Thanks to the American Egg Board, in the last few days I’ve been able to glean a lot about choline, and the effects it has in our bodies. I was excited to learn that there are many benefits of choline – choline has been shown to help with brain and memory development in infants and helps reduce the risk of heart disease and breast cancer. But, I was saddened to hear that research also shows that only 1 in 10 women have enough choline in their diet.
Choline and Decreased Risk of Breast Cancer
There have been a few studies that have shown that women who eat eggs have a lower risk of developing breast cancer. The facts have blown me away!
- One study found that women who reported higher consumption of eggs, vegetable fat and fiber during adolescence had a smaller risk of developing breast cancer as adults. Can you believe that eating one egg, per day, was associated with an 18 percent reduced risk of breast cancer?!
- Another study showed that those who consumed the most fruit, vegetables and eggs were significantly less likely to have breast cancer. For those that reported eating at least six eggs per week, the risk of developing breast cancer was 44 percent lower than for those who ate two or less eggs per week!
What exactly is choline?
Choline is an essential nutrient needed for many of life’s most basic functions including normal functioning of all cells, liver metabolism and the transportation of nutrients throughout the body.
Although choline is produced within the body, it must also be consumed in our diet. It is found in foods such as beef liver, chicken liver, eggs, beef steak, cod, broccoli, peanut butter and milk.
In our efforts to raise breast cancer awareness, I would love if you could help spread the word about choline!
