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Vegan diet dangerous for moms, kids
Categories: Newborns, Just For Moms, Babies, Toddlers, Pregnancy & Birth, Health & Safety, Eating & Nutrition
Earlier this month, Jade Sanders and Lamont Thomas were found guilty of murdering their infant son. The couple, who are vegans, were charged with starving the six-week-old baby to death, feeding him only soy milk and apple juice.
Yesterday's New York Times carried an editorial, titled "Death By Veganism," by food writer and "real food" advocate Nina Planck. The essay begins with the death of Crown Shakur, using it as a starting point to discuss the nutritional shortcomings of a vegan diet. Planck, who was once a vegan herself, and who still advocates for fresh food over "industrialized" or processed food, argues that veganism is inappropriate for pregnant and nursing women and for their infants and toddlers. Babies need specific vitamins and minerals found only in animal protein; they also need cholesterol, which is not present in a vegan diet. Planck argues that the breast milk of vegan mothers is lacking in DHA, the omega-3 fat found in fish; this particular fat is crucial to eye and brain development. She also asserts that soy, which many vegans (and non-vegans) use as a replacement for cow's milk, "actually inhibits growth and reduces absorption of protein and minerals."
I think often about the connection between nutrition and good parenting. Usually I find myself pondering this when I see kids the same ages as mine drinking soda, or when I see the boy at my son's school who arrives every single morning carrying his take-out McDonald's breakfast. But the opposite extreme of these behaviors is the vegan diet, which compensates for the typical fast-food overindulgence with an almost aesthetic restraint. Neither extreme is healthy for a child, and parents who choose these extremes are failing to protect and promote their children's heath.
"Historically," writes Planck, "diet honored tradition: we ate the foods that our mothers, and their mothers, ate. Now, your neighbor or sibling may be a meat-eater or vegetarian, may ferment his foods or eat them raw. This fragmentation of the American menu reflects admirable diversity and tolerance, but food is more important than fashion. Though it's not politically correct to say so, all diets are not created equal." I agree wholeheartedly.
Yesterday's New York Times carried an editorial, titled "Death By Veganism," by food writer and "real food" advocate Nina Planck. The essay begins with the death of Crown Shakur, using it as a starting point to discuss the nutritional shortcomings of a vegan diet. Planck, who was once a vegan herself, and who still advocates for fresh food over "industrialized" or processed food, argues that veganism is inappropriate for pregnant and nursing women and for their infants and toddlers. Babies need specific vitamins and minerals found only in animal protein; they also need cholesterol, which is not present in a vegan diet. Planck argues that the breast milk of vegan mothers is lacking in DHA, the omega-3 fat found in fish; this particular fat is crucial to eye and brain development. She also asserts that soy, which many vegans (and non-vegans) use as a replacement for cow's milk, "actually inhibits growth and reduces absorption of protein and minerals."
I think often about the connection between nutrition and good parenting. Usually I find myself pondering this when I see kids the same ages as mine drinking soda, or when I see the boy at my son's school who arrives every single morning carrying his take-out McDonald's breakfast. But the opposite extreme of these behaviors is the vegan diet, which compensates for the typical fast-food overindulgence with an almost aesthetic restraint. Neither extreme is healthy for a child, and parents who choose these extremes are failing to protect and promote their children's heath.
"Historically," writes Planck, "diet honored tradition: we ate the foods that our mothers, and their mothers, ate. Now, your neighbor or sibling may be a meat-eater or vegetarian, may ferment his foods or eat them raw. This fragmentation of the American menu reflects admirable diversity and tolerance, but food is more important than fashion. Though it's not politically correct to say so, all diets are not created equal." I agree wholeheartedly.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Lara 5-22-2007 @ 2:09PM
The parents of Crown Shakur also somehow failed to notice he wasn't thriving until he was actually dead and avoided all medical establishments due to extreme fear of germs. A nutrition expert testified that had he been fed the diet the parents claimed, he would have been severely malnourished but would not have actually starved that quickly. The prosecution said that the case wasn't about veganism at all but about parents who horribly neglected their child then tried to use veganism as a shield to escape the legal consequences.
