Kids Go Vegan!
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FROM
Virginia Messina, MPH, RD on examiner.com
Vegan diets are a great choice for children. Raised in homes where the
emphasis is on healthful plant foods, young vegans are likely to gain a few
nutritional advantages over their meat-eating peers.
Health experts often caution that vegan diets for children require
“careful planning.” That’s true, but then again, all diets for children
require careful planning. Parents of omnivores need to make sure their kids
are getting enough fiber and iron and not too much saturated fat. With
obesity and diabetes on the rise among children, it is clear that there are
plenty of problems with omnivore diets.
Vegan parents, on the other hand, need to make sure their children are
getting enough calcium and vitamin B12 and that iron is well absorbed.
Admittedly, choosing an eating style that is outside of mainstream culture
adds a few challenges. But with the vast array of great vegan products on
the market today, it really is easy to plan a healthful diet for young
vegans.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when kids go vegan:
- If you feel like your little one isn’t eating enough—a typical
problem with preschoolers in particular, whether or not they are
vegan—focus on higher-calorie foods like nut butters, avocado and tofu.
Don’t overdo it with fiber which can fill up small stomachs. It’s okay
to include some refined foods like pasta and cereals. And don’t skimp on
fat. Children don’t need a low-fat diet.
- No food is absolutely essential in any vegan diet, but fortified
soymilk can go a long way toward meeting needs for protein, calcium and
vitamin D. Many brands are also fortified with vitamin B12. (Milks made
from almonds, oats, or rice are too low in protein and often in
calories. They are fine for occasional use, just not ideal as a dietary
staple.)
- If kids aren’t regularly consuming foods fortified with them,
supplements of vitamin D and vitamin B12 are essential. A multivitamin
that contains these nutrients is fine as long as it is chewable. Vitamin
B12 isn't well-absorbed when it's swallowed whole.
- Vegan children have slightly higher protein needs than omnivores.
They can meet those needs if they getting enough calories and eating a
variety of whole plant foods. But if kids turn their noses up at
legumes, give their diet a little protein boost with veggie burgers, soy
products, and wheat seitan.
- Fortified vegan milks and juices can easily supply enough calcium
for children. It’s good to include some foods that are naturally rich in
calcium, too, such as hummus, figs, blackstrap molasses, and almond
butter.
- Make sure kids get plenty of zinc. Good sources are wheat germ,
pumpkin seeds, beans, peas, and tahini.
- Include a good source of vitamin C with every meal. Vegan children
get plenty of iron; the key is making sure they absorb it well. Vitamin
C consumed at the same time as the iron source is important.
- Leafy greens—collards and kale—are vegan super foods, but not always
a kid-friendly favorite. Temper their strong flavor by mixing them with
bland foods like mashed potatoes or sweet ones like applesauce. Or chop
greens finely, mix them with rice, and roll up in a tortilla.
What doesn’t work for children? Raw foods, very low fat, and fruitarian
diets are off the menu for kids. They make it much too hard to meet nutrient
needs during growth. Macrobiotic diets that don’t include fortified foods
can be risky, too.
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