Do you think that children should be raised as vegetarians?

Question

Even though most medical experts advise against it.

Disadvantages:
Vegetarians (vegans) have difficulty consuming enough of the following nutrients:

Vitamin B-12
Found in animal products only, fortified cereals, soy products
Vitamin D
Found in milk, margarine, soy milk & cereals
Iron & zinc
Besides meats, poultry, chicken & fish, these nutrients are found in: whole grain foods, soy foods, beans, dried fruits, nuts and seeds. Consuming foods high in vitamin C with iron foods will help to increase the absorption of the iron.
Calcium
Studies have found that diets of vegetarian children are most likely deficient in calcium. Excellent sources of calcium include milk, yogurt and cheese. Plant products include: cereals, juices, beans, tofu, soy foods, dried figs and almonds.
Vegetarianism is not recommended for young children because it is extremely difficult for them to consume the nutrients they need in adequate amounts for optimal growth without consuming any animal products.

www.tshc.fsu.edu/he/nutrition/Nutrition

Answer 1

I have three children and I encourage them to eat their veggies and their meat.I think they should have both in their diets.My youngest is a big veggie eater and eats very little meat.My two older ones love both.Everyone is different.I just want them to be as healthy as they can be and have a well balanced diet,that includes meat.

Answer 2

Most medical advisers advise against things they don't know about. If you go to an unbiased medical adviser they will recommend a vegetarian diet and even help by giving you advice and answer questions regarding misconceptions. I believe all kids should be raised vegetarian simply because it's healthier and I don't think anyone is against raising healthy kids.Do you think that children should be raised as vegetarians?



Vitamin B-12 is a microbe and is not found in animal products or vegetables but rather derived from the soil. It can be found in root vegetables and seaweed. The central component in B12 is cobalt which is really what the body needs. Vitamin D is found in dark leafy vegetables,
Iron and zinc can be abundantly found in legumes and whole grains. Calcium is found in all raw vegetables. Below is a link that displays the amount of calcium found in each vegetable. Just in case you were thinking about protien too I added a link that displays protien in certain foods. As you can see there are plenty of vegetarian sources of all these vitamins and there is no need for meat products so long as the parent is providing a balanced diet and not giving the child junk.

Answer 3

It is not necessary for a child to eat meat. What is necessary is the protein. Many people are misinformed and believe that it is unhealthy for someone to not eat meat. If you notice on the food pyramid the it includes meat and non-meat foods (e.g. nut butters, legumes) in the same category because they are interchangeable and share similar nutrients If it was absolutely necessary for someone to eat meat, then meat would have gotten a category all of its own.

"Vegetarians all over the world have raised vegetarian children for generations, yet in Western cultures, the idea of vegetarianism for children is often received negatively or at least with some doubt."

"Why is this the case? Lack of support, knowledge, and experience are the major factors. If you have never been around vegetarian children, you may wonder if it is even possible to raise healthy children this way. In general, health professionals are not well informed about vegetarian diets, fueling the fire of doubt. In the face of such adversity one would do well to remember that even the American Dietetic Association approves a vegetarian diet for all ages. In their paper Feeding Your Baby the Vegetarian Way, the Association states that when their diet is a appropriately planned, babies can get all the nutrients they need to grow and be healthy within a vegetarian eating style."

Done properly it is very healthy to have a baby on a vegetarian diet. Healthy eating habits taught to children are more likely to be carried through to adulthood.

The key is variety and knowledge. Up to a year a baby should be on breast milk or formula, with introduction of actual food at about 8 months. As long as the meat is replaced with beans, legumes, soy, etc than it is perfectly healthy.

Answer 4

Vegetarianism has survived in many cultures for centuries. It therefore has been proven to be a healthy alternative to the conservative belief surrounding our(America's) cultural diet.

The truth will be tested over time, and over time only the truth will survive.

So if there was an issue with vegetarianism not being healthy for children, the Hindu faith would have died off hundreds of years ago. It in fact has lasted longer than Christianity - to this point in time, who knows what the future holds.
Jainism is considered the oldest religion in the world, it has survived as a vegan religion, so it too has survived the test of time.

The "meat-based" diet is still fairly new. The meat based diet - meaning having meat with virtually every meal - has only developed since refrigeration. I would argue with increased rates of heart disease, and cancer that this is going to prove faulty overtime.

