Choline Daily Value: 550 mg

The FDA Daily Value for choline is 550 mg for adults and children 4+.

Key facts

Adults & children 4+
550 mg
Ages 1–3
200 mg
Pregnant/lactating
550 mg
Infants
150 mg
On labels until 2020/2021
None · new in 2016 Source (opens in a new tab)
Label rounding
Regulation: in mg, to the precision of the Daily Value; more decimals allowed for small amounts; under 2% DV may show 0% FDA guidance (nonbinding): nearest 10 mg
20% DV (high)
110 mg

Common amounts of choline

Per serving, adults and children 4+.

  • 20 mg is 4%
  • 50 mg is 10%
  • 200 mg is 35%
  • 500 mg is 90%

Questions about choline

What is the FDA Daily Value for choline?

The FDA Daily Value for choline is 550 mg for adults and children 4 years and older. On a Nutrition Facts label, a serving's %DV for choline is its amount divided by 550 mg, times 100.

How do I work out the %DV for choline?

Divide the amount in one serving by 550 mg and multiply by 100. Then round to the nearest 2% up to 10%, to the nearest 5% above 10% and up to 50%, and to the nearest 10% above 50%. For example, 110 mg ÷ 550 mg × 100 = 20%.

How are vitamin and mineral %DV values rounded?

The percentages for vitamins and minerals shall be expressed to the nearest 2-percent increment up to and including the 10-percent level, the nearest 5-percent increment above 10 percent and up to and including the 50-percent level, and the nearest 10-percent increment above the 50-percent level.

Choline rounding rules

Amount

Choline is declared to the nearest 10mg. Measuring finer than that changes nothing on the label, except below 5mg, where it is declared to the nearest 5mg so a real amount is not printed as 0.

Amount rounding rules for this nutrient
Amount rangeRounding rule
0 to <5nearest 5 mg
≥5nearest 10 mg

These mg increments come from FDA guidance, banded by this group's Daily Value.

% Daily Value

% Daily Value rounding rules for this nutrient
%DV rangeRounding rule
0 to 10% DVNearest 2%
>10 to 50% DVNearest 5%
>50% DVNearest 10%

Every %DV a label can show

What a serving has to contain for a label to print each figure. The %DV is worked out from the actual amount, before that amount is rounded.

How much Choline a serving must contain for a label to print each %DV
If the label showsThe serving must contain
Nearest 2%0 to 10% DV
0% DV0 mg≤ amount <5.5 mg
2% DV5.5 mg≤ amount <16.5 mg
4% DV16.5 mg≤ amount <27.5 mg
6% DV27.5 mg≤ amount <38.5 mg
8% DV38.5 mg≤ amount <49.5 mg
10% DV49.5 mg≤ amount <68.75 mg
Nearest 5%>10 to 50% DV
15% DV68.75 mg≤ amount <96.25 mg
20% DV96.25 mg≤ amount <123.75 mg
25% DV123.75 mg≤ amount <151.25 mg
30% DV151.25 mg≤ amount <178.75 mg
35% DV178.75 mg≤ amount <206.25 mg
40% DV206.25 mg≤ amount <233.75 mg
45% DV233.75 mg≤ amount <261.25 mg
50% DV261.25 mg≤ amount <302.5 mg
Nearest 10%>50% DV
60% DV302.5 mg≤ amount <357.5 mg
70% DV357.5 mg≤ amount <412.5 mg
80% DV412.5 mg≤ amount <467.5 mg
90% DV467.5 mg≤ amount <522.5 mg
100% DV522.5 mg≤ amount <577.5 mg

The rules are FDA's; the inversion is ours. Ranges are inclusive at the low end and exclusive at the high end, because an exact half rounds up.

Does the choline Daily Value change for children or pregnancy?

Yes. It is 200 mg for children 1 to 3 years, stays 550 mg during pregnancy and lactation and is 150 mg for infants through 12 months.

How do I find out how much choline is in a food?

A Daily Value is a reference target, not a measurement of any particular food. To find the choline content of a specific ingredient or product, look it up in USDA FoodData Central, then use that amount here to see what a label would declare and what %DV it carries.

Search USDA FoodData Central →

Where do these numbers come from?
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