Episode 16 - Is a vegan diet cruel and dangerous for growing children? Here are 3 Facts & Myths
Whether you choose to raise your kids on a vegan diet for ethical reasons or for health reasons or environmental reasons or all the above, you may know that feeding your kids a vegan diet can support their growth and development.
However, many outside the vegan community continue to question whether a vegan diet is actually nutritionally adequate for a child. And even strongly oppose a vegan diet for children, saying a vegan diet is cruel or dangerous for a growing child.
In today’s episode, I am debunking three myths about a vegan diet for children to bring awareness and to finally show that kids who follow a vegan diet can grow into healthy humans.
Here’s what we cover:
>> How a vegan diet can be nutritionally adequate at every stage of growth
>> Why is meat and dairy so central to society’s meal plan?
>> The nutrients that are believed to be missing on a plant-based diet
>> Why non-heme iron from plant-based foods is more advantageous
>> How the animal agriculture industry is one of the biggest industries that intentionally inflict pain and suffering
>> Is a vegan diet more expensive than an omnivore diet?
Click here to listen to the episode
Links mentioned in the episode
>> Ep 1. Is a vegan diet unsafe for children?
>> Vegan Kids Nutrition Blueprint course
Resources
Hohoff, E., Zahn, H., Weder, S., Fischer, M., Längler, A., Michalsen, A., Keller, M., & Alexy, U. (2022). Food costs of children and adolescents consuming vegetarian, vegan or omnivore diets: Results of the cross-sectional vechi youth study. Nutrients, 14(19). https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14194010
Melina, V., Craig, W., & Levin, S. (2016). Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Vegetarian diets. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 116(12), 1970–1980. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2016.09.025
Rudloff, S., Bührer, C., Jochum, F., Kauth, T., Kersting, M., Körner, A., Koletzko, B., Mihatsch, W., Prell, C., Reinehr, T., & Zimmer, K.-P. (2019). Vegetarian diets in childhood and adolescence. Molecular and Cellular Pediatrics, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40348-019-0091-z
Weder, S., Keller, M., Fischer, M., Becker, K., & Alexy, U. (2021). Intake of micronutrients and fatty acids of vegetarian, vegan, and omnivorous children (1–3 years) in Germany (VeChi Diet Study). European Journal of Nutrition, 61(3), 1507–1520. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-021-02753-3