Editing Choline (section)

== Content in foods ==
Choline occurs in foods as a free cation and in the form of phospholipids, especially as phosphatidylcholines. Choline is highest in [[organ meats]] and [[egg yolks]] though it is found to a lesser degree in non-organ meats, grains, vegetables, fruit and [[dairy products]].<ref name=ods/> [[Cooking oil]]s and other food fats have about 5&nbsp;mg/100&nbsp;g of total choline.<ref name=eu>{{Cite journal|date=2016|title=Dietary reference values for choline|journal=EFSA Journal|volume=14|issue=8|doi=10.2903/j.efsa.2016.4484|doi-access=free|quote=In this Opinion, the Panel considers dietary choline including choline compounds (e.g. glycerophosphocholine, phosphocholine, phosphatidylcholine, sphingomyelin).}}</ref> In the United States, [[Nutrition facts label|food labels]] express the amount of choline in a serving as a percentage of [[Daily Value]] (%DV) based on the [[Adequate Intake]] of 550&nbsp;mg/day. 100% of the daily value means that a serving of food has 550&nbsp;mg of choline.<ref name="ods"/> "Total choline" is defined as the sum of free choline and choline-containing phospholipids, without accounting for mass fraction.<ref name=ods/><ref name="Zeisel_2003"/>

[[Human breast milk]] is rich in choline.<ref name=lpi/><ref name=ods/> Exclusive [[breastfeeding]] corresponds to about 120&nbsp;mg of choline per day for the baby. Increase in a mother's choline intake raises the choline content of breast milk and low intake decreases it.<ref name="eu"/> [[Infant formula]]s may or may not contain enough choline. In the EU and the US, it is mandatory to add at least 7&nbsp;mg of choline per 100&nbsp;[[kilocalories]] (kcal) to every infant formula. In the EU, levels above 50&nbsp;mg/100&nbsp;kcal are not allowed.<ref name=eu/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=107.100|title=21 CFR 107.100: Infant formula; Nutrient requirements; Nutrient specifications; Choline content|publisher=Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21; Food and Drug Administration|date=1 April 2019|access-date=2019-10-24}}</ref>

Trimethylglycine is a functional [[metabolite]] of choline. It substitutes for choline nutritionally, but only partially.<ref name=ze/> High amounts of trimethylglycine occur in [[wheat bran]] (1,339&nbsp;mg/100&nbsp;g), toasted [[wheat germ]] (1,240&nbsp;mg/100&nbsp;g) and [[spinach]] (600–645&nbsp;mg/100&nbsp;g), for example.<ref name="Zeisel_2003">{{cite journal | vauthors = Zeisel SH, Mar MH, Howe JC, Holden JM | title = Concentrations of choline-containing compounds and betaine in common foods | journal = The Journal of Nutrition | volume = 133 | issue = 5 | pages = 1302–7 | date = May 2003 | pmid = 12730414 | doi = 10.1093/jn/133.5.1302 | url = https://www.researchgate.net/publication/10775683 | doi-access = free }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|+Choline content of foods (mg/100&nbsp;g){{efn|name=cholinecontent_table|Foods are raw unless noted otherwise. Contents are "total choline" as defined above.}}<ref name="Zeisel_2003"/>
! colspan="2" |Meats
! colspan="2" |Vegetables
|-
|[[Bacon]], cooked
|124.89
|[[Green bean|Bean, snap]]
|13.46
|-
|Beef, trim-cut, cooked
|78.15
|[[Beetroot]]
|6.01
|-
|[[Beef liver]], pan fried
|418.22
|[[Broccoli]]
|40.06
|-
|Chicken, roasted, with skin
|65.83
|[[Brussels sprout]]
|40.61
|-
|Chicken, roasted, no skin
|78.74
|[[Cabbage]]
|15.45
|-
|[[Chicken liver]]
|290.03
|[[Carrot]]
|8.79
|-
|[[Atlantic cod|Cod, atlantic]]
|83.63
|[[Cauliflower]]
|39.10
|-
|[[Ground beef]], 75–85% lean, broiled
|79.32–82.35
|[[Maize|Sweetcorn]], yellow
|21.95
|-
|[[Pork loin]] cooked
|102.76
|[[Cucumber]]
|5.95
|-
|[[Shrimp]], canned
|70.60
|[[Lettuce, iceberg]]
|6.70
|-
! colspan="2" |Dairy products (cow)
|[[Romaine lettuce|Lettuce, romaine]]
|9.92
|-
|Butter, salted
|18.77
|[[Pea]]
|27.51
|-
|Cheese
|16.50–27.21
|[[Sauerkraut]]
|10.39
|-
|[[Cottage cheese]]
|18.42
|[[Spinach]]
|22.08
|-
|Milk, whole/skimmed
|14.29–16.40
|[[Sweet potato]]
|13.11
|-
|[[Sour cream]]
|20.33
|[[Tomato]]
|6.74
|-
|[[Yogurt]], plain
|15.20
|[[Zucchini]]
|9.36
|-
! colspan="2" |Grains
! colspan="2" |Fruits
|-
|Oat [[bran]], raw
|58.57
|[[Apple]]
|3.44
|-
|[[Oatmeal|Oats]], plain
|7.42
|[[Avocado]]
|14.18
|-
|[[White rice|Rice, white]]
|2.08
|[[Banana]]
|9.76
|-
|[[Brown rice|Rice, brown]]
|9.22
|[[Blueberry]]
|6.04
|-
|Wheat [[bran]]
|74.39
|[[Cantaloupe]]
|7.58
|-
|[[Wheat germ]], toasted
|152.08
|[[Grape]]
|7.53
|-
! colspan="2" |Others
|[[Grapefruit]]
|5.63
|-
|[[Navy bean|Bean, navy]]
|26.93
|Orange
|8.38
|-
|[[Chicken egg|Egg, chicken]]
|251.00
|[[Peach]]
|6.10
|-
|[[Olive oil]]
|0.29
|[[Pear]]
|5.11
|-
|[[Peanut]]
|52.47
|[[Prune]]
|9.66
|-
|[[Soybean]], raw
|115.87
|[[Strawberry]]
|5.65
|-
|[[Tofu]], soft
|27.37
|[[Watermelon]]
|4.07
|}
{{notelist}}

