EXPLORE A NUTRIENT
Choline
Discover how amounts vary across foods, on a shared basis for comparison.
Understand this nutrient ↓What is it?
Chemical reference: Choline cation (C5H14NO+). USDA reports Choline separately. [1] [2]
This reference form does not represent every form included in the USDA quantity.
Description, source and attribution
Reference depiction: Choline cation. Formula C5H14NO+; PubChem CID 305; charge 1. This specified form does not represent every form or molecule included in the USDA quantity.
PubChem Compound 305, 2D Structure. NCBI / National Library of Medicine. Source · Reuse terms
Source check:
A COMMON BASIS
Foods, per 100 g
134 foods with data 72 not reported, excluded from ranking
- Egg
Whole egg, hard-boiled.
293.8 mg - Shrimp
Mixed-species shrimp, cooked with moist heat; may contain moisture-retention additives.
135.4 mg - Bison
Game meat, bison, separable lean only, cooked, roasted, exactly as identified by USDA.
114.8 mg - Goat meat
Goat meat, roasted, as classified by USDA under game meat.
106.4 mg - Lamb leg
Roasted lamb whole leg, shank and sirloin, separable lean only, choice, trimmed to 1/4 inch fat.
104.9 mg - Atlantic salmon
Farmed Atlantic salmon, cooked with dry heat.
90.5 mg - Pork tenderloin
Roasted pork tenderloin, separable lean only; seasoning not specified.
88.9 mg - Chicken breast
Roasted chicken breast, meat only, without skin; seasoning not specified.
85.3 mg - Atlantic cod
Atlantic cod, cooked with dry heat.
83.7 mg - Atlantic herring
Fish, herring, Atlantic, cooked, dry heat, exactly as identified by USDA.
83.3 mg - Beef ground 90% lean
Ground beef, 90% lean / 10% fat, cooked as a pan-broiled patty.
81 mg - Octopus
Mollusks, octopus, common, cooked, moist heat, exactly as identified by USDA.
81 mg
All results are sorted before pagination. Bars compare amounts within this search; they do not indicate health benefits. Not reported does not mean zero.
UNDERSTAND THE DATA
The nutrient, in context
How to read this ranking
This page compares Choline (Choline, total), in mg per 100 g of food.
Chemical forms and measurement methods remain separate. “Not reported” means a value is unavailable, not that the food contains zero. A food’s rank does not determine your individual needs or diagnose a deficiency.
This NIH fact sheet concerns this nutrient. Its recommended amounts describe daily intake for the stated population, not a 100 g food portion. Keep food and supplement exposure separate as the source specifies.
NIH · OFFICE OF DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS
Choline: Fact Sheet for Consumers
Original text published by NIH, including intake tables by age and sex, cautions, and the population context the source states. Bitameans has not performed an independent medical review or adapted these recommendations to your personal circumstances.
What is choline and what does it do?
Choline is a nutrient that is found in many foods. Your brain and nervous system need it to regulate memory, mood, muscle control, and other functions. You also need choline to form the membranes that surround your body’s cells. You can make a small amount of choline in your liver, but most of the choline in your body comes from the food you eat.
How much choline do I need?
The amount of choline you need each day depends on your age and sex. Average daily recommended amounts are listed below in milligrams (mg).
| Life Stage | Recommended Amount |
|---|---|
| Birth to 6 months |
Identity and structure sources
- PubChem Compound 305: Choline · Accessed 2026-09-13
- USDA FoodData Central: Foundation Foods Documentation · Accessed 2026-09-13