Any symptoms, topics, or research discussed in this article are provided for general educational and informational purposes only. They do not constitute product claims. Mention of these scientific studies does not imply that any Ritual products are formulated to treat, mitigate, or prevent any medical condition or address every health topic mentioned in this text. Refer to individual product packaging for specific substantiated benefits.*

Choline, choline, choline, choliiiiiiiine. (Sung to the tune of Jolene by Dolly Parton, obvi.) If you’re pregnant, you might be wondering: What’s the deal with choline, and why is everyone talking (or in our case, singing) about it all of a sudden?

Compared with folate, choline is relatively new to the prenatal nutrition conversation. It wasn’t officially recognized as an essential nutrient until 1998, decades after folate, and its importance during pregnancy has been gaining attention in recent years.^1,2

This attention is well deserved. Choline plays an important role in fetal development, including the development of the brain and spinal cord.*^1,2 Your body makes some choline on its own, but not enough to meet its needs, so the rest has to come from food and supplements.¹

Fortunately, choline is found in more foods than you might realize, and a few intentional choices can help you get closer to your daily target. Here’s how much choline you need, which foods are the most choline-rich, and what getting enough in your day can actually look like.

How Much Choline Do You Need During Pregnancy?

The Adequate Intake (AI) for choline is 425 mg per day for women ages 19 and older. During pregnancy, it rises to 450 mg per day, and during breastfeeding, to 550 mg per day, according to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.¹

Although choline is found in many common foods, most pregnant women fall short of the recommended intake. According to national dietary data from 2015 to 2018, pregnant women consumed an average of 278 mg of choline per day from food and beverages, and only about 4% exceeded the 450 mg AI.⁷

Why Does Essential Prenatal Contain 55 mg of Choline?

At Ritual, we take a food-first approach to supplementation. Rather than automatically including 100% of the Daily Value of every nutrient, we consider what people typically get from their diets and formulate to help fill nutritional gaps. For this reason, Essential Prenatal provides 55 mg of choline, or 10% of the Daily Value, to complement what you’re getting from food.¹

Did you know Ritual conducted a groundbreaking clinical trial on Essential Prenatal? The study found that Essential Prenatal provided key nutrient support to moms, including more efficient utilization of folate, 2.4x more biotin in mom’s blood, and a lower overall cortisol level during pregnancy when compared to moms taking a leading competitive prenatal.†*

What Foods Are Highest in Choline?

Eggs are one of the richest and most convenient sources of choline. A single large egg provides approximately 147 mg, or about one-third of the recommended daily intake during pregnancy, which means that just two eggs per day gets you nearly two-thirds of the way to the target amount.¹

Animal foods—especially eggs, meat, and fish—tend to provide more choline per serving than other foods, but that doesn’t mean they’re the only source. Soybeans, beans, potatoes, and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and Brussels sprouts can all contribute to your daily choline intake as well.

Here’s how some common foods compare:¹

Values are approximate and vary by food and preparation method.

Beef liver is exceptionally rich in choline, providing about 356 mg per 3-ounce serving.¹ However, a single serving contains more than twice the upper limit for preformed vitamin A during pregnancy, and too much preformed vitamin A can cause birth defects. For that reason, it’s best to consult with a trusted healthcare provider before consuming large amounts of liver during pregnancy.⁴

Easy Ways to Add Choline to Meals and Snacks

You don’t have to overhaul your diet to make room for more choline. A few simple additions to meals and snacks you already enjoy can help.

Give breakfast a boost. Add a fully cooked egg to toast or a breakfast burrito, if you tolerate eggs. Or sprinkle toasted wheat germ over oatmeal or yogurt for about 51 mg of choline per ounce.¹

Keep versatile add-ins on hand. Canned kidney beans work in soups, salads, grain bowls, and chili. Broccoli and Brussels sprouts are also simple additions to lunch or dinner.

Make snacks count, too. Milk (both cow’s and soy), yogurt, roasted soybeans, and peanuts all provide choline, making them convenient options between meals.

Don’t overlook potatoes. A baked potato provides choline and makes a versatile base for toppings that also include choline, like beans or pasteurized cottage cheese.

No single food needs to provide all your choline. Smaller amounts from different foods can add up throughout the day.

What Does a Day of Choline-Rich Eating Look Like?

You don’t need to calculate the choline content of everything you eat. But seeing how different foods add up can make the 450 mg daily target feel more manageable.

