Vegetarian Diet
What is a vegetarian?
Vegetarians are people who choose not to eat meat. This includes all animal meat, poultry, and fish. Many vegetarians also avoid other animal products such as gelatin, rennet (used in making cheese), and animal fats (often used in cooking).
Vegetarians that include eggs and dairy products in their diets are known as ovo-lactovegetarians. People who do not eat any animal product (including honey) are called vegans.
Semi- or partial-vegetarians sometimes eat meat (usually poultry or fish).
What are the advantages of a vegetarian diet?
A well-planned vegetarian diet has health advantages. Vegetarians are less likely to have heart disease, gallstones, or be overweight. Being overweight is associated with other health problems like adult-onset diabetes, so a vegetarian diet may have additional benefits. Vegetarians are also less likely to have a stroke and certain types of cancer. Teenage vegetarians do not have growth problems and will reach a normal adult weight and height.
Planning a healthy vegetarian diet takes additional time, however, compared to the diet of a meat-eater.
Will my child get all the proper nutrients on a vegetarian diet?
If the diet is well-planned, a vegetarian diet is safe for children, teens, and adults. If a vegetarian diet is too restricted, it may be unhealthy for a child. Some nutrients may be missing from the diet. For example, if a child eats soda pop, potato chips and meatless pizza, nutrients such as iron and calcium are likely to be lacking in the diet.
Vegetarians may need to make a special effort to get enough calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin D, vitamin B-6, and vitamin B-12.
- Calcium: Calcium intake may be very low in vegan diets, when no animal products are eaten. Good sources of calcium include legumes (peas, beans, lentils), tofu, calcium-fortified orange juice, collard greens, and fortified soymilk. If your child or teen is a vegan, discuss with your health care provider how your child can get enough calcium.
- Iron: Typical vegetarian diets usually provide enough iron. The problem with iron is that it is difficult for the body to absorb. Iron in meat, poultry, and fish is absorbed much better than iron from plants. Eating foods containing Vitamin C along with foods that contain iron helps the body to absorb the iron better. Breast-fed babies who are not yet getting solid food should have supplements of iron after the age of 4 to 6 months.
- Zinc: Vegetarians sometimes don't eat enough zinc because it is not present in many plant foods. Plant foods that do contain zinc include legumes (peas, beans, lentils), tofu, corn, and whole grains.
- Vitamin B-6: Also known as pyridoxine, Vitamin B-6 is found in legumes (peas, beans, lentils), sweet potatoes, corn, soybeans, and avocados.
- Vitamin B-12: Vegans need supplemental vitamin B-12 since it is available naturally only in animal products. Vitamin B-12 is added to some fortified cereals, fortified soymilk, and some meat substitutes. B-12 is found naturally in diary products and eggs.
- Vitamin D: Vegans often have diets that have low amounts of vitamin D. Vitamin D is made in the skin when there is exposure to direct sunshine, so some vegetarians may need more outdoor activity or vitamin D supplements. Vitamin D is added to some fortified cereals and fortified soymilk.
See also:
Sources of Some Essential Nutrients in a Vegetarian Diet
How do I know if my child is eating healthfully?
One of the most important measures of a healthy vegetarian diet is measuring your child's weight and height. If your child is not getting enough calories, his or her weight will not follow the usual growth patterns for children. The rate of increase in height should remain at a pace that will lead to an adult height that is similar to the average height of both parents.
If your child is not getting enough vitamins or minerals, he or she may have symptoms such as:
- skin rashes
- a painful, swollen tongue
- fatigue
- irritability
- pale skin
- mental slowness
- difficulty breathing.
Check with your doctor if you are worried about vitamin or mineral deficiency.
How can I help my child eat healthfully?
Infants and toddlers require many calories in order to grow at the normal rate. At about 7 to 8 months of age, babies are ready to start eating protein-rich foods. Instead of pureed meats, vegetarian infants should be given protein alternatives such as pureed legumes (peas, beans, lentils), cottage cheese, pureed tofu, and yogurt. Also, make sure your toddler eats high-calorie vegetarian foods such as nuts (chopped in small pieces), olives, dates and avocados so he will get enough calories. Most importantly, make sure your child eats a wide variety of foods. The diets of older children and adolescents should be closely watched to make sure that they are eating a variety of foods.
Where can I get additional information about vegetarianism?
Additional information on vegetarianism can be found at your local library. Several web sites have information about vegetarian diets and vegetarian recipes. Some helpful sites include:
http://www.pcrm.org/health/Info_on_Veg_Diets/index.html
When should I call my child's health care provider?
Call during office hours if:
- You are not sure if your child's diet is adequate.
- You would like more specific information about nutrition and being vegetarian.
- You have other questions or concerns.
