If you worry your youngster's meatless eating plan will lack the iron, calcium and protein it needs for her to grow, no need to fret. A well planned vegan diet will provide your child with the same essential nutrients as an eating plan that contains meat, poultry, eggs and dairy.
Calcium for Vegan Diets
Getting enough calcium in your child’s vegan diet is important for her to have strong bones and to prevent the future risk of osteoporosis. The daily recommended dietary allowance of calcium for children ages 1 to 3 is 500mg. Kids ages 4 to 8 need about 800mg of this mineral. And children ages 9 to 13 need around 1300mg.
Vegan kids can get all the calcium they need by eating a variety of fruits, nuts and vegetables. Here are some calcium-rich vegetarian food choices.
- sweet potatoes
- oranges
- broccoli
- almonds
- cauliflower
- fortified orange juice
- white beans
- soy milk
- rice milk
- hazelnuts
- spinach
- bok choy
Iron for Plant-Based Vegetarian Diets
Iron is important for the formation of the hemoglobin needed to carry oxygen to the cells and tissues. It’s recommended that children ages 1 to 3 get 7mg of iron in their daily diets. Kids ages 4 to 8 need 10mg, and youngsters ages 9 to 13 need 8mg of this element. Vegan-friendly foods that are rich in iron include:
- spinach
- kale
- prunes
- raisins
- broccoli
- apricots
- oatmeal
- pumpkin and sesame seeds
- enriched rice
- beans
- fortified cereal
- figs
Iron from plant food sources is not absorbed as efficiently by the body as iron from animal sources. Feeding your child foods that are rich in vitamin C will increase her body’s ability to absorb iron from vegetables and fruits.
Protein for a Vegan Eating plan
Protein is important for the muscles, bones, internal organs, cartilage, skin and blood. This nutrient also helps make enzymes, and build and repair tissues. The amount of protein a child needs varies based on her age and weight.
Kids ages 1 to 3 need 0.55 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight. Children ages 4 to 6 require 0.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight. And youngsters 7 to 14 need 0.45 grams of protein for each pound they weigh. Foods that can help your child get the protein she needs in her diet include:
- oatmeal
- firm tofu
- beans
- legumes
- nuts and nut butters
- broccoli
- brown rice
- baked potatoes
- cooked lentils
- soy milk
- spinach
- cooked spaghetti
Children need proper amounts of calcium, iron and protein in their diets to thrive. If your child’s vegan diet is properly planned, she can get all the nutrients she needs to grow into a healthy adult.
Sources
- Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine: Vegetarian Diets: Advantages for Children. Accessed 4-25-11
- Children’s Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine. Accessed 4-25-11
Charlina Stewart - Charlina has dedicated more than a decade of her life making a positive difference in the lives of children. During her time as an early ...
