Delicious UK - (07)July 2020

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THE MEDIC’S VIEW

COMPILED BY SUE QUINN

M

anyofusaretryingtoeatlessmeatandmoreveg– perhapseven
moresonow,tosavemoneyintheCovid-19crisis.A record400,000
peoplesignedupforVeganuaryin2019,almostdoublethenumber
thattookpartin2018.Whilemanywillbenefitfromincreasedplantintake
it’sworthnotingtherearea coupleofnutrientscrucialforbrainhealth–
vitaminB12andomega3 fats– thatmightbelowormissingina vegandiet.
B12is foundmostlyinfish,meat,poultry,eggsanddairy.It’sessential
formaintainingtheprotectivelayerthatinsulatesnerves(myelin),it’s
a necessarycomponentofmetabolismforeverycellinthebody,andit’s
neededtoproduceDNA.B12deficiencysymptomscanbeginvaguelyas
generalfatigue,butlaterthesymptomscanincludepinsandneedles,pain
ornumbnessinthehandsandfeet,a soretongue,depression,confusion
andpoormemory.Atitsworst,a B12deficiencycanmimicdementia.
Omega3 fats(theonesfoundinoilyfishandseafood– thetypefound
innutsandseedsisn’teasilyutilisedbythebody)makeupabout 30 per
centofnervecellmembranes,sothey’recrucialforthephysicalstructure
ofthebrain.Deficiencymayshowupasrough,dryskin,whereas sufficient
intake is associated with reduced risk of cognitive decline.

DOYOUNEEDTOTAKEA SUPPLEMENT?
TheNHSrecommendsanadultB12intakeofabout1.5microgramsper
day.Toachievethis,a veganneedstoeatB12-fortifiedfoodstwoorthree
timesa dayortakea supplement.Foromega3, analgae-based DHA
supplementis thebestoptionforsomeonewho’svegan.

BY KIMBERLEY WILSON

Vegans could

miss out onnutrients

crucial for brain

health

C R A Z Y

DIET?

TheOMADdiet

soundslikea mad

fad– butisit?

StandingforOneMeal

A Day,it’sanextreme

formofintermittent

fasting,whereyouabstain

fromfoodfor 23 hoursandeat

duringthesameone-hourwindowevery

day.Whilesomeintermittentfastingregimes

canbeusefulforlosingweight,thejuryis

outonthisone.Limitedresearchhasbeen

done,andit’snotfavourable.Inonestudy,

participantsfoundit wasdifficulttoconsume

sufficientcaloriesornutrientsinsuch

a shortspaceoftime,andsomesuffered

elevated blood pressure and cholesterol.

KIMBERLEYWILSONISA CHARTEREDPSYCHOLOGISTANDLECTURERWITHANINTERESTINTHE
ROLEFOODANDLIFESTYLEPLAYINMENTAL HEALTH. HER BOOK, HOW TO BUILD A HEALTHY BRAIN
(YELLOW KITE £16.99), IS OUT NOW

NEWRESEARCH

Pregnantwomencangivenewbornsthe

beststartinlifebyeatingfruit,according

toresearchersattheUniversityofAlberta,

who’veconfirmeda linkbetweenfruit-

snackingandthebraindevelopmentof

theiroffspring.Co-leadauthorRachel

Ward-Flanagansays:“Ourresultsshow

there’ssignificantcognitivebenefitforthe

offspringofmotherswhoingestmore

fruit during pregnancy”