Can my son be a Vegan?

Question

My son has wanted to become a vegetarian for a LONG time. He is 15 and I don't think that it's a good idea for health reasons. Plus I think that he got the idea from tv. I have asked a few friends and they say "no." My husband and I have told him "no" many times, but now he is back with it, only now he wants to be a VEGAN, and won't listen. He keeps trying to buy soy and legume stuff and suddenly eats fruits and vegetables, but I don't think it'll last and he needs meat, right? Please help, I am concerned for his health and Thanksgiving is coming up!

Answer 1

You don't need meat and why do you think it's not a good idea for health reasons? What are you basing that on? Not attacking you. I just want to understand. There isn't anything unhealthy about being vegetarian or vegan. There isn't necessarily anything unhealthy about eating meat either. It just depends on where it comes from, how it's prepared, how much or how little of it's consumed and when you consume it, and if you're eating a balanced variety of foods that contain all the needed nutrients. If you ate nothing but red meat and pork, that could be far unhealthier than not eating any meat.

As a parent, I understand your position. Your house, your rules. But at 15, he's old enough to have his own opinions and should be capable of coming to his own conclusions based on those opinions and information he's discovered. It's not like he's doing some weird, crazy thing by deciding that he wants to be vegan. There's nothing wrong with it. I don't know you, but it sounds like you probably just don't know enough about it and you're letting that be the cause of your concern. That and misinformation.

To SoapyPickles: the idea that vegans have a lot of problems because of a lack of protein and calcium isn't exactly true. If you know some vegans who have problems, it's because they aren't eating the right kinds of foods, or enough of the right kinds of foods, to get those nutrients. You are right about getting protein from beans and nuts, though. Check out http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/protein.htm for info about getting enough protein being on a vegan diet.

To VerityWatson: being vegan doesn't necessarily have to cost more than being on a meat-based diet. There are lots of fruits, vegetables, beans, grains, nuts, soy and tofu-based products that don't cost much at all. Where it can get expensive is when you start getting into organic foods. Eating organic and whole foods can be better for you than eating foods with ingredients, usually artificially or chemically modified, that are added to improve taste, like high fructose corn syrup. It will usually cost more. I hate Wal-Mart, but they do actually sell organic and 100% natural food products and you can usually find these items for cheaper than a regular grocery store.

I say let him try it. Just make sure he is eating a variety of foods so his body gets all the nutrients it needs. You could talk to a dietician. You can always get yourself involved with what he's interested in doing, instead of flat out saying no, by educating yourself and trying it out with him. I'm not suggesting that you go vegan, just saying add a little variety to your diet. Try a few things you've never eaten before. If it's a phase, he'll grow out of it and get back to eating meat. If not, he'll appreciate that you let him decide for himself and that you took a real interest in what he's doing.

Answer 2

I can't believe this question. You think that being a vegan will kill your son. If you don't know much about it, why don't you do a little research so you can see what it's like. I've never seen such idiotic question. Do you see Asian Indian or monks dropping like flies? Most of their population are 80% to 90% vegan/vegetarian. If it's not healthy, they won't have over a billion people. Come on get real girl. Your very immature and set in your meat eating way. I'm not total vegan/vegetarian, I do eat meat once in a long while, but preferred not too. My kids have a choice one likes to eat some meat and they other doesn't like it. I don't condem them one way or another. There are times I cook w/out animal protein by using other product w/protein in them such as legumes, soy, and vegetables with some green leaves. The kids are as healthy as any meat eater, probably even better because they are not sluggish, or tire. What's wrong with eating fruits and vegetables? It's good for your body. You should be glad he's looking into eating healthy, not unhealthy food. Geesh, get a life and learn about other means of dieting. I sound harsh because I think your way over your head about you child being a vegan and your preventing him/her from eating healthy.

Answer 3

There's nothing unhealthy about a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, but it certainly takes far more discipline than a conventional diet.

