Where do vegans get choline? Choline is generally easier to find in animal products, but there are plenty of vegan choline sources available too.
Choline is necessary for healthy cell membranes and maintaining the structural integrity of your body’s cells. It’s also important for proper nervous system function; fat metabolism; and helps regulate your memory, muscle control, and mood.(1)
Choline deficiency can cause muscle damage, liver damage, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Extreme choline deficiency is rare, but mild to moderate deficiency is common among vegans and non-vegans alike and usually has no symptoms.
Daily Recommendations
Nutritional recommendations for choline and other nutrients are developed by the National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine) to plan and assess the nutrient intakes of healthy people.
Choline is a vitamin-like essential nutrient which was first discovered in 1862, but was only determined to be a requirement for human health as recently as 1998. Because of this, research on choline is relatively limited.
There is currently still too little information to establish a Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) so the recommendation for choline is specified as an Adequate Intake (AI).
Adequate Intake (AI) for Choline:
| Age | Male | Female | Pregnancy | Lactation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–6 months | 125 mg | 125 mg | ||
| 7–12 months | 150 mg | 150 mg | ||
| 1–3 years | 200 mg | 200 mg | ||
| 4–8 years | 250 mg | 250 mg | ||
| 9–13 years | 375 mg | 375 mg | ||
| 14–18 years | 550 mg | 400 mg | 450 mg | 550 mg |
| 19+ years | 550 mg | 425 mg | 450 mg | 550 mg |
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA): average daily intake of a nutrient that’s sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97%–98%) healthy people.
Adequate Intake (AI): approximate intake assumed to be nutritionally adequate based on limited research, though still not enough evidence to develop an RDA.
Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL): maximum daily intake that’s unlikely to cause adverse health effects.
The Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) for choline is 3,500 mg per day for adults.
Choline is dangerous in high amounts and high intakes of choline are linked to cardiovascular disease. Signs of choline toxicity include fishy body odor, nausea, low blood pressure, heavy sweating, and liver toxicity.
How to Get Enough Choline on a Vegan Diet
Though not technically a vitamin, choline is typically grouped with B-vitamins (i.e., folate, vitamin B12, vitamin B6, and riboflavin) because they work together during many steps of metabolism.
Not getting enough choline from your diet leads to an increased demand for folate and not getting enough folate from your diet leads to an increased demand for a metabolite called betaine. Your body uses choline to make betaine. Thus, eating betaine-rich and folate-rich foods can help reduce your need for choline.
Best Vegan Sources of Choline
Choline can be more difficult to get on a vegan diet because most of the foods highest in choline are animal products, however, most vegans who eat a varied, whole food diet shouldn’t have to worry about choline deficiency.
Top vegan sources of choline include:
- Shiitake mushrooms
- Soy milk
- Tofu
- Wheat germ
- Kidney beans
- Brussels sprouts
- Potatoes
- Quinoa
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Peanuts
- Peanut butter
Top vegan sources of betaine include:
- Quinoa
- Spinach
- Sweet potatoes
- Beets
- Wheat bread, crackers, breakfast cereals, and pasta
For top vegan sources of folate, see my page all about Vegan Folate Sources.
Vegans & Choline Supplements
Choline is toxic at high levels and even moderately high intakes may be linked to cardiovascular disease.
To be safe, aim to get as much choline from your diet as possible and only use a low dose supplement if absolutely necessary.
People who may benefit from a choline supplement include pregnant or breastfeeding women, endurance athletes, postmenopausal women, and people who drink high amounts of alcohol.
Disclaimer: The contents of this website are for educational purposes and are not intended to offer personal medical advice. To make sure your diet is providing you with the correct amount of nutrients your body needs, be sure to consult a nutrition specialist (ie: registered dietitian) with expertise in vegan diets.
Related:
- Vegan Nutrition 101
- Vegan Folate Sources (Coming soon!)
- Vegan Vitamin B12 Sources
- Vegan Vitamin B6 Sources (Coming soon!)
- Vegan Riboflavin Sources (Coming soon!)
- Vegan-Friendly Food From Around the World