Choline: The Lesser Known Superstar Pregnancy Nutrient
If you have done any amount of research into prenatal nutrition or supplements, you have certainly heard all about how important folate is for a healthy pregnancy and healthy baby. But have you heard about choline?
Choline is crucial for baby’s brain development, but most conventional prenatal vitamins either do not contain enough, or leave choline out completely.
Adequate gestational choline has been shown to improve neuro-development, increase baby’s processing speed, improve attention, and improve stress reactivity. Studies also show a link between high choline intake during pregnancy and cognitive function in adulthood along with a decreased risk for memory decline associated with aging. In addition to all of the cognitive benefits, sufficient choline intake is also strongly linked to the health and function of the placenta which is essential for supporting healthy growth in utero(1).
Choline can be found in food
The two main food sources of choline in our diets are eggs and liver, but it can also be found in smaller amounts in lean meats, fish, cruciferous veggies, legumes, and some nuts. 1oz of beef liver has roughly 120mg and 1 whole egg (yolk included!) contains 115mg of choline.
One very simple step you can take towards getting enough choline during pregnancy is to eat 2 eggs daily, ideally pasture-raised and organic. This alone will get you almost half of your minimum daily choline needs. I will admit that I do not love the taste of liver, but if you can stomach it, consider having an ounce or two once or twice per week.
If you are vegan or a vegetarian who does not eat eggs, getting enough choline through food will be a challenge
One study found that egg-eaters actually have double the choline intake of those who avoid eggs(3). To put this in perspective, a half cup of broccoli has about 31mg and 1 Tbsp of peanut butter has about 20mg…. Choline is present in plant-based foods, but it’s not abundant. Soy is another plant based source of choline, but it’s best to avoid or limit soy during pregnancy (more on that soon!).
How much do you need?
While 450mg is considered the minimum amount of choline needed during pregnancy, research shows that additional choline may actually be beneficial for both mother and baby. Some studies have even shown that upwards of 930mg of supplemental choline can be beneficial for fetal and placental development(3).
Rule of thumb - aim high with choline during pregnancy and the preconception period. Pasture raised eggs are an excellent source of choline, along with plenty of lean meats, fish, cruciferous veggies, and some nuts and legumes. If you know your diet does not contain sufficient choline rich foods, an additional choline supplement may be a good option, such as choline bitartrate or sunflower lecithin. A prenatal that contains choline is also a wise choice! I have an in-depth prenatal vitamin selection guide that details everything to look for (download below).
As always, this post is purely informational and not meant as a substitute for medical advice. Please consult with your doctor before changing your diet or adding in new supplements!
