Foods high in choline, ranked by milligrams

The daily target is 550 mg for men and 425 mg for women, and egg yolks, beef liver, and meat are the densest sources. The mg-per-serving ranking, why most people fall short, and how to hit it without liver.

1. 01

   Beef liver: ~356 mg per 3 oz, the outlier

   Beef liver is the single densest source by a wide margin: a 3 oz serving supplies ~356 mg of choline, roughly two-thirds of a man's daily target and most of a woman's in one portion (USDA; NIH ODS). Like its dominance of the vitamin A and B12 rankings, this makes liver a nutrient-per-dollar standout, and one serving a week meaningfully lifts choline status. The catch is that few people eat it regularly, and its concentrated vitamin A means pregnant women are usually advised to limit it, so liver is a powerful occasional source rather than a daily habit.

2. 02

   Egg yolks: ~147 mg per large egg, the everyday anchor

   One large egg provides ~147 mg of choline, nearly all of it in the yolk, which makes eggs the most practical everyday source and the one that does most of the work for people who skip liver (USDA; NIH ODS). Two eggs cover more than half a woman's daily target and roughly half a man's. Eating only the whites throws away almost all of it, so the whole egg is the point. The long-standing worry about egg cholesterol does not raise cardiovascular risk for most people, which makes daily eggs a low-cost, high-density way to reach the choline number.

3. 03

   Beef, pork, and other red meat: ~117 mg per 3 oz

   A 3 oz serving of beef top round or lean pork supplies ~117 mg of choline, making everyday red meat one of the steadiest contributors after eggs (USDA; NIH ODS). None of it is dramatic on its own, but a normal dinner portion delivers a quarter to a third of the daily target alongside complete protein, iron, zinc, and B12. Because the choline travels with the protein, a meal built around a meat serving covers several nutrients at once, which is why mixed eaters who include some red meat rarely fall as short as those who cut it entirely.

4. 04

   Chicken, fish, and seafood: ~70-72 mg per 3 oz

   Cooked chicken breast (~72 mg per 3 oz) and cod (~71 mg) sit just below red meat, with salmon, shrimp, and scallops in a similar range (USDA; NIH ODS). These leaner proteins are a reliable way to accumulate choline across the day without red meat, and oily fish add EPA and DHA omega-3s alongside. Two protein servings a day from poultry or fish put a meaningful dent in the target, and combined with an egg at breakfast they get most people close to the adequate intake without any single standout food.

5. 05

   Soybeans and beans: the densest plant sources

   Roasted soybeans lead the plant side at ~107 mg of choline per half cup, with edamame, tofu, and other legumes such as kidney beans (~45 mg per half cup) providing useful amounts (USDA; NIH ODS). For people eating little or no animal protein, soy foods and beans are the backbone of choline intake, and because they arrive with fiber and plant protein they double up usefully. Plant sources are less concentrated than eggs or liver, so a plant-based eater needs to be more deliberate, often combining soy, beans, cruciferous vegetables, and wheat germ to reach the number.

6. 06

   Wheat germ, cruciferous vegetables, and dairy: the fill-ins

   Toasted wheat germ (~51 mg/oz), shiitake mushrooms (~58 mg per half cup cooked), Brussels sprouts and broccoli (~30-32 mg per half cup), and a cup of milk or yogurt (~38-43 mg) are the smaller contributors that add up across a day (USDA; NIH ODS). No single one moves the needle, but a bowl of yogurt, a serving of greens, and a spoon of wheat germ stacked together can supply 100 mg or more. These foods are what turn a diet that is close to the target into one that clears it, especially for people relying on plant sources.

7. 07

   Why most people fall short, and who should pay attention

   National surveys find most adults, and most pregnant women, do not reach the adequate intake of 550 mg (men) or 425 mg (women) (Wallace & Fulgoni 2016). The people most at risk are those who avoid both eggs and liver, especially plant-based eaters, and pregnancy raises the stakes because choline supports fetal brain development, yet many prenatal vitamins contain little or none (Zeisel 2013). The fix is rarely a dedicated supplement: one to two eggs a day plus normal protein intake covers most people. Those avoiding animal foods should lean on soy, beans, and wheat germ, and consider a supplement if intake stays low.