Who does this guy think he is?
He doesn’t know how much choline I get!
True.
But I’m pretty darn sure it’s not enough.
Now that’s obviously hyperbole. Clearly I do not know how much choline you get in your diet.
But what I do know is that choline is not so abundantly found in foods so I cannot assume you do.
And choline deficiencies can manifest in some pretty nasty stuff, so we better take a look under the hood and see what we’ve got going on in there.
What might result from choline deficiencies?
Choline provides for numerous vital functions in our bodies, including providing structure to our cell membranes (not an insignificant thing), as well as supporting our cognition.
Choline is the precursor to acetylcholine, which is a necessary neurotransmitter for our brains.
In a state of choline deficiency, besides possible cognition issues, there is also the potential for damage to muscle tissues and organ dysfunction.
In other words, it’s important, and it’s not far-fetched to guess that you might not be getting enough.
How do I know if I’m getting enough choline?
First things first, you have to track what you eat.
I know, it sounds like a pain, but trust me it’s really not.
There are many great tools available to track what you eat these days. Just pick the one you like the best and get to it.
I like using myfooddata.com on the desktop and there are a boatload of apps you can use on mobile.
But track, you must.
Then, you need to make sure you are eating enough high-choline foods.
Where can I find foods high in choline?
Perhaps the best source of choline is liver and some other animal-organ meats.
Let’s assume most of you are not eating those, though, and move on.
Of course, if you are eating those regularly, getting enough choline is pretty easy for you.
But for those of you that are not, let’s get to it and look at some commonly-found foods that are high in choline and easier on the wallet.
Check out this video for the whole list, or keep reading if you prefer to read it here:
Here is my top eight:
#8: Beans
The only plant-based food to make the list, some beans, such as kidney and navy, have about 15% of the daily value (DV) per cup.
#7: Milk
Similar to beans, a 16-ounce glass of milk also offers about 15% of the DV of choline.
#6: Sardines
1 cup of canned sardines packs in about 20% of the DV of choline.
#5: Turkey
A six-ounce turkey breast has about a quarter of the DV of choline.
#4: Beef
A bit pricier than other options, but still a good source of choline. Six ounces of lean ground beef has about a quarter of the DV.
#3: Salmon
Another pricier option, but this one is fairly easy to find for cheap. Just 3 ounces of canned salmon offers about 15% of choline’s DV.
#2: Chicken
Chicken is a very good source of choline, with a single six-ounce chicken breast clocking in at about 35% of the DV.
#1: Eggs
You may have guessed it, but eggs are, in this nutritionist’s opinion, the best, common source of choline. Just one large egg packs in about 27% of the DV. Just a few eggs every day can fulfill a large part, if not all, of your dietary choline needs.
I hope you found this list helpful. As you can see, it is certainly achievable to fulfill your daily dietary choline needs with common foods that you can find at any major grocery store.
Remember, it does not need to be complicated or out of reach to become healthy. You just need to “keep it simple and do the work”.
Simple as that.
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