Korean Job Discussion Forums

Yaya · Joined: 25 Feb 2003 Location: Seoul

MELBOURNE: Scientists have discovered that going veggie could be bad for your brain-with those on a meat-free diet six times more likely to suffer brain shrinkage.

Vegans and vegetarians are the most likely to be deficient because the best sources of the vitamin are meat, particularly liver, milk and fish. Vitamin B12 deficiency can also cause anaemia and inflammation of the nervous system. Yeast extracts are one of the few vegetarian foods which provide good levels of the vitamin.

The link was discovered by Oxford University scientists who used memory tests, physical checks and brain scans to examine 107 people between the ages of 61 and 87.

When the volunteers were retested five years later the medics found those with the lowest levels of vitamin B12 were also the most likely to have brain shrinkage. It confirms earlier research showing a link between brain atrophy and low levels of B12.

Brain scans of more than 1,800 people found that people who downed 14 drinks or more a week had 1.6% more brain shrinkage than teetotallers. Women in their seventies were the most at risk.

Beer does less damage than wine according to a study in Alcohol and Alcoholism.

Researchers found that the hippocampus-the part of the brain that stores memories - was 10% smaller in beer drinkers than those who stuck to wine.

And being overweight or obese is linked to brain loss, Swedish researchers discovered. Scans of around 300 women found that those with brain shrink had an average body mass index of 27 And for every one point increase in their BMI the loss rose by 13 to 16%.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/HealthSci/Eating_veggies_shrinks_the_brain/articleshow/3480629.cms

Bryan · Joined: 29 Oct 2007

The article does not say eating veggies shrinks the brain, being vegetarian/vegan does (I always suspected those people may be stupid to begin with though).

Most vegetarians/vegans get the majority of the calories from nutritionally undense grains and legumes, which also contain anti-nutrients called phytates which stop nutrient absorbtion. It's not coincidental theat they are low in B12, since the phytates in grains inhibit B12 absorbtion. People often look at the labels of their enriched cereal grains and think they are getting B vitamins and iron when they are never absorbed.

Vegetarians and vegans usually do not get the majority of their calories from actual vegetables, which are good sources of vitamins and minerals. Calorie per calorie, they usually have 10x the micronutrients that grains contain, plus no anti-nutrient lectins.

schwa · Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Yap

Vegetarians, dont overlook the goodness of marmite & vegemite!
Beer is okay! Or was that wine?
Stay skinny & you'll stay smart!

I like it. Did I read the researchers right?

Bryan · Joined: 29 Oct 2007

nene · Joined: 11 Jun 2005 Location: Samcheok, Gangwon-do

Tons of stuff is fortified with B12, including cereal and soymilk. Not to mention eggs and dairy. For all those vegans out there that don't eat any fortified foods, drink beer or eat nutritional yeast/vegemite though, look out.

aka Dave · Joined: 02 May 2008 Location: Down by the river

Today I ate tons of veggies. I also had two full pouches of tuna and a half pound shrimp. Vegetables are good for you. But you need protein as well.

Yesterday · Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 1:13 am Post subject:

zpeanut · Joined: 12 Mar 2008 Location: Pohang, Korea

better not let this article get into the hands of any 6 yr old.

but what an interesting article. I eat everything so.. oh well. I will pass it into my vege friends. Though, most aussies eat heaps of vegemite so i'm guessing most of them are safe.

Adventurer · Joined: 28 Jan 2006

Where can I get vegemite? Are there any other sources of B-12?
I may cut down on my meat consumption. I don't go for soy products. I heard they are not ideal for males.
I am curious about vegemite, though. I haven't seen it in Korea. Is there a place in Itaewon that stocks vegemite?

Socks · Joined: 15 May 2008 Location: somewhere in here...

peppermint · Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 7:58 am Post subject:

different · Joined: 22 May 2003

You could also order separate B-12 supplements. But be sure to get the methylcobalamin (sp?) form instead of cyanocobalamin. The former is absorbed by your body much more than the latter, but the latter is what's used in nearly all multivitamins and fortified foods. So by eating 150% of your RDA of B12 in fortified food, your body might only be absorbing 30%. I'm just pulling these numbers out of my ass, but if you're vegetarian do a little reading about B12 and consider ordering some methylcobalamin.

By the way, if you want to order supplements, don't get more than 6 bottles at a time or Korean customs will likely reject the package.