Here are two examples of how a day’s meals, combined with the 55 mg of choline in Essential Prenatal, can help you meet the recommended intake. The amounts shown reflect the primary choline sources in each meal, but other ingredients, like oats and whole-grain toast, contribute smaller amounts, too. Actual totals may be higher and will vary depending on serving size and preparation.¹

Sample Day 1: With Eggs

Sample Day 2: Vegetarian and Egg-Free

What If You Can’t Eat Eggs, or Food Aversions Get in the Way?

Knowing which foods contain choline and actually wanting to eat them during pregnancy are two different things. “Choline-containing foods often fall into the group of foods that are sometimes not well tolerated during pregnancy, like meats and eggs,” says Adeline Grier-Welch, MS, MPH, RDN, Clinical Affairs and Healthcare Director at Ritual.

If nausea or food aversions make these foods unappealing, focus on the choline sources you can tolerate. Bland foods may be easier to stomach when you’re nauseated.⁵ For example, a baked potato is one easy-on-the-stomach option that also provides choline.¹ Milk, yogurt, soybeans, beans, and quinoa are other options to consider, depending on what appeals to you.¹

Vegetarians who eat eggs and dairy may find it easier to meet their choline needs through food than vegans, who may need to plan more carefully. Soybeans, beans, potatoes, and cruciferous vegetables can all contribute, but many of the richest choline sources are animal-derived.¹

If you follow a vegan diet or nausea and food aversions are making it difficult to eat a variety of foods, talk with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian about whether additional choline supplementation might make sense.

How Do You Know If You’re Getting Enough Choline?

Unlike some nutrients, choline doesn’t have a routine blood test that can reliably tell you whether you’re getting enough. That’s because choline levels in the blood don’t necessarily reflect whether your body has enough choline to meet its needs.¹

Instead, a practical starting point is to look at how much choline you’re getting from food and supplements and compare that with the recommended 450 mg a day during pregnancy. The food table and sample days above can help.

When Might Additional Choline Be Helpful?

Food can provide a substantial amount of choline, but getting enough isn’t always straightforward, especially if you follow a vegan diet or nausea and food aversions limit what you can eat. Ritual offers two ways to add choline beyond our Essential Prenatal:

Natal Choline provides 550 mg of choline per serving.

Essential Protein Daily Shake Pregnancy & Postpartum provides 250 mg of choline per serving, alongside protein.

Emerging research has also explored whether choline intakes above the current 450 mg recommendation may offer additional benefits during pregnancy. In one small randomized controlled trial, infants whose mothers consumed 930 mg of choline daily during the third trimester showed faster information-processing speeds than those whose mothers consumed 480 mg, with enduring benefits measured in 7- and 14-year follow-up studies.^6,8,9 However, these findings haven’t yet changed official intake recommendations and more research is needed.

A randomized trial from the University of Colorado, published online in late 2026 in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, also studied higher choline intake during pregnancy. The study used a form of choline called phosphatidylcholine, which is the main form of choline found in foods. Researchers gave 206 pregnant women either 9,000 mg of phosphatidylcholine daily, taken as five 900 mg capsules twice daily (providing ~1,285 mg of choline per day), or a placebo from 16 weeks of pregnancy until delivery. Children whose mothers took phosphatidylcholine had fewer parent-reported signs of social withdrawal between 18 months and 4 years of age. At age 4, they also scored an average of nearly eight points higher on a standardized IQ test than children whose mothers took placebo. Attention problems did not decrease significantly, and about one-third of participants were lost to follow-up before the 4-year assessments.¹⁰

Frequently Asked Questions About Choline During Pregnancy

Can I get enough choline from food during pregnancy?

Yes, it’s possible to meet the recommended 450 mg of choline per day through food alone. Eggs, meat, fish, dairy, soybeans, and other plant foods all contribute choline. However, many pregnant women consume less than the recommended amount, so being intentional about your food choices can help you reach your goals.^1,3

Is the 55 mg of choline in Essential Prenatal enough?

Essential Prenatal’s 55 mg of choline is designed to complement dietary intake, not provide your full daily target. During pregnancy, the recommended intake is 450 mg per day, so you’ll need additional choline from food or other sources.¹ Some research is also exploring whether more choline, beyond the 450 mg amount, may offer added benefits. In a small randomized controlled trial at Cornell University, infants whose mothers consumed 930 mg of choline a day during the third trimester showed faster information-processing speeds than those whose mothers consumed 480 mg.⁶ That higher amount would be difficult to reach through food and Essential Prenatal alone, so those aiming for it would likely need supplemental choline.

