Posts

10 Vegan Sources of Choline

Approximately 90%–95% of pregnant women consume less choline than the recommended intake . Prenatal dietary supplements typically contain little if any choline . The risk of inadequate choline status might be greater in pregnant and lactating women who do not take folic acid supplements, those with low vitamin B12 status, and those with a common variant in methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase (an enzyme that can affect folate status), all of which reduce the body’s pool of methyl groups needed for metabolism   Some evidence indicates that lower plasma or serum choline levels (e.g., serum concentration of 2.77 mmol/L in midpregnancy) are associated with an increased risk of neural tube defects .  However, other research found no relationship between plasma choline concentrations during pregnancy and neural tube defects in offspring  You can easily add these 10 plant-based choline sources to your plates to hit your goals Roasted Soybeans (Edamame): 107 mg per ½ cup 1 La...

How 8 Common Cooking Oils Affect Your Heart and Brain

Image
Fat is important for the body. Research has repeatedly shown that, in general, focusing on obtaining fats from plant sources has more benefits to health than consuming them from animal sources. Vegetable oils are generally healthier than other oils and fats because they are composed predominantly of unsaturated fats as opposed to saturated fat.  The  Dietary Guidelines for Americans   recommend that less than 10% of your daily calories come from saturated fat. The three golden rules help you decide the oil best suited for your needs  because every oil interacts differently with your biology and your cooking methods. Choosing the wrong oil can turn a healthy meal into a bad one. When evaluating cooking oils, we must look beyond the marketing and evaluate them based on three strict criteria: processing method , fat profile , and smoke point stability.   Photo by Ashwini Chaudhary(Monty) on Unsplash 1. Olive Oil (Extra Virgin & Light) Cardiovascular ...