Choline: food for the brain
Choline (found in vitamin B4) is a vitamin-like essential nutrient that aids different steps in metabolism. Breastfeeding mothers need it one and a half times more than everyone else [1].
What mom needs
Mom needs choline for the speedy return of all systems and organs to their prenatal state. Choline:
- protects against absent-mindedness and helps restore memory and attention [1].
- helps restore muscle tone.
- affects fat metabolism [1], therefore helping nursing mothers lose weight.
Most choline is found in beef, chicken, salmon and egg yolks [2].
What baby needs
Babies receive choline from breast milk and use it for brain development [2]. There are studies that show that speech development depends on the consumption of choline in the first months of life [3].
After two weeks of nursing, the choline content in breast milk is more or less stable — about 125 to 165 mg / l — exactly how much babies. Therefore, babies who are exclusively breastfed will always get enough [3]. If mom is deficit, however, she will remain low in choline unless she adds choline-rich foods to her her diet.
