Tips on how to raise a healthy child on a vegan diet

As with any other dietary restriction, raising your baby vegan can take practice, trial and error, and patience.

Parents often wonder if children are getting enough protein on a plant-based diet. This is understandable when you consider the importance of protein to a growing child. If you have decided to start a vegan diet for a child, here are some things you should know.

How Much Protein is Enough?

The recommended intake for a healthy adult is 46 grams of protein per day for women and 56 grams for men. But the average adult in developed countries eats far more protein than they actually need. In fact, they are eating roughly double the recommended amount! It is therefore easy to get enough protein simply by eating a variety of plant-based foods, including beans, legumes, nuts, broccoli, and whole grains.

Vegetable proteins

Did you know that plant-based foods contain more vitamins and minerals, contain fiber, and contain far less sodium, saturated fats and cholesterol than their meat and milk-based counterparts? They also don’t contain antibiotics and other scary medicines commonly found in meat and dairy products. Here are a few other herbal facts:

• Soy protein provides the same protein quality as meat and contains all the essential amino acids.
• Non-heme iron is found in a wide variety of plant foods, including leafy vegetables, beans and grains, nuts, and seeds.
• Omega-3, which is also a common problem, can be easily replicated in a plant-based diet of flaxseed, hempseed, and chia seeds, to name a few.

The benefits of the plant-based diet

With increasing awareness of the benefits of the plant-based diet, there is now a wider variety of kid-friendly plant-based meals on the market. It’s so much easier these days to replicate foods that kids eat and enjoy in plant-based versions these days.

The challenges of a vegan upbringing

Being a parent has its challenges. But raising vegan kids in a non-vegan world is really tough.

Here are a few ideas to help you.

• Remember, your child is not you. It is up to you to teach them the values ​​that you have as a family. You are there to guide and inspire them. If, as you get older, they make different decisions than you do, don’t take it personally or as a sign that you have failed.
• Keep meals exciting. Get creative in the kitchen with your kids. Try to make food art with the vegetables. Think Rainbow Wraps, Noughts and Crosses (winner eats everything) and become a master of disguise (hide the vegetables they don’t normally eat).
• Talk about the food you prepared. Educate your children about the health benefits. Raising yourself and your children will benefit all of you immensely. Discuss how you prepared the food and where it came from (e.g. if it is home grown, from a nearby farm). Talking about where animal products came from can also help the rest of the family understand your point of view. Keep emotions out of these discussions – be open, honest, and logical.
• Realize that everyone is on their own path. You cannot impose your own feelings on others. Listen to their point of view, be kind, and give your own thoughts without confrontation. Plant seeds. Do not judge. Be compassionate.
• Be prepared for events. School events, fundraisers, get-togethers, and children’s parties usually involve animal products. Pack some options for your kids.
• Connect with animals. Go to a farm together and spend time with the rescued animals. Make sure your kids have a real connection with animals.

source https://dailyhealthynews.ca/tips-on-how-to-raise-a-healthy-child-on-a-vegan-diet/