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The foods high in choline are mostly animal foods: beef liver, eggs (the yolk in particular), beef, fish, shellfish, poultry and pork. Soybeans, chickpeas, lentils and other beans, mushrooms, quinoa and cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and Brussels sprouts are the main plant sources. In USDA data, 3 ounces of pan-fried beef liver has about 355 milligrams of choline and one large hard-boiled egg about 147 milligrams, against an FDA Daily Value of 550 milligrams. Below is a USDA table of choline rich foods, what the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) says about choline, and why most food labels never mention it.
Peptide Labs does not sell choline foods or choline products. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.
Key Takeaways
- Choline is an essential nutrient: the liver makes some, but not enough, so part of it has to come from food.
- In USDA data, beef liver, eggs and beef top round are the only common foods in our table that reach 20% of the Daily Value per serving.
- Almost all of an egg's choline is in the yolk; the white has close to none.
- Plant sources such as soybeans, beans, lentils, mushrooms and quinoa supply smaller amounts per serving.
- FDA does not require choline on Nutrition Facts labels unless it has been added, so USDA data is the usual way to compare foods.
What is choline, and why look at foods high in choline?
Choline is a nutrient the body uses to build phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin, two fats that are part of every cell membrane. It is also needed to make acetylcholine, a messenger chemical for memory, mood and muscle control, and it supplies methyl groups for many steps in metabolism. The ODS fact sheet explains that the liver produces some choline, mostly as phosphatidylcholine, but not enough to cover what the body needs, which is why choline counts as an essential nutrient. The Food and Nutrition Board set the first intake reference values for choline in 1998.
ODS also notes that most people in the United States take in less choline than the reference value, yet clear-cut deficiency in healthy men and nonpregnant women is very rare, possibly because of the choline the body makes. That gap between intake and deficiency is why food sources get attention.
Choline rich foods: a USDA table
The table lists common foods by choline per typical serving, from the USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy database, with the FDC ID so you can look each one up. Percent Daily Value uses the FDA Daily Value for choline of 550 milligrams. ODS notes that foods with 20% of the Daily Value or more per serving are considered high sources.
| Food (USDA FDC ID) | Serving | Choline | % DV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beef liver, pan-fried (168627) | 3 oz | 355 mg | 65% |
| Egg, hard-boiled (173424) | 1 large | 147 mg | 27% |
| Beef top round, braised (169530) | 3 oz | 111 mg | 20% |
| Scallops, steamed (167742) | 3 oz | 94 mg | 17% |
| Soybeans, boiled (174271) | 1 cup | 82 mg | 15% |
| Salmon, Atlantic, farmed, cooked (175168) | 3 oz | 77 mg | 14% |
| Pork tenderloin, roasted (168250) | 3 oz | 76 mg | 14% |
| Turkey, roasted (171481) | 3 oz | 76 mg | 14% |
| Chicken breast, roasted (171477) | 3 oz | 73 mg | 13% |
| Cod, Atlantic, cooked (171956) | 3 oz | 71 mg | 13% |
| Chickpeas, boiled (173757) | 1 cup | 70 mg | 13% |
| Sardines, canned in oil (175139) | 1 can (92 g) | 69 mg | 13% |
| Lentils, boiled (172421) | 1 cup | 65 mg | 12% |
| Black beans, boiled (173735) | 1 cup | 56 mg | 10% |
| Shiitake mushrooms, cooked (168437) | 1 cup | 53 mg | 10% |
| Green peas, boiled (170420) | 1 cup | 48 mg | 9% |
| Milk, 1% (170872) | 1 cup | 43 mg | 8% |
| Quinoa, cooked (168917) | 1 cup | 43 mg | 8% |
| Brussels sprouts, boiled (169971) | 1/2 cup | 32 mg | 6% |
| Broccoli, boiled (169967) | 1/2 cup | 31 mg | 6% |
| Peanuts, dry-roasted (173806) | 1 oz | 18 mg | 3% |
| Almonds (170567) | 1 oz | 15 mg | 3% |
SR Legacy has no choline value for several popular foods, including dry-roasted soybeans, cooked shrimp, crude wheat germ, canned kidney beans, raw cashews, firm tofu and canned light tuna, so they are left out of the table rather than estimated. The ODS fact sheet, which draws on USDA data, lists roasted soybeans at 107 milligrams per half cup and toasted wheat germ at 51 milligrams per ounce.
Eggs: yolk versus white
Eggs are the everyday choline source for many people. In USDA data one raw large egg yolk (17 grams) has about 139 milligrams of choline, and one raw large egg white has less than half a milligram. Egg whites alone keep the protein but drop almost all the choline. Our egg guide covers calories and protein, and our guide to foods with cholesterol covers the yolk question.
