Vegetarians have shrinking brains

This post includes a summary of a study published in Neurology 2008;71:826-832 and a recipe for sausage and egg breakfast bites.

Study title and authors:
Vitamin B12 status and rate of brain volume loss in community-dwelling elderly

A. Vogiatzoglou, MSc, H. Refsum, MD, PhD, C. Johnston, S. M. Smith, DPhil, K. M. Bradley, FRCR, FRCP, C. de Jager, PhD, M. M. Budge, MD and A. D. Smith, DPhil, FMedSci

Books:

From OPTIMA (A.V., H.R., C.J., K.M.B., C.d.J., M.M.B., A.D.S.), Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, UK; Institute of Basic Medical Sciences (A.V., H.R.), Department of Nutrition, University of Oslo, Norway; Oxford University Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain (S.M.S.), UK; and Department of Geriatric Medicine (M.M.B.), The Canberra Hospital and Australian National University Medical School, Australia.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.neurology.org/cgi/content/abstract/71/11/826
 
The study discovered that going on a vegan could be bad for your brain-with those on a meat-free diet six times more likely to suffer brain shrinkage because of a vitamin B12 deficiency.

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.

More information on this subject: Books : Scientific Studies : Other Websites : Videos : Food Mall 

Recipe of the day

Sausage and Egg Breakfast Bites

Ingredients:
1 small bunch of dark greens, such as kale, Swiss chard, beet greens or spinach

1-2 cups of crumbled, uncooked sausage

Food Mall: Eggs

8-10 eggs

a small bunch of parsley or other fresh herb

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Slice the greens into thin strips (if using kale, removed the stems). Sauté in oil or butter over medium heat for several minutes, then add the crumbled sausage.

Continue to sauté until sausage is basically cooked, then turn off heat.

Whisk the eggs then stir in the parsley, kale and sausage.

Pour into a greased 8×8 pan. Bake 20-25 minutes.

Let cool slightly before cutting into squares.