Promoting plant-based diets to help save the environment is definitely commendable. However, a nutritionist says that the move to give up essential nutrients might put brain development at risk. The results of the study were published in an online journal, BMJ Nutrition, Prevention, and Health.
"What truly makes this condition worse is that the UK government has failed to make recommendations as to the amount of choline every person should take to keep the brain healthy," says Dr. Emma Derbyshire. She's an expert in Nutritionist Insight, a consultancy firm that specializes in biomedical science. Choline is a dietary nutrient mostly present in animal meat.
The human body, particularly the liver, produces choline, but it isn't enough to meet the essential requirements of the body. Choline is critical to keep the brain healthy, particularly during fetal development. This nutrient also influences the function of the liver. When the body lacks the needed amount of choline, it becomes at risk for irregularities in the metabolism of blood fat as well as cellular damage caused by free radicals, writes Dr. Derbyshire.
Eggs, beef, fish, and chicken are the primary sources of dietary choline. Although the same choline is found in nuts, beans and particularly cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, they come in much lower levels.
In 1998, the US Institute of Medicine released a statement that recommends the daily minimum intake of choline, as it was recognized as an essential nutrient to the body growth. For women, it ranges from 425 mg/day and 550 mg/day for men. 450mg to 550 mg/day for pregnant and breastfeeding women as it plays a critical role in fetal development.
In 2016, the same recommendations were released by the European Food Safety Authority. And yet, dietary surveys conducted in Australia, Europe and North America show that the intake of choline falls short of the recommendations provided.
"This is particularly concerning since the dietary trend appears to be going vegan and giving up meat consumption altogether," says Dr. Derbyshire.
Given the important role that choline plays in human health, Dr. Derbyshire, emphasizes the importance of educating consumers about the importance of eating nutrient-rich diet. "She also recommends that people be made aware of how they can achieve this," she writes.
