Raising a vegetarian little boy?

Question

How do you raise a vegetarian boy if soy is so supposidly bad for you? When I have kids I want to raise them as vegetarians, but I'm nervous about giving my son soy. Also, what if the little boy is lactose intolerant? If soy milk is bad for him what does he drink?

Please no answers saying give him meat. I wouldnt be able to bring myself to feed my own son an animal's flesh.

*He will be a lacto ovo vegetarian, as long as he can drink milk.*

Answer 1

My family became vegetarian 7 years ago (not including Dad). I was 12 at the time and my sisters were 8 and 3, we got to know a wonderfull vegan family who inspired us greatly, and after we moved out into the county and had pet chickens, goats, pigs and many more animals. We did some reseach on vegetarianism and decided it was for us! With the health benefits, environmental benefits and more kindness to animals. I will tell you what information I can offer....

If you are worried about soy, you can also buy rice milk or almond milk. (I love the brand "Rice Dream")

Vegetarianism is a choice more and more people are making everyday. I am glad I made it and am ready to go vegan now (=. I will offer you some realy good websites you may wan't to keep handy, as they are very usefull. Many peope will freak out about your son not getting enough protien, iron, vitamin B-12. I can tell you right now that protien is not an issue.

MYTH: "Vegetarians get little protein."

FACT: Plant foods offer abundant protein. Vegetables are around 23% protein on average, beans 28%, grains 13%, and even fruit has 5.5%. For comparison, human breast milk is only 5% (designed for the time in our lives when our protein needs are as high as they'll ever be). The US Recommended Daily Allowance is 8%, and the World Health Organization recommends 4.5%.

Good sources of iron for vegetarians include wholegrain cereals and flours, pumpkin seeds, leafy green vegetables, blackstrap molasses, pulses such as lentils and kidney beans, and some dried fruits. If he is getting enough some of these foods each day it should be no issue.

Vitamin B-12
The term B12 encompasses a group of related substances known as cobalamins. It is commonly but inaccurately believed that animal foods are the only source. In fact, active B12 is thought to be unique among vitamins in being made only by bacteria. The B12 found in meat (especially offal), eggs and dairy milk derives from the activity of bacteria living within the animals. Prolonged cooking, including boiling of cow's milk, destroys B12.
Deficiency is rare but may lead to abnormally enlarged red blood cells which characterize megaloblastic anemia. Vitamin B12 is also crucial for a healthy nervous system, and a chronic lack can eventually cause neurological symptoms.

Most cases of B12 deficiency occur in the general population and are due to a lack of intrinsic factor (a protein which is produced in the stomach and which ferries the B12 into the bloodstream), without which little of the vitamin can be absorbed. This type of deficiency leads to pernicious anemia; causes include small bowel disorders, the effects of some drugs, smoking and alcohol, gastric atrophy due to aging, and some parasitic infections. Pernicious anemia occurs in nearly 1% of the general population over the age of 60 years.

Despite the notoriety of this vitamin, dietary B12 deficiency in adult vegans is rare: some 15 cases have been recorded in the medical press worldwide since the 1980s. Not all cases will be published but it is significant that B12 deficiency is so uncommon that single case reports are still thought worthy of publication in medical journals.

Good luck! and if you are worried if he is not getting enough nutrition (I am not worried) then just give him milty vitamins. If he is getting fresh fruits and veggies eveyday then you are covering the most important part. As for my family we have been very healthy, hardly ever sick, feel great, and look great too! We still like to get a check up with our Doctor every 2 and so far so good! Do some research and maybe buy a book or 2 on vegetarianism, but for now look at websites people have posted for you.

Enjoy the holidays!

Answer 2

I'd skip the soy -- but just because I think it tastes lousy. It's definitely not some sort of critical part of a vegetarian diet like it's sometimes made out to be.

For what it's worth, I grew up vegetarian but barely ever ate soy; same with my brothers. We're all quite healthy, and enjoyed what we ate...

As for the lactose problem:

"You can buy pills or drops at a drug or grocery store to help you digest lactose. They are:
Pills that you chew right before eating foods with lactose. These pills are called lactase enzyme caplets.
A liquid that you add to milk before drinking. The liquid is called lactase enzyme drops.
You can also drink a special milk with less lactose in it. You can buy this milk at the grocery store. It is called lactose-reduced milk."

from http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/lactoseintolerance_ez/index.htm#help ; not sure why it seems to've been written for children. Lactose-reduced milk is pretty easy to find here.

Answer 3

Well my parents was no Vegetarian but after the 2WW was in Europe nothing to eat and my parents worked in an garden and their growing no meat!! I growing with lot green food and sometime meat but this gave me a better health and Good immunity. For 20 years I came to US and with the standard food my weight raised up too high. What was their to do??? I thought on my grandfather, mother side, he said "all nutrition is good, all splitting is poison, meat is in rotting process and humans eat it". This run in my Brian and needed a longer time to understand. It was time to lost the weight and live healthier than the most 60% obesity what you see every where. If some one said, the Vegan's or Vegetarian were "dummy's" or so, than he don't know what he talk, i am proud to find the reality and be an Vegetarian.

Answer 4

There are many cultures that are vegetarian. Your concerns about soy and lactose intolerance are a bit premature. Focus on those issues if they ever present themselves. Be sure to balance out the diet with proteins and fats that us omnivores find in meats. Soy and legumes are both good sources of proteins. Just don't go overboard with processed soy products...This is where the concerns about soy have started to surface.

Answer 5

My Brother is a Lacto-ovo Vegitarian. He just turned 15. Anyway I have learned alot since and here is my sugestions..

Always talk to your doctor I know lame but true

Include vitamins in the daily plan.. they even have liquid and gummy bear vitamins now.

Just watch and make sure your son is getting enough protien.. guess what.. peanut butter is a good source and kids seem to love peanut butter.

I dont know alot about the soy milk types of things, but there are alternitves. I am not sure but maybe even check into powdered milk.. never hurts.. Cheers

Answer 6

actually, being a vegetarian is healthier for you. On average vegetarians live 10 years longer than meat eaters. Just make sure that your son gets enough protein and iron to keep healthy. Oh, and I'm pretty sure that soy milk doesn't have any lactose in it, but you better make sure. Also, in my opinion, the best way to make sure your son isn't lactose intolerant is to give him some milk and see what happens. Good luck!!!!!!!!!

Answer 7

Ask his pediatrician, don't listen to some of these clowns on here...like soy milk makes anyone gay?? Soy is NOT bad for you, it's just the hype of the week. He's better off as a vegetarian than eating poisoned food...good for you for raising him vegetarian, I wish I did it with my son but I wasnt a vegatarian at the time.

Answer 8

He can drink almond milk and rice milk. You can give him seitan, and textured vegetable protein. Quinoa and brown rice are high in protein.It's all about the whole grains, the vegetables, the fruits, and finding a good varied balance in diet for him. If you don't give him much sugar, and teach him how bad sugar is for him, he will be even healthier.

Answer 9

It's simple: You don't raise children to be anything specific - what they eat and who they become, is up to them.

And if you're so afraid of giving him soy, then don't. It'll give him an important lesson: You have to life your decisions, so try to avoid the bad ones.

Answer 10

Don't listen to people here who insult your child like that.
I hope this helps dear.
http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/nutrition/vegetarian.html
http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/nutrition/lactose_intolerance.html
I am very glad you are raising your child as a vegetarian,he will thank you one day for that!
Good luck!