Benefits of Dairy For Cognitive Development in Infancy
- The American Academy of Pediatrics identified 14 nutrients critical to a child’s early brain development.
- Two of these nutrients, iodine and choline, play a key role in developing a baby’s rapidly growing brain in the first 1,000 days and are both found in dairy foods.
- Consuming dairy foods like milk, cheese and yogurt during pregnancy and early childhood can support optimal brain growth, prenatal nutrition, and cognitive development.
Many people can name vitamins such as A, D and C, as well as protein, zinc and iron. But there are two lesser-known critical nutrients that may sound more fitting for a high school chemistry lesson. And they’re key to a baby’s brain development.
Iodine and choline are among 14 nutrients the American Academy of Pediatrics recognize for their capacity to help up-and-coming generations meet their cognitive potential. What you may not know is that each is found in milk.
“Many of us don’t hear about iodine or choline too often, but they both play an important role in early brain development, a registered dietitian with National Dairy Council. “In fact, research shows that intake of iodine and choline during pregnancy is positively associated with child cognitive outcomes.”
The Connection Between Prenatal Nutrition and Infant Cognitive Development
Human brains grow more rapidly from conception to a child’s second birthday than during any other period. This period is referred to as “the first 1,000 days” where each moment matters, especially considering a baby has about 10,000 brain cells in the first month of pregnancy and 10 billion by six months of pregnancy. Proper nutrition during this time is valuable for infant cognitive development.
Foods for Pregnancy That Support Cognitive Brain Development(Milk, Cheese and Yogurt )
- Vitamin B12: Supports brain development and function
- Plays an important role in DNA synthesis and myelination in the nervous system
- Iodine: Essential for healthy neurocognitive development and the prevention of intellectual disability
- Required for thyroid hormones which play a role in the development, regulation and communication of brain cells
- Protein: Critical component for brain growth and development
- As an essential part of our cells, tissue, organs and neurotransmitters, it is key for cell proliferation, neural growth factors and brain development
- Selenium: Antioxidant that plays an important role in neurodevelopment
- Supports thyroid hormone metabolism and DNA synthesis, important for brain function and antioxidant regulation
Fortified Dairy Products (e.g., fortified milk or cheese)
- Vitamin D: Supports fetal brain development and optimal neurodevelopment (most milks and some yogurts are fortified)
- Vitamin D signaling can affect important events in brain development such as neuronal axon growth, neurotransmitter synthesis, nerve growth and brain function
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Major component of brain tissues, necessary for healthy growth and function (found in specialty fortified milks)
- DHA, in particular, is a major component of brain tissue that is required for healthy cell membranes and neurotransmission
- Vitamin A: Plays an important role in the developing central nervous system (found in whole milk and fortified reduced fat milks)
- Supports the regulation of gene expression, neuron al differentiation and neural tube patterning
Benefits of Nutrients Such as Iodine for Infants
Dairy foods are classified as a good or excellent source of iodine. Just one 8-ounce glass of milk provides nearly 60% of the recommended daily value of iodine.
For choline, eggs and meat have the highest content per serving size. However, because dairy foods are widely consumed, they are one of the top sources in Americans’ diets, making up about 13% of choline consumption. One 8-ounce glass of milk provides about 8% of our daily value.
Yet, the significance of these nutrients largely goes unnoticed. Most Americans aren’t consuming enough choline. Only about 10% of all Americans and 8% of pregnant women meet recommendations.
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