Vegan diet in children
How is the vegan diet in children?
With regard to the international day of veganism being celebrated in November, we want to present what a diet based on vegetables and fruits should be in the little ones.
Veganism is the exclusive diet based on vegetables in which the person limits himself to red meat or any type of food product of animal origin, nor derivatives such as eggs, milk or cheese.
What if a child is vegan?
There are many studies that indicate that being vegan is very dangerous for the individual health of and more for that of children, while there are others that promote better health by avoiding all foods that are from animal origin.
What is true is that the child from birth to at least two years of age must be fed breast milk, which is of animal origin. She is a rich source of vitamins, nutrients, antibiotics, and many other benefits that plant-based milk cannot provide.
After two years of life, then parents can eliminate milk of animal origin, but locate other sources of calcium that feed and strengthen the growth of the infant.
Risks of a vegan diet in children
The first risk factor is to find vitamin V12 in foods of plant origin, something that is impossible to find, not finding and much less not giving it to the infant, a phase of malnutrition, anemia and death will immediately develop.
It is important to go to a specialist in the case of vegan food in the first years of life, many doctors recommend a Mediterranean diet, based on all vitamins and proteins such as omega 3.
We can all be vegan
Anyone can be vegan, from pregnancy, childhood, youth and adulthood and there are even studies and documentaries that show the physical condition of a vegan athlete much better than that of an athlete who eats animal protein, everything will depend on whether the values are covered and nutrients that the person needs daily.
Everything should be based on what the person needs to eat daily to improve their lifestyle, because being vegan doesn't mean stop eating, it means eating healthy and properly through products of plant and non-animal origin.
More and more families are joining a more plant-based lifestyle, without consuming animal products, many parents study and prepare on how to feed their children in a more natural way, as many children find protein harmful animals, as there are children who are lactose intolerant, with allergies to certain foods of animal origin.
What should I give my child if he is vegan?
The diet should be the same as that of an omnivorous child looking for nutrients and vitamins in vegetables, each day has a nutritional value that must be met, such as fruits, cereal porridge, vegetables and vegetables.
The proteins that can be ingested are found in legumes and grains, in addition to cereals, as well as fat can be found in nuts, seeds and cereals, only if the child is very young this food must be well crushed because they are very hard on babies.
Calcium is another food that must be replaced by a vegetable that has calcium incorporated, such as broccoli, pumpkin, beans, spinach, zucchini, almond milk, lentils.
What is the best age to be vegan?
Doctors recommend that every child under the age of two should not be vegan because they need essential food such as breast milk. The most advisable thing is to pass the years as long as the habit is created, and the child is fed correctly.
Breast milk, which is of animal origin, cannot be replaced by any other plant milk, each child has a specific nutritional requirement during the first years of life and breast milk or its derivative cannot be displaced by another food during the first years two years.
From the age of two, it will be an appropriate age as long as the nutritional values required for the infant are met.
Benefits of a vegan life
Children over the age of two who consume vegetables as a lifestyle have good nutritional value, since vegetables can find a lot of vitamins, calcium, minerals and the nutrients that are needed for growth and development.
Plant-based food improves the mood in children, purifies their minds, as it is less heavy, and they eat more times a day, at the same time it helps prevent diseases, reduce weight, obesity, and eliminates migraines.
Diseases will be a common enemy to us, vegetable-based dishes create a protective bar against diseases, since many diseases come from food and in saturated fats we find many roots to current diseases, such as hypertension, obesity, diabetes, heart etc.
Another important factor of vegetables is that it strengthens the immune system in children, preventing any seasonal illness. If the vegan diet is followed correctly and followed to the letter, you can get more potassium, fiber, vitamin A and C in addition to antioxidants.
Studies show that vegans are long-lived
There are many studies that show that vegans are long-lived, because plant-based nutrition not only prevents diseases, but also improves the quality of life of human beings, adding life to their days.
Everything lies in food, true care begins with what we eat, there are many parents who question plant-based diets because they do not feel that their little ones are eating correctly, but they do not question providing cookies or snacks daily to their children with high refined sugar levels, without knowing the damage that this can cause.