Vegan/Plant-based – Omega 3 and Phospholipids
As you are vegan, it is close to impossible to get sufficient phospholipids and omega-3 DHA from your food alone. As a consequence you’re going to need to supplement a plant-based source of both.
Regarding DHA, please read the Reports: Veganism, DHA and Brain Health and Phospholipids – A Challenge on a Vegan Diet in your Library
But what intake of choline can you achieve from a vegan diet alone? Here’s a list of the best plant-based food for choline listed in the order of how much you could get in a reasonable serving*:
CHOLINE QUANTITIES IN FOODS
| Food | Choline per serving | Per 100g |
| Soya milk (1 cup/250ml/9fl oz) | 57mg | 23mg |
| Shiitake mushrooms (1 cup/145g/5oz) | 54mg | 37mg |
| Soya flour (12.5g/1/4oz) | 24mg | 192mg |
| Peas (1 cup/160g/53/4oz) | 47mg | 30mg |
| Quinoa, raw (1/3 cup/60g/21/8oz) | 42mg | 70mg |
| Beans, raw (1/3 cup/60g/21/8oz) black, white, pinto, kidney | 40mg | 67mg |
| Broccoli, cauliflower or sprouts (1 cup/90g/31/4oz) | 36mg | 40mg |
| Tofu (1/2 cup/125g/41/2oz) | 35mg | 28mg |
| Hummus (1/2 cup/120g/41/4oz) | 34mg | 28mg |
| Chickpeas (1/4 can) | 33mg | 33mg |
| Baked beans (1/4 can) | 31mg | 31mg |
| Flaxseeds (small handful) | 22mg | 78mg |
| Pistachio (small handful) | 20mg | 71mg |
| Pine nuts (small handful) | 18mg | 65mg |
| Cashews (small handful) | 17mg | 61mg |
| Wholegrain bread (2 slices/50g/13/4oz) | 17mg | 34mg |
| Avocado (1/2) | 14mg | 28mg |
| Almonds (small handful/50g/13/4oz) | 12mg | 42mg |
| Peanuts (small handful) | 12mg | 42mg |
| Wheatgerm (tbsp 7g/1/8oz) | 12mg | 178mg |
| Almonds or peanut butter (tbsp) | 10mg | 61mg |
Source: USDA choline content database and https://nutritiondata.self.com* Many foods have not been analysed for choline, and measurements do vary, so this is a guide rather than a definitive list.
What does this mean for your daily diet?
Here are some vegan foods that you could include in your meals to maximise choline intake, and how much each food would give you (we’re not including all foods that you would eat at these meals, just those ingredients that deliver a significant amount of choline):
| Food | Choline |
| BREAKFAST | |
| A cup of soya milk (250ml/9fl oz) | 57mg |
| Small handful of nuts or seeds (Flax, chia, almonds, etc.) | 20mg |
| LUNCH | |
| A cup of cooked quinoa (1/3 cup/55g/2oz raw) | 43mg |
| A serving (100g/31/2oz) of either broccoli, 36mg cauliflower or Brussels sprouts | 36mg |
| 1/2 avocado | 14mg |
| SNACKS | |
| A tbsp of almond or peanut butter | 10mg |
| Hummus (1/2 cup/120g/41/4oz) | 34mg |
| 2 slices of wholegrain bread | 17mg |
| DINNER | |
| A serving of tofu (125g/41/2oz) or beans | 35–40mg |
| Shiitake mushrooms (1/2 cup/35g/11/4oz) | 27mg |
| A serving (100/31/2oz) of either broccoli, cauliflower or Brussels sprouts | 36mg |
| TOTAL | 332mg |
In reality, you are unlikely to achieve the 332mg total listed in the table above every day, and it would be quite limiting on your food choices, so a realistic target would be to achieve 300mg of choline from food. If you are aiming to achieve 500mg, which is the low end of optimal – more than this might be optimal in pregnancy – that leaves a shortfall of around 200mg of choline, suggesting the need for supplementation.
The report explains what your options are between food and supplementation.