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Help! My Teenager Is Going Vegan
Filed under: Teens, Nutrition: Health, Mealtime, Dear Karla
Dear Karla, My teenager daughter has decided to follow a group of her friends and skip out on all items that come from animal meat. I am OK if she cuts back a bit, but myself grew up with agriculture all around me, so am a bit confused. Because she is still growing tall I am concerned that she may be lacking nutrition from doing this. Should there be any concerns I have or things I can help educate her on?
Kathy
Great question Kathy. It's important for parents to know what their child's body needs to make sure their growth is not impaired, especially when your child is embarking on a diet unfamiliar to your family. A recent survey shows that teen vegetarianism is on the rise, tripling in the last ten years. In 1997 1 percent of teens were active vegetarians; today that number is up to 3 per cent.There is nothing wrong with being a vegetarian, as plant based eating has many wonderful health benefits. However, anyone who wants to swap to a vegetarian diet needs to be equipped with knowledge of key nutrients that their new diet may be lacking, so they can supplement them with other foods.
Common terms you need to know:
- Lacto-ovo vegetarian means they consume no animal flesh, but dairy and eggs are accepted.
- Pesca vegetarians eat dairy, eggs and fish, but no other forms of animal flesh.
- Lacto vegetarians consume only dairy products.
- Vegan - consume no food items of animal origin.
Protein is commonly found in animal flesh. It i classified as a complete protein as it contains all the essential amino acids our body needs but does not make on its own. Plant sources of protein are classified as incomplete proteins, as they do not contain all the essential amino acids. So, vegetarians need to combine foods so they don't miss out on ANY amino acids.
- Example: Combine beans in a tortilla to get a complete set of the amino acids your body needs.
Quinoa is a fantastic nutty grain that is considered a complete protein which is great news for any one wanting to either cut back on animal origin food or eating a vegetarian diet. Quinoa is a great addition to as a side dish or the main component of a salad.
Iron is important for transporting oxygen in our red blood cells, helping with energy levels. There are 2 kinds of iron: heme and non-heme. Heme iron is easily absorbed into the blood and found in animal flesh, where as non-heme is not as easily absorbed and found in plants (such as beans, vegetables and fortified cereals). One way to increase iron absorption is to make sure you accompany sources of iron with something rich in Vitamin C, like strawberries or lemon juice.
Calcium is a mineral found in different forms of milk and other dairy items. Cottage cheese is a great example of a great source of protein and calcium. If your child decides to skip out on dairy products all together, insist that they get a calcium fortified beverage such as soy or rice milk or orange juice (orange juice is a last resort as it consists mainly of sugar and can affect the tooth enamel). Don't forget about vegetables as a calcium source. Encourage your child to consume a minimum of 2-3 everyday, as they are great sources of calcium. Top calcium containing vegetables include: collards, soybeans, white beans, navy beans, chickpeas, butternut squash, broccoli, dried figs, sweet potato and other leafy greens.
Vitamin D is something we ALL fall short in and cannot rely on foods supplying us. A supplement is strongly recommended for all family members. Make sure you buy supplements that include vitamin D3, as it is the most easily absorbed by the body, and make sure to take it with food.
Vitamin B12 is found mainly in meat. Look for it in fortified milk beverages and cereals. Your child may consider taking a B12 supplement everyday with food. When buying B12 look for 'cyanocobalamin,' as this is one is the most absorbable forms.
Karla Heintz (BSc) is a nutrition educator, speaker, consultant and author of the national book 'Picky? Not Me, Mom! A parents' guide to children's nutrition.' She has worked with athletes and families for about 10 years on ways to improve nutrition for better performance and health.
If you have a question you would like answered please leave it in the comments section below.
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
4-07-2010 @ 10:30AM
Tara said...I say way to go! She's helping to save animals, doing good for the environment, and will probably be healthier in the long run! I'm 25 now, and went vegetarian when I was 13. I've always stayed healthy, and am actually a little thinner than most of my friends, which I chock up to skipping out on things like burgers, fried chicken, and other fatty, easy to come by foods.
There are SO many meat substitutes out there, it's actually pretty easy to be vegetarian. Vegan is a little harder, with no eggs, or dairy. Vegans just need to make sure that they have a balanced diet with lots of fruits and veggies, and don't worry TOO much about protein. As long as your hair and nails continue to grow, you're not protein deficient!
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4-07-2010 @ 11:22AM
kittyweese said...Bravo! My niece has been vegetarian since birth (8 now) and she is in the upper percentile for height and weight and as Tara mentioned, she is thinner than her playmates. She has avoided all the colds and sniffles kids normally get (only one cold in 8 years!) and appears, in general, to be healthier than her friends. And so far, she seems to have avoided the issue of overeating. Not sure if that is due to diet or inclination. In any event, you should be happy for your daughter. She seems to be a compassionate person, who cares about animals and the planet and how can that be a bad thing? BTW, I come from a family of meat eaters who went veggie/vegan in the 80's. It's the best thing we ever did!
