In 2008, the US Department of Agriculture released a guide to getting choline (a nutrient similar to B vitamins) from food, in collaboration with Dr. Stephen Zeisel, a nutrition expert at the University of North Carolina.
"Choline is critical for brain development," Zeisel said in a research article, and noted "choline's similarity to folic acid" as being important for preventing fetal neural tube defects (the brain, spine, and spinal cord).
Today, experts warn that "only 7% of females of childbearing age get enough choline," according to the British newspaper, Daily Mail, in late May.
While a pregnant woman can reach the recommended daily intake of choline (450 to 900 milligrams) "by eating about 3 eggs per day", eggs are the largest source of choline;
"A 100-gram egg provides 250 milligrams of choline," according to the USDA guide.
"I think every pregnant woman should eat eggs, except for those with an egg allergy of course," says Lily Nichols, a registered dietitian and author of Real Food for Pregnancy (one of her bestselling books).
Some pregnant and breastfeeding women may not eat many eggs due to concerns about high cholesterol (Pixabe)
The importance of choline for your child
"Although choline can be an essential nutrient for brain development, many people do not get enough of it, whether they are still in their mother's womb or in the first 1,000 days of life," Zeisel said.
The stem cells that make up the brain are formed during this period, and choline is the guarantee that they will form properly;
Otherwise, the structure of the brain will not form normally, which may affect the child for the rest of his life, "perception is worse at the age of seven, and school performance is not good at the age of 15."
Therefore, the responsibility - according to Zeisel - "lies on the mother to provide her child with this nutrient, whether during her pregnancy or through her breast milk after birth."
Zeisel noted that choline was recognized as an important nutrient by the Institute of Medicine in 1998, and the Food and Drug Administration did not set recommended daily intake levels for pregnant women until 2016, and many prenatal vitamins did not include this crucial substance in their ingredient list until recently. Until pediatricians began prescribing more vitamins that include choline for pregnant women,” according to a 2019 recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Zeisel asserts that children who do not receive enough choline in the first three years of life "score worse on cognitive tests and often have lower absorption than their peers";
In addition, they "are more likely to develop a cleft palate."
school age
A Cornell University study, funded by the US Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and published last January, linked "increased choline consumption during pregnancy to improved performance on challenging tasks that require sustained attention in seven-year-olds."
The researchers found that doubling the recommended amount of choline during pregnancy - by increasing the consumption of eggs, red meat, fish and nuts - had an effect on fetal brain development.
In this study - "the most recent in terms of tracking children to school age" - all women ate a diet formulated with a specific amount of choline throughout the last three months of pregnancy;
Half of them consumed 480 milligrams of choline per day (slightly above the RDA of 450 milligrams per day), while the other half consumed 930 milligrams of choline per day, almost double.
When tested for newborns after they reached 7 years of age, children of women in the first group showed a decrease in accuracy from start to finish in the sustained attention task;
While the children of the second group maintained a high level of accuracy throughout the task.
These new findings are based on a previous study by the same research group that focused on the fact that "adequate choline during pregnancy may have cognitive benefits for sons in childhood."
Choline contributes to building the brain of fetuses (Pixabi)
Tips for pregnant or breastfeeding women who do not prefer eggs
Research published in 2019 noted that the American Academy of Pediatrics recognized the “importance of choline for building the brain” and called on pediatricians to ensure that pregnant and breastfeeding women get enough of it;
By recommending that pregnant women take at least 450 milligrams per day, and breastfeeding mothers at least 550 milligrams per day.
The research showed that choline is also "beneficial for the function of the placenta as a vital organ for transporting oxygen and nutrients to the fetus."
Because some pregnant and breastfeeding women may not eat a lot of eggs, due to concerns about high cholesterol;
Zeisel points out that there are still other options for getting your daily choline intake, as red meat and fish are excellent sources of choline, “they contain more than 75 milligrams per 100 grams of weight,” and other good sources include “whole grains and legumes.” fruits and vegetables.”
Also, “milk can be a great source of choline,” especially for young children who drink it regularly, as part of their daily diet;
Provided it's cow's milk, not common milk alternatives, such as almond or oat milk, because they "do not contain choline".
Zeisel also advises mothers to make sure they consume enough choline if they are breastfeeding, “choline is passed through breast milk to their babies”;
He pointed out that the US Food and Drug Administration requires infant formula companies to contain enough choline "to come close to breast milk."