What Is Sphingomyelin & What Foods Can I Find It In?
Sphingomyelin is a member of the Choline family, it belongs to the choline phospholipids.
Choline is a complex essential nutrient involved in several diverse body functions.
Choline is used in the synthesis of certain phospholipids, sphingomyelin, and phosphatidylcholine.
They are all essential structural components of cell membranes.
Table of Contents
Sphingomyelin In The Body
Sphingomyelin is a fat-soluble nutrient. (source ◳)
Sphingomyelin is found in cell membranes and in the fatty sheath that envelops myelinated nerve fibers. (source ◳)
Sphingomyelin is absorbed intact and is finally distributed to tissues and other organs, including the brain and placenta. (source)
Sphingomyelin in cells
Sphingomyelin is the most abundant and widely distributed phospholipid in cells.
It is found in cell membranes and has a wide range of important functions.
It acts as a structural component of the cell membrane and is involved in the transport of a variety of substances, like, nutrients, hormones, ions, lipids and proteins.
Different Cholines
There are several different cholines, but the most common sources of choline in foods are sphingomyelin, phosphatidylcholine, phosphocholine, glycerophosphocholine, and free choline.(source)
Foods You Can Find Sphingomyelin In
You find Sphingomyelin mostly in egg, sausage and luncheon meat, poultry, and beef products.
Examples of food sources include
- Whole Egg
- Chorizo
- Turkey Sausage
- Ground Turkey
- Italian Pork Sausage
- Breakfast Beef Sausage
- Cheese
Foods in our nutrition tool
You can find regularly updated top-ranked lists of foods for over 200+ nutrients in our nutrition tool.
If you are interested in what foods contain the most Sphingomyelin, we recommend you visit our tool.
Here's our top-ranked list of foods that contain Sphingomyelin.