04/14/2022
Choline — a vital nutrient for liver health, placental health, prevention of neural tube defects, and infant brain & eye development — is widely spread in the food supply, but most concentrated in animal foods.
Eggs, represent one of the most concentrated sources. Egg-eaters have, on average, TWICE the choline intake of non egg-eaters. In an analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data (NHANES) from 2009–2014, only 2.4% of people who don’t eat eggs met the recommended intake for choline.
Vegetarians, especially those who do not eat eggs (such as vegans), rank the lowest in choline intake, by far. A 2017 study showed that, after eggs, "meat, poultry and seafood" are the next major contributors to choline intake.
It's not that plant-sourced choline doesn't count. It's simply that plant foods have such a low concentration of choline, that it's physically impossible to eat a large enough quantity of them to meet recommended intakes, let alone optimal intakes (which may be TWICE our current recs, as covered in ).
For years, I have invited vegan nutritionists to show me a meal plan with adequate choline without supplementation. No one has taken me up on the challenge. Even a dietitian-formulated vegan prenatal meal plan fell 20% short of the current rec'd intake.
If you don't eat animal foods (esp eggs), a choline supplement is a wise choice. Yes, there are vegan options, such as sunflower lecithin. See my choline article for more https://lilynicholsrdn.com/choline-pregnancy-folates-cousin/ and my most recent for more on choline and childhood brain health.