But, I can not argue with meat in moderation, two to four times a week. I call this the pre-industrial diet.

I was raised in a family who believed in the meat-based diet. Although we appeared healthy (3 of the top ten long distance runners in the state) we were suffering from heart disease.

We as individuals have different body types. We need to find a diet that is appropriate for each of us separately. Our genetic makeup - is one thing we pass on to our children, and this must be considered in the teaching of appropriate dining strategies. When the child is old enough to test the waters him/herself they should be allowed to do that.

Why the long answer, when I know you are simply looking for support for your personal opinions? Because I know you are wrong, and that even our scientists have ethnocentric views about diet, and will study things in a way that will support their personal hypothesis.

Answer 5

For my own children, my answer is: absolutely yes. My spouse and I are both vegetarian and our child would be raised that way. Unless my child has a number of allergies that prevent them from consuming vegetarian alternatives to meat (like soy, gluten, nuts, etc.), I'll always insist that a well-planned vegetarian diet can provide all nutrients necessary for developing children.

For other people's children, my answer is: it's up to the parents. It's not my place to make decisions for other people. While I may disagree with other people's choices, I wouldn't go as far as to say that they should do anything other than what they choose to do.

Answer 6

Actually, *every* Dr. that I've spoken to has been enthusiastic about vegetarianism, including that of young children. Also, the veggie kids I pesonally know happen to be thriving-- they're bright, creative & popular as well as healthy.
If children are born into a vegetarian household they will decide later if this is right for them-- I've known veggie kids who became omnivores during their school years & some of these have returned to vegetarianism later on. Likewise, kids in a non-veg home should be given the choice to eat meat or not.

Answer 7

Most medical experts also say that people should steer clear of red meat... now you don't think that it is wrong that people subject their children to a diet that kept up through life can result in cardiovascular diseases?
What I think is that no children should be raised on fast food, potato chips, tv dinners, hot pockets, choclolate, sugar, soda or meat. Nor should they be raised with television or video games. They should play outside. All these things are a lot worse than being concerned over a vegetable diet. How many times have you persued any of those avenues when formulating questions.

Answer 8

well first i think you need to check your terminology. there is a difference between vegetarianism and veganism. many vegetarians (ovo-lacto) still consume eggs and milk, thus not missing out on any of the milk vitamins they could be lacking otherwise. many of the people i grew up with were vegetarians from birth and they were some of the healthiest kids i knew. not only that, but they make multi vitamins to cover any deficiencies they might have. generally people who are vegetarian know how to make up missed items in their diets with substitutes and i assume they are competent enough to feed they're own kids the same stuff. carnivorous parents are often less in tune with healthy foods (though not always) and their kids miss out on just as many vitamins in the long run what with fried meats and such. i think nutritional balance could and shoud be achieved regardless of how you raise your children

Answer 9

"No, medical experts advise against raising young children age 5 and younger on a Vegan diet, since most Vegan parents don't know what exactly to substitute that child's diet with."

So you're saying that veg(whatever)s are ignorant and wouldn't provide for their child properly? I just don't think YOU know what to supplement a non-meat, dairy, and egg diet with. It's really quite simple, in fact I own several books on the subject. Most parents feed their kid chemical laden soda and processed fish sticks and fattening macaroni and cheese. Is that any better?

Can I see where most medical experts advise against raising a child vegan?

Should you raise a child a certain religion? I think it's arguable, from a "let them choose" standpoint, that a child should not be raised in a certain church, if a child gets to make up their own mind.

My own child will have the choice, since my boyfriend is an omnivore (at least he eats kosher and free range). But I think if both parents are veg, there is no reason for a child not to be.

Answer 10

Yes - it is a very healthy diet for everyone, including children. My cousins were raised as vegetarians and they are very healthy. My sister and I turned vegetarian when we were 10 and have not been ill very much since (relative to when we did eat meat). Scientific studies have been done which show that children raised as vegetarian/vegan are much healthier than omnivorous children.

Answer 11

actually it is healthy for children to be raised as vegetarians or vegans. they can get all their nutrition from non animal based foods. i guess as a parent you would have to know how to provide a well balanced diet. being vegetarian/vegan is much healthy and studies have proven they are smarter. it lowers the risk of heart attacks, cancer, and high blood pressure.