Veggies Shrink Brains

Vegans, take note! Not enough computing capacity in the old cabbage? Eat animal products. The latest scientific research coming out of Oxford University indicates that vitamin B-12 is missing from vegetarian diets, shrinking the coconuts.

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.

I read about the vitamin B-12 problem a number of years ago so the research is confirmation rather than discovery. Not only that but all of the few self-acclaimed "enlightened" vegetables-only consumers I've met were aware of and rationalized away the B-12 problem.

Interestingly, though, none of the acquaintances could explain to me why the animals at the top of the food chain, i.e. the King of the Jungle and the tyrannosaurus rex, have historically charged past the peas, broccoli and spinach for raw meat.

Tip: Omnivore Charley Nestor