Choline
Choline is measured richest in liver, recorded in our database at 330 mg per 100 grams, with raw salmon at 94 mg and steak at 90 mg. One large egg supplies 159 mg in a single-piece portion. The adequate intake is 400 mg per day (EFSA AI). Choline is not a vitamin but a nutrient of its own.
What may be said about choline
Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 records three wordings for choline: "choline contributes to normal homocysteine metabolism", "choline contributes to normal lipid metabolism" and "choline contributes to the maintenance of normal liver function". Those are three fairly technical sentences, and that is exactly why the trade often translates them into something about focus or memory. That translation does not appear in the regulation, so we do not make it.
Where choline sits, with the real values
Per 100 grams: liver 330 mg, raw salmon 94 mg, steak 90 mg, raw chicken breast 85 mg and raw prawns 80 mg. Chia seeds follow at 78.7 mg. The egg deserves a separate mention because our database records it per piece: one large egg supplies 159 mg, close to forty percent of the adequate intake from a single product you eat on a weekday morning without effort.
400 mg a day, marked as adequate intake
Our source gives 400 mg per day marked EFSA AI. That marking matters here: there is no established average requirement, only a value considered sufficient. Choline is also one of the few substances on this site that is neither a vitamin nor a mineral, but a category of its own. You will therefore rarely meet it on a label, while the daily amount is substantial.
Who ends up low in practice
The strong sources are predominantly animal: organ meat, eggs, fish and meat. Anyone eating plant-based lands mainly on chia seeds, flaxseed and pulses in our data, with lower values per portion. That makes the daily 400 mg harder, though not impossible — it simply asks for deliberate choices. We draw no conclusion from that about you personally; for an assessment of your own situation, see your GP.
Choline and the protein structure of your day
We sell nothing and recommend no supplement. What stands out when you set this list beside our protein pages: the strongest choline sources are precisely the products that also supply your protein. Anyone who gets the day's protein structure right — one source at every meal, including an egg or two — largely settles this nutrient along the way. That is why we never have to treat it separately in a programme.
How we compile this list
We sort every row in the DCRAFT food database on the measured value per 100 grams and take the top of that list. Rows recorded per piece, per slice or per portion do not count, because a value per piece cannot be compared with a value per 100 grams. Products listed under a brand name are left out: their composition changes outside our control, and a ranking resting on it ages without us noticing. Where several products carry precisely the same value, it comes from one shared row in our source data and we name one product from that group. We set this rule out here because a ranking without a visible selection rule is an opinion rather than a measurement.
Frequently asked questions
Which foods contain the most choline?
Liver leads at 330 mg per 100 grams. Raw salmon follows at 94 mg and steak at 90 mg; one large egg supplies 159 mg per piece.
How much choline per day?
Our source gives 400 mg per day, marked EFSA AI: an adequate intake. No average requirement has been established for this nutrient.
Is choline a vitamin?
No. Choline sits in its own category in our database, separate from the vitamins and minerals. That is why it rarely appears on packaging.
How much choline is in an egg?
One large egg supplies 159 mg according to our database. That is close to forty percent of the adequate intake of 400 mg per day.
Sources
- DCRAFT food database — KILLER COACH ENGINE V2.3 workbook (accessed 26 August 2026)
- EFSA AI (accessed 26 August 2026)
- Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 (accessed 26 August 2026)
Please note: This is general information about nutrition, not medical advice. If you have symptoms or suspect a deficiency, discuss it with your doctor. We do not sell supplements and have no commercial interest in any brand.
Last updated: .
Written by Dennis, founder of Dcraft Of Fitness.