How To Get Clear On Choline: What You Need To Know for Pregnancy and Baby
Written by Catherine Barry, Edited by Maya Bach, MPH, RDN
If you’re new to choline, you’re not the only one. In fact, it wasn’t until 1998 that choline was recognized as an essential nutrient by the Institute of Medicine. Choline is neither a vitamin nor a mineral, but it is just as important.
Although you make a small amount in the liver naturally, most choline comes from the foods we eat. When you learn that you’re expecting, aim for 450 mg per day. Choline is vital for your baby's development particularly, the spinal cord and brain. You’ve probably heard at this point that eggs are the best source of choline during pregnancy, but what you haven’t heard is that there are so many plant-based foods that are packed with choline too!
Foods to help you get choline as a vegan mom-to-be:
Note: All choline content values provided below are taken from the USDA Database
1. Roasted Edamame
Per 1/2 cup Serving: 107 mg of choline
Percent of Daily AI: 24%
How to Incorporate: Enjoy roasted soybeans as a snack or on top of salads for a crunchy choline boost! Mix with dried apricots, cherries, and pretzels for a DIY trail mix.
2. Soymilk
Per 1 cup: 57 mg of choline
Percent Daily AI: 13%
How to Incorporate: Use soy milk in smoothies, oatmeal, cereal, soups, and sauces. Use soymilk as a case for making chia seed pudding to help satisfy your sweet tooth.
3. Kidney Beans
Per ½ cup (cooked): 45 mg of choline
Percent Daily AI: 10%
How to Incorporate: Use kidney beans in place of other beans in soups, chilis, veggie burgers, and burrito bowls. Mix mashed kidney beans with nutritional yeast, sweet potato, and soymilk to make homemade veggie burgers.
4. Navy Beans
Per ½ cup (cooked): 43 mg of choline
Percent Daily AI: 10%
How to Incorporate: Swap out black beans for navy beans for a new twist on classic dishes such as burritos, refried beans, and veggie burgers.
5. Quinoa
Per 1 cup (cooked): 43 mg of choline
Percent Daily AI: 10%
How to Incorporate: Swap out other grains for quinoa in grain bowls, salads, or breakfast quinoa instead of oatmeal. Use quinoa flour when making baked goods.
6. Chickpeas
Per ½ cup (cooked): 35 mg of choline
Percent Daily AI: 7%
How to Incorporate: This versatile bean can be blended into hummus, roasted for a crunchy snack/topping, and can even be made into a dessert such as chickpea blondies.
7. Tofu
Per ½ cup (firm): 35 mg of choline
Percent Daily AI: 7%
How to Incorporate: Use firm tofu to make “ricotta,” egg-less salad, or a quick weekday breakfast “scramble.” Slice or cube tofu before baking it with spices in order to add to bowls, salads, and sandwiches.
8. Lentils
Per ½ cup (cooked): 32 mg of choline
Percent Daily AI: 7%
How to Incorporate: Lentils are incredibly versatile and shine in dishes such as soups, lentil sloppy joes, lentil bolognese, and curries.
9. Broccoli
Per ½ cup (boiled): 32 mg of choline
Percent Daily AI: 7%
How to Incorporate: Broccoli can be used in virtually any savory dish and can be cooked in a variety of ways such as roasted, steamed, riced, and pan-seared
10. Brussels sprouts
Per ½ cup (boiled): 31 mg of choline
Percent Daily AI: 7%
How to Incorporate: Brussel sprouts are a great vegetable addition to sheet pan dinners, in addition to being used in stir frys, salads, and shaved into summer slaws.
11. Shiitake Mushrooms
Per ½ cup (cooked): 26 mg of choline
Percent Daily AI: 6%
How to Incorporate: Add mushrooms to stir frys, tofu scrambles, salads, grain bowls, or virtually any savory dish!
12. Fava Beans
Per ½ cup (cooked): 25 mg of choline
Percent Daily AI: 6%
How to Incorporate: This bean is delicious as is in salads and bowls, but can also be blended into hummus or used to make falafel.
13. Wheat Germ
Per 2 tbsp: 25 mg of choline
Percent Daily AI: 6%
How to Incorporate: Add wheat germ to your oatmeal or smoothie for an extra morning choline boost!
14. Cauliflower
Per ½ cup (cooked): 24 mg of choline
Percent Daily AI: 5%
How to Incorporate: Is there anything that cauliflower can’t be incorporated into? Although it is tasty on its own, cauliflower can also be used to make pizza crusts, thicker smoothies, rice, and as a base for creamy sauces.
15. Peanut Butter
Per 2 tbsp: 20 mg of choline
Percent Daily AI: 4%
How to Incorporate: Use peanut butter in place of other nut butters and put it in smoothies, on oatmeal, on toast, or in fruit.
16. Oranges
Per large orange: 15.5 mg of choline
Percent Daily AI: 3%
How to Incorporate: Add oranges into your smoothies, oatmeal, or enjoy as a snack. Bonus points for adding oranges when you take your prenatal to boost absorption of iron!
17. Bananas
Per medium banana: 11.7 mg of choline
Percent Daily AI: 3%
How to Incorporate: Add bananas to toast, smoothies, cereal, oatmeal, or with peanut butter for choline. Try them frozen blended with your favorite plant milk for “nicecream!”
Seven Choline-Rich Meal Ideas for Pregnancy:
Tofu and shiitake mushroom stirfry with, broccoli, and a peanut sauce served over quinoa
Make a quinoa bean chili using kidney beans, quinoa, and navy beans, served over cooked collard greens for a choline packed meal
Cauliflower-based alfredo sauce and serve with chickpea, quinoa, or lentil-based pasta and broccoli
Tofu scramble with chickpeas, shiitake mushrooms, and collard greens
Steel-cut oatmeal with wheat germ, soy milk, peanut butter, and sliced banana
Make an orange creamsicle smoothie with frozen cauliflower, banana, oranges, and soy milk
Make a pan sheet dinner with roasted brussels sprouts, chickpeas, cauliflower, and tofu
Bottom Line: Choline is found in many common plant-based foods and by eating a variety of these foods, the recommended choline intake for pregnancy can be met. Worried you might not be getting enough through food? As supplementation is not currently routine, please speak with your doctor or midwife before starting a supplement.
Want to know what to eat for a healthy vegan pregnancy?
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