Choline is an important nutrient required for expecting mothers throughout their pregnancy cycle. The main function of the choline is to keep the liver, muscle and brain cells healthy. Choline is received through the food we take. Yes! Diet plays a major role to meet the daily recommended dosage. Here, in this article, let’s find out why choline is important to take during pregnancy. So, keep reading the post!
What is choline?
Choline is an essential nutrient that is required by the body to perform various functions. Though our body can make choline, it is available in a lesser amount, hence it is required to meet your daily dosage through choline-rich foods or supplements. Choline is vital for performing neurological functions, DNA synthesis, fat metabolism, protects heart health, and for maintaining body cells.
Why it is important to take choline during pregnancy?
The following are the role of choline during the pregnancy:
- According to the studies, women who consumed choline supplements or choline-rich foods during their pregnancy period showed that their offspring have better cognitive function than the others who don’t consume it. Buy choline supplements from a trusted online medicine site and get them delivered at your doorstep.
- Choline helps in tissue expansion, brain development, neurotransmission, and aids in the biosynthesis of the membrane, and gene expression during the pregnancy cycle.
- If you are unable to meet your daily choline requirement this may result in the depletion of brain function in kids throughout the lifetime. Hence, it is required to meet the daily dosage as per your doctor’s advice for a healthy baby.
- Intake of choline during the pregnancy helps in foetal development.
- Having choline included in the diet helps to protect the brain from neurological complications like Alzheimer’s disease, foetal alcohol syndrome, iron-deficiency, autism, Down syndrome, and many more.
- Some studies have also shown that increased intake of choline during pregnancy can help us protect from the cognitive decline during old age.
- In some studies, it states that choline intake reduces foetal overgrowth which is one of the major issues seen in women with gestational diabetes.
- Choline may protect your baby from cleft lip, palate, and neural tube defects
- Right choline intake during the pregnancy can protect your child from diabetes, depression, and hypertension in later years.
Deficiency of choline:
Choline is important to carry various physiological functions, metabolism of fat, and helps in protecting the body from numerous diseases, but if the body lacks the required amount of choline then you may end up having the following diseases:
- Muscle damage
- Memory loss
- Insomnia
- Weight gain
- Non-alcoholic fatty liver
- Neurological disorders
- Neural tube defects in the foetus
- Premature birth
- Preeclampsia
- Atherosclerosis
The excess choline in the body can also lead to the following complications:
- Sweating
- Vomiting
- Hypotension
- Liver toxicity
- Salivation
- Fishy body odour
Choline rich-foods:
There are many plant and animal food sources that can supply a sufficient amount of choline in your body. A few of those foods are listed below:
Animal sources:
- Eggs
- Lean chicken
- Salmon fish
- Beef
- Shrimp
Plant sources:
- Low-fat milk
- Green peas
- Broccoli
- Navy beans
- Nuts like almonds
- Quinoa
- Cabbage
- Dry roasted peanuts
- Tofu
- Soybean
- Flaxseed
- Tomato
The doctor usually prescribes choline supplements in pregnant moms to avoid complications like mental illness in offspring. To meet your daily recommended dosage if nutrition supplements are prescribed, order them from the best online pharmacy store and get medicine delivery at your home at amazing discount on every order you place.