Dec 28 / 2021

The vegetarian diet for children

When a family explains that all of them are vegetarians, including the children, they usually run into endless problems and, on occasions, reproaches and even a certain contempt on the part of the environment. And it is still believed that it is a detrimental diet for their growth and that it can cause health problems.

Is the vegetarian diet suitable for children?

But a vegetarian diet, whatever it may be (lacto-ovo-vegetarian, vegan ...) as long as it is well planned and supplemented with, can be as adequate a diet as a balanced omnivorous diet. This is stated by the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AAND) which, in 2016, indicated that “ vegetarian diets (lacto-ovo-vegetarian and vegan diets) are healthy, help prevent and treat the most common chronic diseases in a non-pharmacological way, and are also environmentally friendly.

These diets are suitable not only for all stages of the life cycle (pregnancy, lactation, pediatric age, etc.) but are also effective in reducing the risks of heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity and some types of cancer ”. For its part, the American Dietetic Association (ADA) comments that “vegetarian individuals from birth have a height, weight and a similar height as adults to those who became vegetarians later in life, which suggests that During infancy and childhood, well-planned vegetarian diets do not affect the final height or weight of the adult ”.

Nutrients of the vegetarian diet

Protein

Most children who follow a omnivorous diet consume excess protein. On the other hand, this is not the case in vegetarian kids, which achieve adequate amounts of protein if a varied vegetarian diet. There is a tendency to believe that they will not get enough protein when in our society it is not a problem at all, on the contrary.

It should be taken into account that they lack a type of amino acid (methionine) that we can get from cereals and, on the contrary, legumes have much less amount of lysine and threonine, which we can obtain from cereals, so a complete protein is achieved by combining both foods, either at the same meal or throughout the day. A tip: letting them germinate, soak or cook them improves their absorption.

Iron

exist two types iron: the iron contained in foods of animal origin (meat, liver, l) called heme iron, which is better absorbed than the non-heme iron provided by vegetables (whole grains, legumes, vegetables and vegetables), although it is also They have some foods of animal origin such as milk and milk, whose absorption is lower depending on the rest of the diet and individual absorption factors.

But studies show us that the amount of absorbable non-heme iron is adapted to the individual needs of each moment. People with lower iron stores tend to absorb more iron from the intestine and excrete it less.

It is also advised to take measures that improve its absorption, such as combine foods rich in non-heme iron with foods rich in vitamin C, like orange, tangerine, kiwi, strawberry ...

Even so, it will be one of the values to take into account and that must be controlled periodically.

Calcium

Dairy products are not essential in the diet, as long as a balanced and healthy diet where calcium values are achieved through other foods. There are foods of plant origin that are good. In addition to the food itself, we must take into account its bioavailability, that is, the ease of absorption. Vegetable foods rich in calcium, such as some (broccoli, cabbage, kale, collard greens ...), some legumes (soybeans, white and black beans) or nuts (especially almonds) are rich in phytates, which reduce the calcium absorption, so even having large amounts of this mineral, its absorption may be low.

So that this does not happen, they must be followed to deactivate phytic acid and thus improve its bioavailability. A long cooking of cereals or soaking of several hours of legumes favor their deactivation. In the case of obtaining calcium from seeds, such as sesame, they should not be taken whole but must be crushed in a mortar or with a coffee grinder to be able to adequately absorb the calcium inside. The consumption of vegetables rich in calcium should be separated from other foods rich in oxalates (wheat germ, nuts ...).

It should be noted that if the vitamin D values are not adequate, the absorption of calcium will not be correct.

According to the Spanish Society for Bone Research and Mineral Metabolism (SEIOMM), 30% of young Spaniards do not reach optimal levels of vitamin D, so it is very important to solar exposition of at least 15 minutes daily, since vitamin D is activated this way. It may be necessary to supplement, as most foods rich in vitamin D are of animal origin.

CONCLUSION

To achieve a complete and balanced diet we must promote the variety of foods: vegetables, greens, fruits, cereals, legumes, nuts, seeds, extra virgin olive oil ...

As for the rest of vitamins and minerals, it will be necessary or not to supplement them, studying the case individually, so we advise you to visit a specialized nutritionist.

Most children on an omnivorous diet consume excess protein. On the contrary, this is not the case in vegetarian children, who reach adequate amounts of protein with a vegetarian diet varied.
To improve iron absorption, we must ensure that they combine foods rich in non-heme iron with foods rich in vitamin C, such as orange, tangerine, kiwi, strawberry ...
Dairy products are not essential in the diet, as long as a balanced and healthy diet is followed where calcium values are achieved through other foods.

Diploma in Human Nutrition and Dietetics Master in Pediatric Nutrition

(Updated at Apr 14 / 2024)