Children on vegan diets?

Question

Many people on this site say it's wrong for a child to have a vegan diet. I'm wondering why so many people opposed to children being vegan?

In my opinion, vegan children can be raised healthily, as long as they acquire adequate nutrition, what's the problem guys?

Thanks. :)x

Answer 1

I think ANY diet CAN be healthy. I think a major problem with the vegan diet is when parents aren't completely educated about the nutritional needs of a child. I mean look at America's children overall (veg and non-veg). The children in this country are suffering from poor/imbalanced diet, weight problems, diabetes (which was practically non-existent in kids in the past). I don't have a problems with kids on a vegan or non-vegan diet but parents need to  be educated themselves.

Answer 2

I personally am against it because of the lack of choice that the child has.  Also, as the child grows up, if it decides that it wants to eat meat, this may be difficult.  I think it's sad to cut out the most varied and delicious part of food.  It means that that person can never truley enjoy BBQ's, or embrace cultures and will generally feel left out!  Also, I just don't think it's natural for us to be vegans, or vegeterians.  meat is there to eat!

Answer 3

i agree with firephoenixfire.......

a lot of people know their own nutritional needs, but the nutritional needs of a child are very different.  i think that raising vegan kids has been given a bad reputation because of people who have really screwed up in the past.  

we had a case recently in the USA where parents fed their child a raw vegan diet and the child ended up dying....but the child died because the parents refused to even give the child breastmilk when it was an infant!!!! people like that give all veg*ns a bad name.  

there are plenty of children out there that are being raised as vegetarians or vegans, you just don't hear about the healthy ones.  the only stories that make the news are the ones who are suffering from malnutrition which is the fault of the parents, not of the veg*n movement.

i plan on raising my kids as vegetarians, but i still have people tell me that it's bad for them and have even had people tell me that doing so should be considered child abuse....they always reference cases like that one where the child died.  i always tell them that cases like that are exactly why my family and myself will see a nutritionist regularly and will luckily be constantly under care of a physician (my hubby).  omni, vegetarian, vegan....doesn't matter....any of them can be healthy, but you have to be educated about the needs of a child and how those are different than the needs of an adult.

just something to think about:

there are many cultures in the world where people raise their children as vegetarians, and some even as vegans....these people have survived for thousands of years and do just fine for themselves.  if it were unhealthy to raise children this way, wouldn't they have died off already!?

Answer 4

The biggest problem for young children will be getting them enough cholesterol and fat.  Sounds strange since most adults are trying to lower their cholesterol and fat intake, but it's critical for brain development in the very young.  Their body can metabolize it differently than adults so there's not an immediate health impact as long as they're weaned from it eventually.

The biggest nutritional problem with kids these days is empty calories from sugar.

Answer 5

It's definitely possible for children to be vegan and healthy. However, they require much higher tracking and should have closer medical following since they are at much higher risk of having deficiencies of vitamins, minerals and fats.

Personally, I don't think that decisions about food patterns, religion, etc should be pushed on children because of their parents' choices. Before you roll your eyes and scoff, I know that it is impossible to raise a child without any social or personal influences, but if it can be avoided by showing your children all possible avenues, then it should be.

Answer 6

Hala hit the nail on the head.

Answer 7

When I have a child, I want them to be vegetarian. My future husband, however, is practically a carnivore, claiming that vegetables "make him gag". He has said "You're not going to make our kid vegan, right?", thinking it will kill them or something. I've tried to explain that as long as they get the proper nutrition, it's just fine.

However, as my child grows I want them to decide themselves whether or not they want to be vegan.

Answer 8

Being an Omnivore, I have always thought I was open minded as to the various dietary regimes thoroughout the world, and indeed have sampled a great many of them.

Having grown up within the farming community, we cultivated many cereals and arable crops, as well as livestock, some of which always was used to provide our families with the food they required.

From a very early age (about 6) I knew exactly where my meat was coming from and how it got there.

