SEPTEMBER 7 2019 LISTENERGE
TTY (^) I
M
AG
ES
progressive and irreversible damage.
Prompt treatment is needed, because
the longer the delay, the lower the
chance of reversing the neurological
complications.
So, is the 0.74mcg of vitamin B12 in
a teaspoon of New Zealand Marmite
enough to stave off deficiency? In
fact, an adult would need three tea-
spoons to get the recommended daily
amount of 2.4mcg.
British Marmite, however, is a
richer source, containing 1.4mcg
per teaspoon, or just over half of our
daily requirements.
A
lthough Marmite is a helpful
addition to our B12 intake, the
vitamin is also to be found in
plenty of readily available foods. For
example, a glass of standard milk, a
boiled egg or a couple of 2cm cubes
of edam cheese each contain about
the same amount of vitamin B12 as a
teaspoon of New Zealand Marmite.
And if there is much debate about
the taste appeal of Marmite and
Vegemite, there’s no argument when
it comes to vitamin B12 content. l
Email your nutrition questions to
[email protected]
SCIENCE AND NATURE BRIEFS
NEVER TOO YOUNG TO WORK OUT
Newborns whose mothers exercise during
pregnancy may develop motor and
co-ordination skills earlier than babies whose
mothers don’t exercise, according to a study
at East Carolina University. And babies with fit
pregnant mothers developed stronger hearts,
with slower heart rates in the womb, the research
found. Development was more notable in girls,
who are usually behind boys at infancy. The
researchers suspect babies’ heart rates increase
with their mother’s during exercise.
ICELAND PUTS SKIDS UNDER CARBON
Iceland expects all businesses and its 350,000
population to remove or counter as much
carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as they put
in by 2040. Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir
has budgeted US$55 million in the next five
years for reforestation, land conservation and
environmentally friendly transport. A local farmer
who has already planted 200,000 birch trees is
negotiating with the local airport operator to
plant a tree for every tourist visiting the island to
counter their carbon emissions.
KNOCK KNOCK, WHO’S CONCUSSED?
Researchers have found changes in white brain
matter in rugby-playing youth after a single
season even if they have not been diagnosed
with concussion. The University of Rochester,
New York, study found cumulative sub-
concussive head knocks reduce the number of
nerve fibres in the brain. It’s not known whether
the effects are temporary and reversible.
WADDAYA STARING AT?
Seagulls screeching for your chips on the beach
should be stared down, say English
researchers. Potato chips were
placed in front of 74 birds in
an experiment. When
the researcher looked
away, the birds were
quick to attack, with
27 birds taking chips. When
the researcher stared down
the birds, the gulls did not
approach, confirming that
they use behavioural
cues to determine
whether it is safe to
snatch food.
MARMITE 1 tsp VEGEMITE 1 tsp)
ENERGY kj 34 27
PROTEIN g 1 1.3
SUGAR g 0.7 0
FAT g 0.1 0.1
SODIUM mg 180 170
POTASSIUM mg 150 110
IRON mg 2.4 0.1
ZINC mg 0.4 0.3
THIAMIN mg 0.47 0.89
RIBOFLAVIN mg 0.65 0.7
NIACIN mg 4.2 4.4
VITAMIN B12 mcg 0.74 0
FOLATE mcg 150 170
Source: Concise New Zealand Food Com position Tables, 13th Edition, 2018
15
Marmite is a helpful
addition to our B12
intake, but the vitamin
is also found in milk,
cheese and eggs.
The number of
minutes a shark
is immobilised
if flipped
upside down
... on average.