Dietary
Patterns for Infants and Young Children
How to eat Vegan
Scientific Perspectives
- Professor Walter J. Veith
Children
have smaller stomachs than adults and they have
higher needs for nutrients per unit weight, therefore diets that are
appropriate for adults can
indeed be deficient for young children. Children under three years
can accommodate only 200-300ml food at each meal, and a high-fibre,
low-calorie diet will put them at risk in view of their inability to
consume sufficient quantities to meet their needs. Restrictive dietary
regimes should again be avoided, and there must be a shift to more
high-energy foods in order to sustain normal development. Again, variety
is the watchword, and single-plant food diets, such as an exclusively
fruitarian diet, would not supply sufficient nutrients for normal development.
Mother’s milk is the best food there is for infants. It is not advisable, if it can be helped, to substitute mother’s milk for the milk of other animals, as the composition of milk varies from species to species. Human infants are designed to drink human milk and a demand-type breast-feeding schedule would go a long way in meeting the infants’ needs, failing this, one should ensure that infants consume adequate quantities per meal as dictated by their age. The composition of mother’s milk will also vary with the mother’s diet, but it can be said that good wholesome food will make good wholesome milk. On the whole, the breast milk of vegetarians contains fewer environmental contaminants and additives than does the milk of omnivores,[i] and it has been found that the vegetarian infant can thrive if care is taken to supplement iron, B-12 and vitamin D intake.
When the transaction from breast-feeding to table foods is made, care must again be exercised not to follow restrictive diets as followed by some groups such as Zen macrobiotics, Black Hebrews and Rastafarians. These diets are normally schooled around a few grains, vegetables and fruits in addition to milk made from grains. They are often deficient in calories and proteins as well as numerous minerals and vitamins, particularly vitamins D and B-12. Such diets have led to numerous hospitalizations for malnutrition, and have been responsible for the deaths of a number of children.[ii],[iii],[iv]
Some
grains such as maize, increase up to six times in volume when cooked
as a porridge,
thus drastically reducing the energy content per unit-volume. Porridges
in general will not supply sufficient energy for small children, and
increased intake of cereals, nut butters, avocados, dried fruit spreads
and legumes is recommended whilst limiting the amounts of fruits, vegetables
and porridges (gruels).4,[v],[vi] Nut butters such
as almond, brazil, cashew, peanut, pecan and walnut butters or sesame-chick-pea
butter,
can be given to toddlers whilst avocado can also be served even to infants.5
Avocados are a rich source of numerous nutrients including fat, copper,
potassium and riboflavin, and in view of their fat content they also
supply more energy per unit mass than other fruits. Care must also be
taken to choose combinations of grains and legumes or nuts and seeds
to satisfy the amino acid requirements of vegan children. Furthermore,
weaned children should receive vitamin D and B12 fortified soy milk
or nut milk, particularly in areas where exposure to the sun is limited.
Bearing
these points in mind, it has been shown that vegan diets can support
normal growth and development.[vii] In the table
below, a diet plan for young vegan children is presented.
The nutritive value of the diet plan for vegan children supplies sufficient nutrients to meet the demands of growing children, and can be substantially increased by more liberal servings.
As stomach capacity increases a gradual shift to adult eating patterns can take place. Preschoolers should still receive greater portions of energy-rich foods and foods high in Ca, Zn, Fe, plus supplementation of vitamin D and B-12.[viii] Furthermore, it is important to ensure a good mix of plant-protein sources. A whole-food diet, comprising legumes, grains, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables (inclusive of the leafy green varieties) together with fortified soy milk will have children brimming with health. If wholesome eating practices have been adopted in the family and care is taken to supply the special needs of younger children, then there is no need for concern. Furthermore, it is not necessary to cook separate meals for younger children, but merely to ensure that the relative portions that children obtain are geared to their needs.
Parents
tend to enforce their own eating habits onto their children and
might insist
that the child eats more of the vegetables or fruits than of the nut-grain-legume
dishes which the child needs for growth. Moreover, children also have
a natural tendency to consume more of the energy-rich foods, and this
should not be discouraged as long as it does not lead to the exclusion
of other essential foods. Healthful eating patterns should be established
early, and if parents are concerned about the health and well being of
their vegan children, then a “do as you please” attitude
should not be adopted. However, having said this, it is also important
that flexibility should be maintained and extremes avoided. Eating should
be a pleasure, not a burden, and mealtimes should be something to look
forward to. There should be a relaxed atmosphere at the table, conducive
to good digestion, and children should not feel pressurized because parents
hold very rigid, or fanatical views on nutrition.
A study done on British vegan children showed that the average energy intake was less than the recommended daily allowance for British children in general, particularly in the 2-4 age group. But this is not uncommon, as many non-vegetarian children fail to meet the RDA. The average nutrient density, however, was higher for vegan diets for most nutrients, with the exception of calcium and fat, when compared to the average UK diet. The children tended to be lighter than the average, but normal in terms of their blood formation, educational and physical development. Vegan diets have received a bad press because of a few inappropriate diets, but appropriate vegan diets will rear healthy children. Moreover, there is no evidence that either intellectual function or physical stamina are adversely affected by a well-planned vegan diet.
Adolescents and Young Adults
Adolescents
have greater needs for energy, protein, Ca, P, Fe, Zn and vitamin A because
of the rapid growth during this stage. Besides catering for the higher
protein and energy needs, care should be taken that the diet includes
green leafy vegetables or other foods rich in calcium. Supplementation
to augment supplies of B-12 and zinc are also recommended for this stage.
The above has been excerpted from the book Diet and Health by Professor Walter J. Veith available through our webstore.
Resources:
[i] Hergenrather, J., Hlady, G., Wallace B. 1981. Nutritional vitamin B-12 defiency in infants. Am.J.Dis.Child 135:566-7
[ii] Jacobs, C. and Dwyer, J.T. 1988. Vegetarian children appropriate and inappropriate diets. Am.J.Clin.Nutr. 48:811-8.
[iii] Ward, P.S., Drakeford, J.P., Milton J. 1982. Nutritional rickets in Rastafarian children. Br.Med.J. 285:1242-3.
[iv] Van Staveren, I.B., and Dagnelli, P. 1988. Food consumption, growth and development of Dutch children fed on alternative diets. Am.J.Clin.Nutr. 48:819-21.
[v] Truesdell, D.D. 1985. Feeding the vegan infant and child. J.Am.Diet.Assoc. 85:837-40.
[vi] Robson, J.R.K. 1974. Zen macrobiotic problems in infancy. Pediatrics. 53:326-9.
[vii] Sanders, T.A.B. 1988. Growth and development of British vegan children. Am.J.Clin.Nutr. 48:822-5.
[viii] Vyhmeister, I.B., Register, U.D., Sommenberg, L.M. 1977. Safe vegetarian diets for children. Pediatr.Clin.North.Am. 24:203-10.
by Professor Walter J. Veith Phd.