=== Daily values ===
{{cleanup section|reason=Should be merged to above list. The overlaps are quite large to the extent that the values (when converted to 100g) are virtually identical. DV calculation is quite trivial, so this isn't adding anything useful for now.|date=September 2022}}
The following table contains updated sources of choline to reflect the new Daily Value and the new Nutrition Facts and Supplement Facts Labels.<ref name=ods/> It reflects data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019.<ref name=ods/>

{| class="wikitable"
|+Selected Food Sources of Choline<ref name=ods/>
| Food
| Milligrams (mg) per serving
| Percent DV*
|-
| [[Beef liver]], pan fried, {{cvt|3|oz}}
| 356
| 65
|-
| Egg, hard boiled, 1 large egg
| 147
| 27
|-
| Beef [[top round]], separable lean only, braised, {{cvt|3|oz}}
| 117
| 21
|-
| [[Soybean]]s, roasted, {{cups|1/2|US}}
| 107
| 19
|-
| Chicken breast, roasted, {{cvt|3|oz}}
| 72
| 13
|-
| Beef, ground, 93% lean meat, broiled, {{cvt|3|oz}}
| 72
| 13
|-
| [[Atlantic cod|Cod, Atlantic]], cooked, dry heat, {{cvt|3|oz}}
| 71
| 13
|-
| [[Shiitake|Mushrooms, shiitake]], cooked, {{cups|1/2|US}} pieces
| 58
| 11
|-
| [[Red potato|Potatoes, red]], baked, flesh and skin, 1 large potato
| 57
| 10
|-
| [[Wheat germ]], toasted, {{cvt|1|oz}}
| 51
| 9
|-
| [[Kidney bean|Beans, kidney]], canned, {{cups|1/2|US}}
| 45
| 8
|-
| [[Quinoa]], cooked, {{cups|1|US}}
| 43
| 8
|-
| [[Cow's milk|Milk]], 1% fat, {{cups|1|US}}
| 43
| 8
|-
| [[Yogurt]], vanilla, nonfat, {{cups|1|US}}
| 38
| 7
|-
| [[Brussels sprout]]s, boiled, {{cups|1/2|US}}
| 32
| 6
|-
| [[Broccoli]], chopped, boiled, drained, {{cups|1/2|US}}
| 31
| 6
|-
| [[Cottage cheese]], nonfat, {{cups|1|US}}
| 26
| 5
|-
| [[Tuna]], white, canned in water, drained in solids, {{cvt|3|oz}}
| 25
| 5
|-
| [[Peanut]]s, dry roasted, {{cups|1/4|US}}
| 24
| 4
|-
| [[Cauliflower]], {{cvt|1|in|cm|1}} pieces, boiled, drained, {{cups|1/2|US}}
| 24
| 4
|-
| [[Green peas|Peas, green]], boiled, {{cups|1/2|US}}
| 24
| 4
|-
| [[Sunflower seeds]], oil roasted, {{cups|1/4|US}}
| 19
| 3
|-
| [[Brown rice|Rice, brown]], long-grain, cooked, {{cups|1|US}}
| 19
| 3
|-
| [[Pita|Bread, pita]], whole wheat, 1 large ({{cvt|6+1/2|in|cm|0|disp=or}} diameter)
| 17
| 3
|-
| [[Cabbage]], boiled, {{cups|1/2|US}}
| 15
| 3
|-
| [[Tangerine]] ([[mandarin orange]]), sections, {{cups|1/2|US}}
| 10
| 2
|-
| [[Snap bean|Beans, snap]], raw, {{cups|1/2|US}}
| 8
| 1
|-
| [[Kiwifruit]], raw, {{cups|1/2|US}} sliced
| 7
| 1
|-
| Carrots, raw, chopped, {{cups|1/2|US}}
| 6
| 1
|-
| [[Apple]]s, raw, with skin, quartered or chopped, {{cups|1/2|US}}
| 2
| 0
|}
<small>DV = Daily Value. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) developed DVs to help consumers compare the nutrient contents of foods and dietary supplements within the context of a total diet. The DV for choline is 550&nbsp;mg for adults and children age 4 years and older.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Role of choline in human nutrition|url=https://supplement.tools/en/articles/choline|date=15 March 2024|publisher=Supplements List}}</ref> The FDA does not require food labels to list choline content unless choline has been added to the food. Foods providing 20% or more of the DV are considered to be high sources of a nutrient, but foods providing lower percentages of the DV also contribute to a healthful diet.<ref name=ods/></small>

<small>The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) FoodData Central lists the nutrient content of many foods and provides a comprehensive list of foods containing choline arranged by nutrient content.<ref name=ods/></small>