As a parent, you may be wondering how you can ensure your child gets the best nutrition possible for their growing brain. What you may not realize is that a healthy cell needs a flexible membrane to take in the nutrients it needs and remove metabolic waste. This is especially important for your child’s brain cells. Choline plays a crucial role in this process and primes your child’s brain for optimal learning. For this reason, you’ll want to make sure your child consumes choline-rich foods every day.
A B vitamin (sort of)
Choline is a biochemical cousin to the vitamin B family. In the body, it serves as a building block for phosphatidylcholine, sometimes referred to as lecithin.
This fat-like compound wiggles its way into the membranes that surround cells, including brain cells. Here, it not only fortifies the structural integrity of the cell membrane, which helps control the flow of materials into and out of a cell, but also plays quarterback in the chemical signaling that triggers cells into action.
The body also uses choline to synthesize acetylcholine, a chemical messenger in the brain that’s critical for cell-to-cell communication involved in learning, memory and other mental functions.
Get enough (but not too much)
Your child needs to consume choline every day to nourish their growing brain for optimal mental performance.
Nutrition experts recommend young children (age 4 to 8 years) consume at least 250 milligrams of choline per day, but avoid exceeding 1,000 milligrams per day.
Older kids (age 9 to 13 years) need to consume at least 375 milligrams of choline per day, but avoid exceeding 2,000 milligrams per day.
Kid-friendly menu ideas
The good news is choline is found in a wide range of kid-friendly foods.
If you need inspiration, read on for seven simple ways to start boosting your child’s choline intake today:
1. Serve a fluffy, scrambled egg for breakfast.
(1 large egg provides 100 mg of choline)
2. Make fish tacos with cod, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and a dollop of tangy sauce.
(3 ounces of cod provides 71 mg of choline)
3. Offer some roasted soybeans as a crunchy and nutritious snack.
(1/2 cup of cooked soybeans provides 41 mg of choline)
4. Pour a glass of milk and serve with apple slices and almond butter.
(1 cup of milk provide 35 to 40 mg of choline)
5. Serve steamed broccoli with a sprinkle of melted cheese on top.
(1/2 cup of cooked broccoli provides 31 mg of choline)
6. Make a delicious yogurt parfait by layering yogurt, granola, and fresh fruit in a glass.
(6 ounces of regular yogurt provides 26 mg of choline)
7. Mix cauliflower into your favorite mac and cheese recipe
(1/2 cup cooked cauliflower provides 24 mg of choline)
Of course, you’ll find more brain-boosting tips in our book Eating for A’s, but if you’re a techy-type and eager for a deep dive into food sources of choline, you can navigate over to USDA FoodData Central. Here, you’ll find a searchable database with just about every food you can imagine and the nutrients they provide, including choline.
Now is the time to makes sure your daily menu provides an optimal amount of choline. After all, your child’s brain development and mental performance depends on it.
Here’s to nourishing young minds!
The EatingFor Team
Adapted from:
Eating for A’s: A month-by-month nutrition and lifestyle guide to help raise smarter kids. Kindergarten to 6th grade. (Second Edition) Available at Amazon.com and other online retailers.