After all, most vegan kids thrive and are healthy, and the American Dietetic Association and the Dieticians of Canada say that while a vegan diet may be difficult, a well planned vegan diet can meet all nutritional needs and is appropriate for all stages of life. (http://www.dietitians.ca/news/downloads/vegetarian_position_paper_2003.pdf)
It is true that most plant proteins do not have a full of proteins in the needed ratio (soy and quinoa and a few others are exceptions), but what one plant is lacking others have in abundance, so eating a variety of foods throughout the day including both whole grains and legumes will provide enough protein. We don't need very much - most Americans get far more than they need.
Most Americans, not just vegans, are lacking in Omega three. A natural source for vegans is flax seed oil which has ALA, another omega three acid which we need and which can be converted to DHA in our bodies. Also today there are vegans DHA supplements available which come from algae, the original source where fish get it from.
Vitamin D is mainly from the sun, not from food, though most people should take a supplement as most Americans (again, not just vegans) don't get enough. Google the calcium myth to find out what is wrong with the milk arguments.
Babies and toddlers do need more milk and fat than is easy to get from plants alone which is why vegan mothers should follow a healthy diet and absolutely breastfeed their babies until at least age two (which is actually Health Canada's and the World Health Organization's recommended minimum for everyone). B12 supplementation is the one thing that absolutely is necessary.
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Lara 6-14-2007 @ 5:54PM
And I forgot my closing statement that while a vegan diet should not be attempted lightly and can be especially difficult with picky toddlers, the linked article is full of hysteria and misinformation.
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Sandyone 5-22-2007 @ 2:51PM
The Vegan life is not for me, either philosophically or practically. However, I'm skeptical of any article written about veganism. It most certainly is possible to be strong and healthy on a vegan diet. Not for me...I dont' eat a varied enough diet. I don't think you can be a healthy vegan without a lot of education and study, but the vegans I know have done the work.
I'm with Lara. If you're interested in vegan living, do the research. Try living it for awhile. If you find that you are more sickly, it's not working for your and it's time to adjust fire.
This article reminds me of many articles I have read on subjects nearer to my heart. It's full of bull, with a couple of bits of truth to lend it credibility.
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Julia 5-22-2007 @ 5:46PM
Yeah, because a diet filled with red meat and other animal products is just SO GOOD for you. That article is total B.S. Most of our friends are Vegetarians or Vegans, and we are Vegans that eat very little dairy, and no eggs or fish. We are raising our daughter the same, and she is rarely sick and either are we.
The parents of that little boy were horribly misguided and should have brought him to the hospital, but it wasn't because of a "Vegan Diet", it was neglect. Calling apples and soy milk a "diet" is quite a stretch.
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Uly 5-22-2007 @ 8:20PM
Lara and Julia are correct.
The prosecuting attorney for that case hit it right on the nail when he said this wasn't about veganism, it was about parents starving their children. That's why you hardly ever hear "yup, another child died because of veganism". Most vegans don't think that apple juice and soy milk are an adaquate replacement for breastmilk or formula.
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Carrie 5-23-2007 @ 11:54AM
Personally, I don't think most people have the discipline to "make" the vegan diet healthy. Even the vegetarians I know are the unhealthiest people I know. I also was veg for two years (one year, two times) and it was the worst time of my life, health wise.
Most ancient cultures consume meat and in fact increase meat consumption during pre-conception, pregnancy and lactation. There has to be a reason for that ancient wisdom.
That said... I don't believe this kid died because he was vegan. He died because his parents were STUPID. Who feeds a 6 week old apple juice and soy milk?
So sad for this little one.
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Heather 5-23-2007 @ 4:59PM
I agree Carrie. he didn't die because he was vegan he died because they didn't give him formula or breastmilk. And because no one in the medical estabishment took time to look at this kid.
No I am not vegan.
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John 5-24-2007 @ 2:03AM
It's most certainly true that a person can be a vegan and be healthy. The same holds true for omnivores - meat, poultry, fish, milk and eggs are indeed very healthy.
One thing to remember, though: one diet will not suit everyone. I was struggling to stay healthy on a vegetarian diet, and was completely suffering on a vegan diet, so going back to meat only after years and years of illness seems pretty stupid now. I guess it's my northern genes: where I live the animal farming is the only viable form of large-scale agriculture, so that's what my ancestors counted on to survive.
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