3 Simple (but important!) Health Benefits of Choline

This is a sponsored post with VitaCholine and The Motherhood. All opinions are my own.

This year I’m making an effort to take ownership of my health and work toward achieving a more active lifestyle. To that end, I’ve been critically looking at my current diet and evaluating gaps I need to fill and nutrients that might be lacking.

One of those nutrients is choline. You may be thinking (as I was when I first heard about this nutrient) – what is choline and why do I need it? Choline is an essential nutrient for all ages and stages of life. This is one of the gaps I’ve identified in my diet after learning more about this important nutrient…and I am not alone.  90% of Americans do not meet choline needs. This is concerning, as adequate choline intake is required for your body to work efficiently and support prenatal development, cognitive function, liver health, muscle maintenance and energy. All incredibly important, if you ask me!

I was particularly interested in how choline supports prenatal development – if I ever decide (or any of you decide) to add another family member, we definitely want to make sure we are doing all we can to ensure a healthy mom and baby (more details on this later in the post).

So, if you are wondering why you should add more choline to your diet and help to close the choline gap, I am sharing 3 simple health benefits of choline and why you should be making sure you are not deficient in this essential nutrient.

3 Simple Health Benefits of Choline

1. Healthy Mom & Happy Baby– Choline boosts the brain’s ability to grow and function well. In fact, research from Cornell University shows that increased choline intake during pregnancy is correlated with improved processing speed (measure of IQ) in infants – and who wouldn’t want that for their baby!? 
2. Master of Metabolism– Choline helps to shuttle fat out of the liver, filter nutrients and convert food to energy. Yes, more energy, please!
3. Building Block of Memory– Can’t remember what you did yesterday? Or how about even earlier today – I’m with you! Choline helps the brain process and store memories, which is critical for learning and retaining knowledge. With back-to-school season upon us, and all the running around that follows, something to help with memory is always welcome.

Now that you have a better understanding of whyyou should be getting more choline, lets discuss how you can get more. First, it’s important to note that while choline is found in many foods, those foods only contain small amounts. And, the best sources of choline are in foods that tend to be fairly unpopular, such as liver, lima beans and egg yolks

In some cases, you’ll be able to find choline on food labels. However, putting choline content on labels is voluntary, so not all food labels will include it.

That said, even when following a choline focused diet, it is still nearly impossible to meet your needs through food alone (check out these menu models for more info).

The good news is that a choline supplement, like VitaCholine, in combination with a balanced diet rich in choline-containing foods, can help to close the choline gap and ensure you are getting the minimum amount of 550 mg of choline needed each day.

VitaCholine is super easy to fit into my health and fitness routine. I take it twice a day and make a concerted effort to try and incorporate choline abundant foods into my meals and snacks (e.g., adding canned salmon to my salad, serving roasted Brussels sprouts with a main dish at dinner, etc).

For women who are trying to conceive, pregnant or lactating, not getting enough choline can be especially problematic. Women who intend to become pregnant, or those currently pregnant, need at least 450 mg of choline a day, to improve the health of both mom and baby. Women who are lactating require 550 mg of choline a day. For me, adding a choline supplement to my routine means that I can spend more time with my family, since I know I am giving my body what it needs for optimal health. I know that a healthier me also means a happier me, and that means I’m a better mother, wife and friend

90% of Americans need more choline every day. Aim for 550 mg or more daily through a combination of food and supplements, like VitaCholine.

Do you know what choline is and why it’s so important?