Meat, fish and shellfish
Liver stands far above every other food in the table. Muscle meats, poultry and fish land in a narrower band: in USDA data, 3 ounces of beef top round, pork tenderloin, turkey, chicken breast, salmon or cod each supply roughly 70 to 111 milligrams. Steamed scallops come in at 94 milligrams and a can of sardines at 69 milligrams (USDA). These are the same foods that lead our high-protein foods list and our guide to foods with vitamin B12. Our sardines guide covers mercury and sodium. If you are curious about liver in capsule form, our beef liver capsule guide explains what labels show.
Plant sources of choline
The ODS fact sheet names cruciferous vegetables and certain beans as rich in choline, with nuts, seeds and whole grains as further sources. Per serving the numbers are smaller than for animal foods, but they add up across a day of eating:
- Soy and beans: boiled soybeans, chickpeas, lentils and black beans sit between 56 and 82 milligrams per cooked cup in USDA data. Our edamame and tofu guides cover other soy foods.
- Mushrooms and peas: a cup of cooked shiitake has about 53 milligrams and a cup of green peas about 48 milligrams (USDA). See our mushrooms guide.
- Grains and potatoes: a cup of cooked quinoa has about 43 milligrams and a large baked red potato with skin about 57 milligrams (USDA).
- Cruciferous vegetables: half a cup of boiled broccoli or Brussels sprouts has about 31 to 32 milligrams, and half a cup of cauliflower about 24 milligrams (USDA).
- Nuts and seeds: an ounce of almonds, peanuts, pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds gives about 15 to 18 milligrams (USDA).
Lecithin, phosphatidylcholine and food labels
According to ODS, about half the choline Americans eat is in the form of phosphatidylcholine. Many processed foods also contain lecithin, a phosphatidylcholine-rich ingredient used as an emulsifier in gravies, salad dressings and margarine. ODS adds that no studies have compared how well the body absorbs the different forms. Choline is present in breast milk and added to most infant formulas.
On packaged foods, FDA does not require choline on the Nutrition Facts label unless choline has been added. A missing line does not mean a food has none, which is why USDA data is the practical way to compare. Choline also appears in supplements in several forms; our alpha-GPC guide covers one of them. The sister guide on foods high in phosphorus uses the same USDA method.
ODS reference values for choline
The Food and Nutrition Board did not have enough data for an RDA, so it set Adequate Intakes (AIs). These are population reference values from the ODS fact sheet, not personal targets; needs vary with diet, sex, pregnancy and genetics.
| Group (ODS) | Adequate Intake per day | Upper limit per day |
|---|---|---|
| Men 19+ | 550 mg | 3,500 mg |
| Women 19+ | 425 mg | 3,500 mg |
| Pregnancy (19+) | 450 mg | 3,500 mg |
| Lactation (19+) | 550 mg | 3,500 mg |
| Teens 14 to 18 | 550 mg boys, 400 mg girls | 3,000 mg |
ODS reports average intakes from food of about 402 milligrams a day in men and 278 milligrams in women (NHANES 2013 to 2014). Pregnancy stands out: ODS states that roughly 90% to 95% of pregnant women take in less than the AI and that prenatal supplements typically contain little if any choline. If you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, ask your OB-GYN or clinician about choline; our prenatal vitamins guide explains how to read those labels.
Too much is possible from supplements. ODS links high intakes to a fishy body odor, vomiting, heavy sweating and salivation, low blood pressure and liver toxicity, and the upper limit is based on low blood pressure and fishy odor. ODS also notes that choline raises production of TMAO, a compound studied for its link with heart disease. ODS lists no known clinically relevant interactions with medicines.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which food has the most choline?
Among common foods in USDA data, beef liver leads by a wide margin, followed by eggs. Three ounces of pan-fried beef liver has about 355 milligrams in USDA data.
How much choline is in one egg?
About 147 milligrams in one large hard-boiled egg in USDA data, almost all of it in the yolk.
What are good vegetarian choline foods?
Eggs and dairy for lacto-ovo vegetarians; for plant foods, soybeans, chickpeas, lentils, black beans, shiitake mushrooms, peas, quinoa, broccoli and Brussels sprouts.
Why is choline not on most Nutrition Facts labels?
FDA only requires choline on the label when it has been added to the food, so most labels leave it off even when the food contains some.
Is choline a B vitamin?
ODS describes choline as an essential nutrient. Its reference values were set in the same 1998 Food and Nutrition Board report as the B vitamins, but it is not one of the numbered B vitamins.
Can you get too much choline from food?
ODS ties the side effects of high intakes, such as fishy body odor and low blood pressure, to the upper limit for food plus supplements. Ask a clinician before adding a choline supplement.
Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have kidney disease. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Last reviewed October 2026.
Related guides: Foods High in Phosphorus: USDA Values, Additives and Labels, Egg Calories and Protein: USDA Egg Nutrition by Size and Cooking Method, Alpha GPC: Benefits, Side Effects and the Stroke Study.