You and your son might read Walter Willett's Eat, Drink & Be Healthy. He's a medical doctor from Harvard, and has compiled decades of research on nutrition to write a realistic guide. It's not an eating system, or a diet. Just some guidance about what works and what we know about food. He does not specifically advocate a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle, but the information in his book provides a nice set of guidelines to think about food choices.

Plus, it's quite serious and scientific. If your 15 y.o. plows through the book and still wants to go veg? You'll know he's serious.

I would, however, put more of the burden of cooking and cleaning up on him. And I think you're on solid ground if you refuse to buy tons of pricey veg alternatives. It's still your roof ... and your kitchen.

Answer 4

Nobody NEEDS meat. There are plenty of ways to remain healthy without eating meat or products derived from animals. Is it easy? No. And truthfully, most 15 year olds don't have the dedication required to be true vegans. Is he willing to prepare his own food? If he is, why not let him try being a vegetarian? Research healthy recipes for him.. go over how much protein and fat he needs to replace with vegetable alternatives for his growing body. Its not hard to replace meat protein with beans, legumes, and whole grains. Its not hard to add flax seed oil or avacados to your diet for necessary fat. It is hard to keep up with it to stay healthy and growing. Invest in some multivitamins and let him try it.

Answer 5

I personally could not stand being a vegan but it a personal decision and think that if that is what he wants then he should go for it. If he is just doing because he saw it on tv or whatever then it will not last long. I think that you should let him give it a shot. And about the health I don't think there are Any health risk but if you are concerned the you could get him to take a supplement of vitamins or something.

Answer 6

He does not need meat. Let him make this choice, do not hold him back. There are many thriving Vegans around the world. As long as he gets the proper nutrient, such as protein from soy and beans, he will be fine. Honestly, Vegans are a lot healthier than most people nowadays.

Answer 7

Make sure he realizes that being a vagan really means. A vagan is a strict form of vegetarianism, which means a vagan diet not only forbid animal meat, but also animal products in general like dairy products, animal egss, honey and any other thing that might come out of an animal for food comsumption.

Being a vagan does not mean that your body does not need the nutrients from consuming animal products. Your body would still need calcium, some of the proteins that can only be obtain from animail meat, and lots and lots of vitamin B. If your son is still willing to go a vagan diet, and swallow tons of pills a day. By all means, let him try it out himself, but make him do all the work.

You are still going to cook regularly for the rest of your family. If he wants to eat something else, he has to cook for himself. If he needs to get the pills, which could be extra food budget, to make sure his body develops normally, he has to get a job and pay for them himself.

Following vagan diets is not easy. You would probably also need more resources to create those extra pills that supposedly do not have animal products involved, which is a complete farce. I am sure during the manufacturing process of those pills, some animals definitely get hurt for it, so what is the point exactly?


XR

Answer 8

i am vegetarian, my friend is a vegan and has been for over a year. it is a lot of hard work, but if the right foods are eatten it is an extremely healthy and worthwhile lifestyle. take him to a dietician for tips on what foods he needs to substitute meat for. also dont be concerned that he got the idea from watching tv. if he is doing it for the right reasons, it shows he has good morals and a high sense of empathy.

Answer 9

Just buy a good multiple vitamin, make sure he eats plenty of protein (beans, legumes, nuts, nut butters), whole grains (brown rice, whole wheat bread) and gets adequate amounts of fats (olive oil, walnut oil, etc) with his leafy greens in order to absorb all of the proper nutrients... and a vegetarian diet is much healthier then one that includes meat and processed foods!

Buy him a good book on the subject and monitor him. It's not like he's trying to drink alcohol or use drugs for goodness sake. It sounds like he wants to take care of his body. I would encourage him... and provide educational tools and guidance.

He does NOT need meat as long as he's eating a well-balanced diet and taking a good single multiple vitamin everyday to ensure he's getting his B vitamins.

Answer 10

Veges are good for you, but yeah, you do need to have some meat. Do you know why he suddnely wants to be vegan? Is it because of TV, or does he actually care about the killing of animals? Because thats the main reason for being a vegetarian. Anyway, you could sort something out with a dietition.
Good luck ;)
~Jo