My parents were able to provide me and my siblings with a varied and wholesome diet long before Veganism or even Vegetarianism were really ever heard of.

As I grew older I had the choice to decide what I wanted to eat and chose accordingly, My younger sister stopped eating meat to a great extent but today still admits it was mostly due to lazyness when being required to chew.

My daughter, a well established Vet decided not to eat meat for obvious reasons, but still enjoys some dairy produce.

I would argue with Jenny 84 - we do NOT need milk to stay alive, in fact once all the bones and teeth have formed within the body there is little to no requirement to drink milk at all - we just enjoy it, like I enjoy being able to partake of virtually any foodstuff.

I just think that a child brought up under a strictly Vegan regime has had the option of choice denied to them, and that is probably in contention with their basic Human Rights.

My view only, not meant as any form of insult to people who enjoy a different dietary lifestyle.

Answer 9

It's just something that's deeply ingrained in our culture. Our society has been brainwashed by the mass marketing machine of giant agri-business companies. They fund research which promotes their products as "healthy" and then advertise using every communication medium possible. These businesses specifically target children as their consumers. Just look at McDonalds, hungry jacks and all the fast food chains. They put toys in their meals for god sake. If that's not psychological bribery then I don't know what is.

There are plenty of cultures who live happy healthy and fulfilled lives on limited or no meat intake at all. I don't know why the Western world continues to insist, that eating ludicrous amounts of animal products is healthy. I think it's sad, that so many people just close their minds to alternative life styles.

I can understand their concern for children’s health and development. But as I'm sure you already know, a balanced vegan diet is perfectly healthy for people of all ages including children. In fact, percentage-wise, there are more health problems caused by obesity and excess meat consumption than by vegan diets.

I don't know why so many people have a problem with vegan children. Parents generally raise their children in line with their moral and religious beliefs, so I don’t see why veganism should be an exception. When the children are old enough to make their own informed choice, then they can choose to continue a vegan diet or not. But in the meantime I believe parents have the right to raise their children as vegans, free from accusations of child abuse. Of course it should be done carefully and even with the consultation of a nutritionist if necessary. But there are plenty of children all over the world who live healthy happy lives sans the meat products.

Their food choices are not really that limited. There is a surprising array of delicious, easy, healthy and tastey vegan & vegetarian foods. So even though some things are removed from their diet there are thousands of alternatives that are just as tasty and healthy.

Thanks Hollywood.

Answer 10

I think it's because most people have no clue what a vegan eats. I don't know any vegans personally and I wouldn't know the first thing about what to feed a growing vegan child.

It all comes down to lack of understanding and misinformation. Maybe as more people turn to veganism it'll be more talked about and accepted in general society but until then there will always be people who will oppose anything different form the norm as they see it.

Answer 11

From my understanding, children need milk. Let me look it up.

I guess other's have done it. As long as the children are healthy and happy, I see nothing wrong with it.  

http://www.veganhealth.org/articles/real...

Answer 12

Some people don't realize that children can get all of the vitamins and nutrients they need by eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, and grains. But the American Dietetic Association is one of the nation's leading nutrition experts and it supports vegan diets for all ages: "Well-planned vegan and other types of vegetarian diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, including during pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood and adolescence."

Other people feel that it's "forcing" something on the child and that children should be able to make their own decisions. I even saw someone in another question who said that they feel badly for vegan kids. So I guess Jewish parents are guilty of "forcing" their kids to celebrate Hanukkah instead of Christmas, and we should feel badly that Jewish kids "miss out" on Christian holidays. The reality is that parents have both the right and the responsibility to make child-rearing decisions until their kids are old enough to make their own lifestyle choices. Parents "force" all kinds of things on their kids, whether it's diet, religion, type of schooling, TV-watching habits, etc.

Some people will always be against veganism, no matter what the experts say about how healthy it is. I just hope no one dares to call me a child abuser if I choose to raise my kids on healthy, well-balanced vegan diets.