Do I need a choline supplement if I take a prenatal?

Not necessarily. It depends on how much choline you’re getting from your diet and how much your prenatal provides. If you’re having trouble reaching the recommended intake, talk with your healthcare provider about whether a separate supplement makes sense.

Which foods are highest in choline for vegetarians?

Eggs are among the richest sources, providing approximately 147 mg per large hard-boiled egg. For plant-based options, roasted soybeans provide about 107 mg per half-cup, while toasted wheat germ provides 51 mg per ounce. Dairy, beans, quinoa, and cruciferous vegetables can also contribute.¹

How much choline do I need while breastfeeding?

The recommended intake of choline while breastfeeding is 550 mg per day, compared with 450 mg during pregnancy.¹ You can get choline through food and supplements, depending on your dietary needs.

Can you get too much choline during pregnancy?

It’s unlikely. The Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) or upper limit for pregnant adults is 3,500 mg a day from food and supplements combined.¹ Even taking Essential Prenatal, Natal Choline, and Essential Protein together adds up to just 855 mg, leaving plenty of room for choline from food.

Looking for more choline support during pregnancy? Check out our Prenatal Essential Support Bundle, which pairs Essential Prenatal with Natal Choline in one convenient delivery. 

The information mentioned above is provided for educational purposes only, and does not constitute product claims related to the Prenatal Essential Support Bundle. Refer to individual product packaging or https://ritual.com/products/prenatal-essential-support for Prenatal Essential Support Bundle specific substantiated benefits.*

†Based on a 24-week, randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial on 62 second and third trimester pregnant women.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

References

1. Office of Dietary Supplements. Choline: fact sheet for health professionals [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Institutes of Health; [updated 2022 Jun 2; cited 2026 Oct 30]. Available from: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Choline-HealthProfessional/
2. Korsmo HW, Jiang X, Caudill MA. Choline: exploring the growing science on its benefits for moms and babies. Nutrients. 2019;11(8):1823. doi:10.3390/nu11081823
3. Wallace TC, Fulgoni VL 3rd. Usual choline intakes are associated with egg and protein food consumption in the United States. Nutrients. 2017;9(8):839. doi:10.3390/nu9080839
4. Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin A and carotenoids: fact sheet for health professionals [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Institutes of Health; [updated 2025 March 10; cited 2026 Oct 30]. Available from: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminA-HealthProfessional/
5. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Morning sickness: nausea and vomiting of pregnancy [Internet]. Washington (DC): ACOG; 2020 May [reviewed 2025 Nov; cited 2026 Oct 30]. Available from: https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/morning-sickness-nausea-and-vomiting-of-pregnancy
6. Caudill MA, Strupp BJ, Muscalu L, Nevins JEH, Canfield RL. Maternal choline supplementation during the third trimester of pregnancy improves infant information processing speed: a randomized, double-blind, controlled feeding study. FASEB J. 2018;32(4):2172–80. doi:10.1096/fj.201700692RR
7. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. Usual nutrient intake from food and beverages, by pregnancy/lactation status: What We Eat in America, NHANES 2015–2018 [Internet]. Beltsville (MD): USDA ARS; 2021 [cited 2026 Nov 4]. Available from: https://www.ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/80400530/pdf/usual/gender%20revision/Usual_Intake_Pregnancy_Lactation_Status_WWEIA_2015_2018.pdf
8. Bahnfleth CL, Strupp BJ, Caudill MA, Canfield RL. Prenatal choline supplementation improves child sustained attention: a 7-year follow-up of a randomized controlled feeding trial. FASEB J. 2022;36(1):e22054. doi:10.1096/fj.202101217R
9. Larson EA, Roth S, Lam A, Strupp B, Canfield R. Maternal choline intake during pregnancy has lasting effects on offspring spatial memory: results from a 14-year follow-up of a randomized controlled feeding trial [abstract]. Curr Dev Nutr. 2024;8(Suppl 2):103079. doi:10.1016/j.cdnut.2024.103079
10. Hunter SK, Hoffman MC, Law AJ, Christians U, D’Alessandro A, Freedman R. Prenatal maternal phosphatidylcholine and children’s behavior and cognition through 4 years of age: randomized clinical trial. Am J Obstet Gynecol. Published online 2026 Oct 19. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2026.10.017