Vegan children are slightly, but noticeably smarter, according to Australian scientists in a large-scale study that can be called sensational. They also found a clear pattern between increased intelligence in childhood, a tendency to become a vegetarian by age 30, and higher levels of education, training, and intelligence in adulthood!
The purpose of the study was to identify the optimal diet in terms of intellectual abilities for children under two years of age, because. brain tissue is formed during this period.
Doctors observed 7000 children aged 6 months, 15 months and two years old. The diets of the children in the study fell into one of four types: healthy homemade food prepared by parents, ready-made baby food, breastfeeding, and “junk” food (sweets, sandwiches, buns, etc.).
Research team leader Dr Lisa Smithers of the University of Adelaide, Australia, said: “We found that children who were breastfed up to six months of age and then from 12 to 24 months of age with whole foods, including including plenty of legumes, cheese, fruits and vegetables, showed about 2 points higher intelligence quotient (IQ) by eight years of age.”
“Those children who ate mostly cookies, chocolate, sweets, chips, drank carbonated drinks in the first two years of life showed an IQ about 2 points below average,” Smithers said.
Curiously, the same study showed a negative effect of ready-made baby food on brain development and intelligence in children as young as 6 months of age, while at the same time showing a somewhat positive effect when feeding ready-made food to children from 2 years of age.
Baby food was previously considered extremely useful, because. it contains special vitamin supplements and mineral complexes for the appropriate age. However, this study showed the undesirability of feeding children with prepared meals at the age of 6-24 months, in order to avoid a lag in the development of intelligence.
It turns out that in order for a child to grow up not only healthy, but also smart, he must be breastfed for up to six months, then given a complete diet with plenty of vegan products, and then you can supplement his diet with baby food (at the age of 2 years).
“A two-point difference is certainly not that big,” notes Smithers. “However, we were able to establish a clear pattern between nutrition at age two and IQ at eight years of age. Therefore, it is very important to provide our children with truly nutritious nutrition at an early age, because this has a long-term impact on mental potential.”
The results of the experiment conducted by Lisa Smithers and her colleagues are echoed by a recent article published in the British Medical Journal (British Medical Journal), highlighting the results of another, similar study. British scientists have established a curious fact: children who at the age of 10 showed an IQ above average tend to become vegetarians and vegans by the age of 30!
The survey covered 8179 men and women, British, who by the age of 10 were distinguished by outstanding mental development. It turned out that 4,5% of them became vegetarians by the age of 30, of which 9% were vegans.
The study data also showed that school age vegetarians consistently outperformed non-vegetarians on IQ tests.
The authors of the development have compiled a typical portrait of a smart vegetarian, which dominates the results of the study: “This is a woman born in a socially stable family and herself successful in society in adulthood, with a high level of education and professional training.”
British scientists emphasized that such results clearly make it clear that “a higher IQ is statistically a significant factor in the decision to become a vegetarian by the age of 30, when a person completes social adaptation.”
In addition, scientists have established another important fact. Analyzing various indicators “within” the study, they found a clear relationship between increased IQ at a young age, choosing a vegetarian diet by the age of 30 and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease in middle age, and finally a reduced risk of coronary insufficiency (and with it, heart attack – Vegetarian) in adulthood”.
Thus, scientists – certainly not wanting to offend anyone – declare that vegetarians and vegans are smarter from childhood, more educated in middle age, professionally successful in adulthood, and subsequently less prone to cardiovascular diseases. A strong argument in favor of vegetarianism for adults and children, isn’t it?