum amount of choline is found in cooked shiitake mushrooms.

Dark and leafy green vegetables

Green vegetables have always been a storehouse of nutrients. 42.5 mg of choline is present in 100 grams of dark leafy green vegetables. Cooked dark green beets are a major source of choline. Collards, spinach and Swiss chard are also good sources of choline.

Shellfish like oysters

Every 100 grams of oysters contain 101 mg of choline in it. Other shellfish and crustaceans which contain choline are shrimp, scallops, crayfish, crab and lobster. Out of these shrimp contains the highest amount of choline. A healthy as well as tasty choice, isn’t it?

Asparagus

These young shoots of lily plants are considered to be one of the delicacies of the vegetable world. 26.1 mg of choline is present in 100 gm chopped of asparagus. This stands to be just 5 percentage of the adequate intake amount.

Brussels sprouts

100 gm of Brussels sprouts contains 40 mg of choline. It stands to be 7 percentage of the daily needs. Cooked form of this vegetable has the most beneficial properties.

Cooked bok-choy

Well, this is basically the name for Chinese cabbage. 100 gm of cooked bok-choy contains just 12.2 mg of choline. It is also known as Pak-choi. It is not just this but many nutritional facts are intact with this vegetable.

Fish

Fishes have always been a treasure of nutrients as well a tasty choice for people. Choline is one of those nutrients found in fishes. 100 gm of cod fish has 79.7 mg of choline. Salmon contains 18 percent of adequate intake of choline which is the highest amount in fishes. Other fishes that contain choline are pollock, flounder, haddock and perch.

Broccoli

31 mg of choline is present in half a cup of broccoli which is cut, boiled and drained. This is just six percent of the daily need of choline in the body. No doubt, broccoli is a healthy way to fulfill the need of choline in your body.

Dosage of choline in the diet

In order to avoid all the side effects, you must be sure of the correct dosage of choline for yourself.  Though the requirements may differ as per a person’s genetic makeup, but a standard intake amount has been set up. People who suffer from a deficiency of choline may require some extra amount than a normal person. Choline deficiency may be a rare case and happens in enduring athletes, pregnant women, people who take in lots of alcohol and postmenopausal women.  So, to extract all the benefits of choline, you need to follow the following chart:

Conclusion

There are many more food items which contain choline and can be added in your diet. It is also present in some food additives and supplements such as soy lecithin, phosphatidylcholine,

choline chloride, CDP-choline, alpha-GPC and betaine. Owing to the humongous benefits of choline, I think it deserves to be a part of your diet. So, take the precautions, take it in limited amount and incorporate it in your diet. Stay aware! Stay healthy!