Is A Vegan Diet Appropriate For Kids?

Research shows that a vegan diet offers numerous health benefits to an individual.

‘Train the child in the way he should go and he will not depart from it’.

This is very true as a child is like a clean slate and you can write anything you wish and it will stay with them for good! Eating habits are formed during childhood and a vegan diet can offer an opportunity to learn and adapt to a variety of nutritious plant foods. Vegan diets are extremely doable provided the caregivers educate themselves about the needs of the child as these are the formative years.

With an epidemic of childhood obesity and metabolic conditions in current times, staying lean for adolescents is a challenge. A vegan diet helps in weight management. This can be attributed to the fact that plant foods are naturally high in fibre and helps keep you satiated for a longer time.

Also,  plant foods have zero cholesterol which means it also serves as a cardio-protective mechanism. The trending food pattern has pushed children in the pre-diabetes zone and there are studies showing that with a vegan diet blood sugar levels can be controlled better.

A vegan diet also helps maintain hormonal balance which seems to be all over the place in a majority of children. Milk produced by the cattle certainly has some hormones present and due to the increased demand, they are injected with additional steroids to suffice the crowd and double the profit. These influence teenage hormones and are a leading cause of puberty-related issues, insulin spikes and acne. Animal fat has been linked strongly to heart ailments due to high cholesterol and saturated fatty acid content. Moreover, they have the highest chance of contamination and causing food poisoning disturbing the gut integrity. 

What About My Child’s Protein Intake?

There are concerns raised that vegans tend to consume fewer calories coupled with low protein intake which are imperative to support growth and development. Well-planned meals around whole grains and pulses add adequate calories, fibre and also a wide variety of micronutrients like magnesium, potassium, iron, selenium etc.

There should be no mix up about where to get your protein from because plant foods can provide all the essential amino acids. Be sure to include beans, lentils, chickpeas, nuts, tofu and soy alternatives to dairy.

Calcium is an important nutrient for bone development, teeth as well as for the nervous system. We have been made to believe that milk is the best and the highest source of calcium but sadly that is not the truth. Animal milk is acidic and difficult to digest and absorb, leaving us with not enough calcium. If anything, it leaches your bone calcium for neutralization of the acid. 

On a vegan plan, incorporating plant foods like ragi millet, soya bean, leafy greens, gingelly seeds and fortified dairy alternatives helps create the balance.

How Do We Get The Essential Vitamins Required?

Vitamin B12 is for nerves and blood and the best part is, our body can make B12 in the gut. Plant-based foods help to improve gut functioning and are also high in prebiotics which the growth of good bacteria in the gut thereby increasing B12 production. A good supplementation may be essential for meeting the requirements of Vitamin B12 if the child is a poor eater.Besides this, regular consumption of nuts and seeds are an optimal source of iron, fibre, zinc, selenium and Vitamin E. They contain a combination of good-quality fat which is essential for our brain, nerves and immune system. 

Individuals may follow veganism out of their love for animals and the environment but by doing this you are building your own nutrition and health. As with any other diet, the benefits are visible when followed for the long term and the meals are planned around plant-based nutrient-rich foods and less of processed vegan products.

Let your child thrive, not just survive.