As if you needed more of an excuse to wake up to a hearty scramble. "Choline is essential to promote health at all life stages, but is particularly critical for brain health both early in life as the brain is forming and later in life to prevent cognitive decline," says Elizabeth Ann Shaw, MS, RDN, CLT, CPT, and author of Fertility Foods Cookbook, to POPSUGAR. "Ninety percent of Americans do not meet daily choline needs, and only 5 to 10 percent of pregnant women are meeting the adequate intake levels (AI) for choline." Yikes.
Choline is found in many foods but in small amounts. "The best sources of choline are in foods that tend to be unpopular, such as liver, lima beans, and egg yolks," she says. The recommended daily intake for choline is 550 mg per day, she says.