4-07-2010 @ 11:36AM
john Paris said...The author is absolutely incorrect regarding complete and incomplete proteins. That is simply a myth launched by a book in the 80s called Diet for a Small Planet. All plants contain the essential amino acids, just at varied levels. If you consume adequate calories for your bodily needs you will consume enough protein for your needs. There is no reason to hyper-focus on protein. Most Americans consume 4-5 times their actual protein needs, to their detriment. This may be partly due to another myth -- the idea that protein provides muscular energy.
4-07-2010 @ 11:34AM
Ari Moore said...Good for your daughter! I recommend you and she both do some reading on vegan nutrition. You'll be pleased with what you find and you'll both feel safer about her decision. It's likely a very good one for her health, provided she eats a wide variety of fruits, veggies, and whole grains. I'm so happy for your daughter that she's learned about this option so early in her life!
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4-07-2010 @ 4:09PM
Ryan said...Wow... that's a doozy of a response. Not only did Heintz leave out the definition of vegan (which is in the title of the post!), she perpetuated a really old myth about protein combining.
The fact is, if you're eating a variety of foods, primarily whole foods, you're going to be just fine in terms of protein.
It should also be noted that Heintz recommended D3, which is the animal derived version of vitamin D and would not be suitable for a vegan.
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4-07-2010 @ 5:30PM
Ginny Messina said...Oops, Karla--I'm a dietitian specializing in vegan nutrition, and I'm afraid that some of your information is not quite right. First, I'm kind of confused because you didn't list a vegan diet as one of the types, but then said that vegetarians can fall short on calcium, B12 and vitamin D. Actually, those are nutrients that need some attention in vegan diets, not in lacto or lacto-ovo veggie diets. But whether someone is vegan or lacto-ovo vegetarian, it's always good to explore plant sources of those nutrients.
As John pointed out, all grains, beans, veggies, nuts and seeds do, in fact, contain all of the essential amino acids. The levels of these amino acids are not quite an exact match to human needs, but it doesn't matter as long as people eat a variety of plant foods. The rules for meeting protein needs are to consume adequate calories for growth and weight maintenance, and to eat a variety of whole plant foods throughout the day. I agree that teens should include a good source of protein at every meal, although fish is not one of those sources. (It's rich in protein; it's just not vegetarian!)
The evidence suggests that vitamin D2 supplements can meet vitamin D needs, so there is no reason to use vitamin D3 (which again, is not really vegetarian and definitely not vegan). And it's always important to recommend the use of vitamin B12 supplements that are either chewable or can be swallowed whole.
There are some great products on the market that can help teens eat a diet that is both healthy and ethical: veggie burgers and other faux meats, vegan burritos with soy or almond cheese, hummus, peanut or almond butter, fortified soy milk, and much more. It's a little different and new to most people, but not that hard as long as parents stock the kitchen with healthful foods and lend some support.
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4-07-2010 @ 5:18PM
Stan Thomas said...Kathy, you should be worried. Kids who become vegan often think very little about nutrition. Oreos and diet coke are technically vegan.
My wife and I shared your concern when our daughter who had been vegetarian for several years decided to become vegan. My wife made the mistake of studying the issue thoroughly. It was not long before she was lecturing me each evening on the horrors of my diet. After a couple of years I decided to give veganism a try myself. Not long after my wife joined in on the experiment. I lost about 40 lbs and she lost around 90lbs. It turns out it is very easy to eat a healthy vegan diet. It is undoubtedly the healthiest of all lifestyles. There are many reason to become vegan and improving your own health is definitely one.
I would strongly suggest getting a copy of the book "Becoming Vegan" by Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina. You might also want to read "Mad Cowboy" by former cattle rancher Howard Lyman.
My wife could barely life herself out of a chair or climb a single flight of stairs. After being vegan for a few years she had lost so much weight and was in such better shape that that she went sky diving for her 50th birthday. After losing all that weight she felt so much better that she started working out ... for fun.
So, I say worry about your daughter and do something about it by learning about veganism and by joining her to help her do it right.
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4-10-2010 @ 10:08PM
Param said...My daughter 10 months old is 17 lbs .Her Doc says she needs to eat lots of calories. Typically kids of her age at her current weight should eat around 720 calories/day.Since we parents being vegetarians have less food choice for her.And also she is allergic to milk, wheat,soy and peanut. Any suggestions as to what feed her to meet her calorie needs?
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