Answer 13

Hello,

(ANS) I am talking from direct personal experience of having being a vegan for about 12months back in my early twenties. Frankly, most people have literally no idea what it is like to be living & eating a vegan diet, no idea of the happiness and health & emotional & spiritual benefits.

a) There is 100% nothing wrong with children living & eating a totally vegan diet providing they eat sensibly & eat enough normal carbohydrates, proteins & fats etc.

b) Provided the child or children is happy to be vegan, meaning it should NOT be forced or imposed upon them.

c) A vegan diet is a very healthy one and I see no problem or contradictions for health in a vegan diet or life style. I admire anyone who wishes to live that way, its their personal choice and we have the freedom to live that way because we also live in a democracy.

d) There are plenty of foods within a vegan diet that will supply ALL the essential vitamins required daily for good health.

There is No! problem only other peoples fears projected onto vegan parents, vegan children are usually pretty healthy as far as my experience goes.

Kind Regards Ivan

Answer 14

rickets comes to mind

Answer 15

I think its a great idea to raise kids as vegans or veggies.

If they get to an age where they think they want to change that's fine too.

But can you imagine if they had a healthy vegan/veggie diet how healthy they would be,and then you look in MacDonald's as you go by and see the alternative.... its a no brainer to me.

Sadly my grand daughter is a junk food addict,and i mean addict.its so sad,she is only 8 and is going to have a life of health problems etc,and i wish i could help her to just eat a few veggies.

She has only ever eaten peas,and i try so hard to get an apple into her,but you know,i cant push too hard.

My daughter is a great mum,and not a veggie,but they live on burgers and chips and all the bad things,and no supplements,and my grand daughter is heading for become malnourished due to lack of vitamins and things.

So given a choice i say go for it,at least get the kids through the early years with healthy options,and treats etc.

When you see the size of kids today it makes me shudder.

But then many will say there's nothing wrong with junk food diet. seems your damned if you do,damned if you don't.

Answer 16

Because people are closed-minded and rely too heavily on their 'common sense' even though they've done little to no research on diet. Kids need milk do they? What a pathetic species we must be if we're the only ones that need to steal and drink the milk of another species to keep us alive.

In the past few years I've been so shocked at how wrong I've been all these years that now I'm actually scared of common sense. The only way I come to decisions now is through research. The world is full of ignorance which is bound to rub off on people... I'm just going to try my hardest to question this so-called common sense and hopefully will arrive at the truth myself.

Answer 17

ok so long as their classmates don't mind

Answer 18

I dont think theres anything wrong with it except for the fact that kid might face some bullying i mean what if hes invited to a party and theres pizza and he/she doesnt eat it? The kids will find him/her weird and what kind of childhood will that be? No one will accept the fact that he/she is vegan. Its a tuff call I mean I think its great because its rightous but others will consider it odd and discriminate against the whole thing.

Answer 19

You are right.. Children can be completely healthy as vegans, as long as they get eh proper nutrition and their parents understand children's unique nutritional needs, as they ARE different from adults.

You know who pushed the idea that children *need* Milk?

THE DAIRY INDUSTRY

Calcium abounds in green leafy veggies, and is more easily used by our body without the additional protien overload that Milk  has.

My 4 year old niece is quite tall for her age, strong, sturdy and healthy as you can imagine. She has never eaten meat, dairy, or eggs in her LIFE.  As an infant she had breastmilk and soy forumla.

My 9 month old nephew is chubby and healthy and normal as can be. He also has never had dairy, eggs, or meat.

Answer 20

anybody can survive on a vegan diet.  as a matter of fact, i plan on having vegan children myself.  personally, I am a vegetarian, although I am slowly going vegan.

as long as they get proper nutrition and "upbringing", the children will be healthy and happy.  just make sure to tell your children why they are vegan.  that way they know why they eat different than the other kids in the school lunchroom.

Answer 21

A child needs to be healthy , as long as that happens (vegan or not) , I see no problem. I do feel however that when the child reaches a certain age , they should be allowed to chose if they wish to stay vegan or not.