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Some people don’t have much to lose, either.
lol good one gina but seirously i think we should write to the editor and tell him weve not got smaller brains by bein raw
in fact i think some of the people here are smarter than the oxford university who said were all small brained
You are probably correct vegdud. I like to write stuff, so I will write them tomorrow.
Interesting article, it got my brain cells working a little!
I know a lot of vegans are pretty low in B12, but it seems we function pretty well with a lower level. However, an omnivore with the same level of B12 might not function quite as well. Also, the study does not seem to distinguish between meat eaters and non-meat eaters, it merely correlates low B12 levels with brain shrinkage.
That said, I’ve read a lot raw foodists tend to run low in long chain omega 3’s, otherwise known as DHA and EPA. DHA is the major fat in the brain.
V-Pure, a new product on the market, is the only concentrated vegan source of DHA and EPA that exists, to my knowledge. E3 Live has both DHA and EPA, but not in concentrated form.
If you don’t do supplements, you can combine coconut butter/oil with a major omega 3 source like ground flax (in a smoothie or salad). Most people, if they have the enzyme, convert medium chain omega 3’s at a rate of 1-3%. If you combine, say 1T of coconut butter/oil with 3T ground flax twice a day, you can raise the conversion to 6-10%, depending on the study you cite. This should give you plenty of long chain omega 3’s. :)
I see by your picture you are actually writing gina, I haven’t used a pen in so long, I don’t know if I remember how. LOL!
achin70 i think youre right altho it looks like some people dont do too well with less b12 like medium swell here
but seriously if i eat omega 3 does that help with the b12 or do i still need to get more b12 from something else
Good question, I’m not sure if there is synergistic relationship between omega 3 intake and B12. You would probably need to get your B12 from other sources.
The best way to measure a food’s B12 value is not the amount of B12, or even the ratio of human active B12 to analogue B12 (the analogues compete for the same cell receptor sites), but whether the food raise the levels of B12. So far, there doesn’t seem to be a food that fits the criterium. However, I’ve also read some long term raw foodists seem to get enough when they grow their own food and don’t religiously wash their own produce. Others seem to have really strong digestion, and require less B12 because of of their gastric strength, enzymatic activity and ability to recycle B12. :)
Raw salmon is a great source of omega 3 fatty acids.
ok i didnt get all of that but how do i kno if i take supplements whether its human b12 or analog b12 cos it would be a waste of money if i was takin tablets that dont bring up my b12 level right
If you’re taking a B12 supp, I believe it should bring up your B12 levels. I believe the B12 in a supp should be human active. Try to get a B complex supp, though. I hear they work better than taking B12 alone.
In the previous post, I was just referring to foods like sea veggies and spirulina, which have both human active and analogue B12. :)
What about biotin? I have biotin tablets from before I went raw to help my dry skin and fingernails. It’s a B complex.
Though there have been no controlled studies done on the effectiveness of Biotin, the existing literature (uncontrolled studies) have shown that it does indeed thicken brittle fingernails in approximately 60% of people who take it. For a raw foodie, you probably don’t need to take it as a supplement if you eat Avocados, Raspberries, or Cauliflower.
hmmm, I eat rasberries and avocados. But I haven’t eaten them alot lately since at least here in the midwest an avocado is over two dollars. But I’ll try to incorporate more cauliflower and rasberries.
B complex is helpful, as achin70 mentioned! I eat nutritional yeast that has been fortified with B complex. I seem to remember something about Bee pollen having an important nutrient?
errrr can you eat bee pollen if your raw
im not sure thats so cool tbh
My doctor said that B vitamins are naturally occurring in the body and most people don’t need to get it from outside sources. Whenever I’ve taken B vitamin supplements, I get massive headaches anyway.
My hubby got to watch a few friends get their brains scanned at MIT years ago. He said that the guy who was the smartest had the smallest brain, so maybe less is more!
As far as honey, Vegdude, I am a raw vegetarian, not vegan. I really like raw honey (unfiltered stuff tastes like caramel, it’s amazing) and raw, unpaseurized milk.
troublesjustabubble: Yes, biotin is part of the B complex, Vitamin B7. By taking a B complex, I meant a supp with a spectrum of B vitamins, like B3, B6, B12, etc. LOL.