As your child is vegan and maybe you are too, it is close to impossible to get sufficient phospholipids and omega-3 DHA from your food alone. Vitamin D is difficult too, as is B12, only found in animal products. As a consequence, you’re going to need to supplement a plant-based source of these nutrients.
Regarding DHA, please read the Reports: Veganism, DHA and Brain Health and Phospholipids – A Challenge on a Vegan Diet in your Library. Patrick Holford’s book Optimum Nutrition for Vegans is also very useful resource for vegans.
But what intake of choline can your child 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 | Choline 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 / 5¾oz) | 47mg | 30mg |
| Quinoa, raw (1/3 cup / 60g / 2⅛oz) | 42mg | 70mg |
| Beans, raw (1/3 cup / 60g / 2⅛oz) — black, white, pinto, kidney | 40mg | 67mg |
| Broccoli, cauliflower or sprouts (1 cup / 90g / 3¼oz) | 36mg | 40mg |
| Tofu (1/2 cup / 125g / 4½oz) | 35mg | 28mg |
| Hummus (1/2 cup / 120g / 4¼oz) | 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 / 1¾oz) | 17mg | 34mg |
| Avocado (1/2) | 14mg | 28mg |
| Almonds (small handful / 50g / 1¾oz) | 12mg | 42mg |
| Peanuts (small handful) | 12mg | 42mg |
| Wheatgerm (tbsp / 7g / 1/8oz) | 12mg | 178mg |
| Almond or peanut butter (1 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 child’s daily diet?
Here are some vegan foods that you could include in your child’s meals to maximise choline intake, and how much each food would give (we’re not including all foods that they 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 / 3½oz) of broccoli, cauliflower or Brussels sprouts | 36mg |
| 1/2 avocado | 14mg |
| SNACKS | |
| 1 tbsp of almond or peanut butter | 10mg |
| Hummus (1/2 cup / 120g / 4¼oz) | 34mg |
| 2 slices of wholegrain bread | 17mg |
| DINNER | |
| A serving of tofu (125g / 4½oz) or beans | 35–40mg |
| Shiitake mushrooms (1/2 cup / 35g / 1¼oz) | 27mg |
| A serving (100g / 3½oz) of broccoli, cauliflower or Brussels sprouts | 36mg |
| TOTAL | 332mg |
In reality, they 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 200 to 300mg of choline from food. If you are aiming to achieve 400mg, which is optimal – more than this might be optimal in pregnancy – that leaves a shortfall of around 100mg to 200mg of choline, suggesting the need for supplementation.
The report above, and the previous email, explains what your options are between food and supplementation in regard to lecithin granules or capsules.
📌 Next email: Omega 3:6 – getting the balance right
Wishing you and your child the best of health and happiness,
The COGNITION for Smart Kids & Teens Team