Sources of dietary choline:-
- Eggs.
- Cruciferous plants e.g broccoli
- Spinach.
- Peanut.
- Liver.
- Brown rice.
The daily body requirement for choline varies with age, sex, in pregnancy and during lactation period.
-
Pregnant women- 450mg/day
-
Lactating mothers- 550mg/day
-
Female 19 years and above- 450mg/day.
-
Male 19 years and above- 550mg/day.
-
Children 1-3 years- 200mg/day.
-
Children 4-8 Years- 250mg/day. [2]
HEALTH BENEFITS OF CHOLINE.
During pregnancy
The
demand for choline during pregnancy is high as the developing baby
demands for choline co-exists with those of the mother. During pregnancy
choline is necessary for:-
- Prevent neural tube defective lesions in the brain (enencephaly and enencephalocele) and spinal cord (spina bifida). These lesions on the brain or spinal cord are life threatening. [3]
- Supports cognitive function by enhancing growth of memory center of the brain more prevalent during the late stages of pregnancy through birth to when the child is 4 years of age when the hippocampus (memory center) resembles that of an adult.[1]
- Adequate plasma level of choline has a possible health effect during pregnancy helping to reduce risks associated with pregnancy like pre-ecclampsia, premature births and very low birth weight infants. [2]
Slows neuro-degeneration with advancement in age.
References.
1. Choline: An Essential Nutrient for Public Health -
By Steven H. Zeisel, M.D., Ph.D and Kerry Ann da Costa, Ph.D. Viewed at:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2782876. Viewed on
14/06/2015.
2. Choline -wikipedia,the free encyclopedia. Last
edited on 25th May, 2015 by Anonymous. Viewed at:
https://www.en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/choline. Viewed on: 15/06/2015.
3. Choline|Linus Pauline Institute|Orego State
University. Address:
http://www.lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/other-nutrients/choline. Viewed on
15/06/2015