May 2008


Manisha Panchal, M.D., is a pediatrician with the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, formerly Camino Medical Group, in Santa Clara. In this article, she provides information about healthy vegetarian diets for children.

My husband and I are vegan and expecting our first child. We would like to raise our baby on a vegan diet, but my mother-in-law says it is unsafe. Is she right?

Yes and no. Vegan diets for babies and children come with some inherent risks that other diets do not. As you know, vegan diets are different than vegetarian diets in that they do not contain any animal products, including milk, butter or cheese. Children’s and babies' nutritional needs are different than those of adults practicing a vegan diet. The main reason is children's and babies' extremely rapid growth rates. They require more protein, calcium, vitamin D and vitamin B12. These nutrients are abundantly found in milk and milk products. A typical newborn may go from 8 pounds to 21 pounds in 12 months, which doesn’t sound like a lot until you consider that this would be like a 160-pound vegan man gaining 260 pounds in a year.

Clearly, the rules for adult nutrition cannot be applied to a baby, so you need to find a pediatrician and nutritionist who is willing to work with you on creating a healthy diet for your fast growing baby. This is not a do-it-yourself situation, otherwise the baby or child will have nutritional deficiencies.

Luckily, for most of the first year, you can ensure a healthy diet for your newborn by either breastfeeding or offering a soy-based infant formula that your pediatrician recommends. Sometimes vitamin B-12, vitamin D and iron supplements are also given during the first year, but ask your pediatrician first.

After your baby turns 9 months old, things will begin to get harder. Babies and toddlers need diets that are high in fat and protein, and low in fiber, which is the exact opposite of many vegan diets. You will need to make sure your baby gets lots of foods like cooked beans, lentils, tofu, avocados, soy yogurt and (after age 1 and with a pediatrician’s OK) nuts. Finicky toddlers sometimes resist these restrictions, therefore some parents decide to supplement their children’s diets with eggs and milk from organic farms that follow high standards for humane treatment of animals. It is important to consult your pediatrician before trying any new diet, otherwise it can be harmful to your baby and child.

My oldest son has become a vegetarian, and now his younger brother and sister want to become vegetarians, too. What do I need to know when shopping and cooking for my new vegetarian family?

Sounds like you have a classic case of follow the leader. Fortunately, your son has set an example that is safe and healthy for younger kids to copy, provided the nutritional needs of their growing bodies are taken into account. Your pediatrician or family medicine doctor and reputable online resources found through links on Web sites like the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Information Center (www.usda.gov) can help you make sure your kids are getting a balanced diet. In general, you want to make sure they get enough of protein, calcium, vitamin B12, vitamin D, iron and zinc. These can be found in tofu and soy milk, milk and milk products, dry beans and lentils, nuts, whole grains, and green leafy vegetables.

My 13-year-old announced to the family that she is no longer going to eat meat, and it has led to a lot of family arguments. Is there a good reason I can give her for not becoming vegetarian?

Vegetarian meals can be very nutritional, so instead of fighting with your daughter, get her involved in making healthy food choices for herself and preparing her own vegetarian meals. Some kids give up on vegetarianism after they discover that it first of all no longer upsets their parents and second, takes learning about nutritional requirements and cooking for themselves. (Work!) Others appreciate the chance to show that they can follow through on a grown-up decision and take care of themselves.

In addition, by being involved in your daughter’s decision, you can make sure that her “vegetarianism” is not a cover for a developing eating disorder. If she resists eating even vegetarian meals, contact your pediatrician or family medicine doctor.

Click here for information about nutrition classes for toddlers and preschoolers.

Click here for information about nutrition services.