Caught between a government that unofficially promotes vegetarianism and 38% children aged under five years stunted, this is news that India can use if it wants to
A study by US researchers published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has found that introducing eggs early in the diet of infants could significantly enhance the levels of choline in the body, a compound that is known to prevent stunting. Choline is a water-soluble essential nutrient like vitamins. Following a randomized controlled trial, the Lulun (“egg” in Kichwa) Project, conducted in a rural indigenous population of Ecuador, researchers concluded that early introduction of eggs significantly improved choline and other markers.
India has suffered the “sentiment vs science” dilemma over eggs for years now. in 2015 Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Chouhan had famously cited sentiment to disallow eggs in the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), the country’s biggest programme to tackle malnutrition in children and pregnant mothers
The Global Nutrition Report 2017 that looked at 140 countries found ‘significant burden’ of childhood stunting in India with 38 per cent of children under five are affected. Stunting is defined as a malnutrition related conditions when children are too short for their age due to lack of nutrients, suffering irreversible damage to brain capacity.
girl with egg
India has suffered the “sentiment vs science” dilemma over eggs for years now. in 2015 Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Chouhan had famously cited sentiment to disallow eggs in the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), the country’s biggest programme to tackle malnutrition in children and pregnant mothers. A senior state official had defended the decision of the vegetarian CM to say: “It has been a sentimental issue with the CM from Day One. Moreover, there are better, more nutritious options available.”
One egg has 75 calories that includes 7 grams of high-quality protein, 5 grams of fat, and 1.6 grams of saturated fat, along with iron, vitamins minerals, and carotenoids. A similar amount of protein is contained in one-third cup of legumes or beans, two cups of spinach or two spoons of almond butter. While it is never easy to make children gulp down those quantities of dal and saag, almond butter of course is beyond the reach of most Indian families.
