284 Part VI: Veganism for All Walks of Life Is a Vegan Diet Safe? The Experts Weigh In Gathering scientific proof on the safety and health of a vegan diet is easy — numerous studies and books detail the benefits of this style of eating Experts — from the old-school professors to the cutting edge researchers — have been giving a well-balanced vegan diet for children rave reviews for years For example, second only to the Bible in terms of worldwide sales, Dr Benjamin Spock’s classic book Baby and Child Care is on most parent’s shelves Most people don’t know it, but Dr Spock went vegan in his later years — and he recommended it for children, too After seeing his own chronic bronchitis disappear at the age of 88, Dr Spock began to research this miracle diet and came to realize that a dairy- and meat-free diet would offer optimal nutrition for the children he was famous for writing about Similarly, Dr Neal Barnard, the head of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), recommends a vegan diet for children as a way to avoid serious health problems now and in the future PCRM, which says that about one-third of American children are lactose intolerant or have a dairy allergy, advocates for vegan meals and dairy alternatives in the nation’s school lunch programs Dr Barnard, a prolific author and speaker, presents research proving that kids of all activity levels can get the protein and nutrition they need from a plant-based diet These doctors and health gurus recognize the benefits of a vegan diet for children and teens, and they have done the legwork to prove it Now it’s up to parents and children to the smart and tasty thing — go vegan! A vegan diet based on a variety of whole foods ensures that a child’s daily nutritional requirements are met and protects the health of that child for her entire life Understanding normal growth rates Don’t assume that vegan kids will be scrawny and poorly developed They may be skinnier than the other kids in class, but considering the obesity epidemic in the United States, this trimness is probably good Vegan children turn out just fine when offered a healthy diet Just because your kid doesn’t eat cheeseburgers doesn’t mean he won’t be able to play basketball — vegan kids grow tall too! Chapter 22: Vegan Diets for Kids, Tweens, and Teens If you need some scientific proof, consider the following: ✓ A 1988 study by T.A Sanders published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed how a group of vegan kids raised in England grew up just fine These kids were actually taller than the other children studied and weighed just slightly less You can search the journal’s archived articles for vegan studies at www.ajcn.org ✓ A study in Pediatrics (the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics) from 1989 revealed wonderful results from vegan children at the Farm community in Tennessee Most of the more than 400 kids who were raised vegan from birth were slightly shorter than normal between the ages of and 3, but by age 10 their heights had all evened out Visit pediatrics.aappublications.org to search the journal’s archived articles for this vegan study and many others Most American pediatricians, as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, use a standard set of growth charts to determine whether a child’s growth is within the standard healthy trajectory These charts have been used for years and have been updated according to shifting population information However, all contain one fatal flaw: Every child is different Tracking your child’s height, weight, and head measurements can help you determine the rate at which they’re growing, but you need to take many factors into account to get a true picture These current charting standards don’t tell you how much a child should grow to ensure a healthy life; they only describe how they’re growing in comparison to the average child While these standard growth charts are somewhat useful, they also can cause unnecessary concern Some kids hit growth spurts later than others It’s helpful to know the possible medical causes, such as hyperthyroidism, food allergies, kidney problems, and growth hormone deficiency, for a child being shorter than expected However, if a child’s parents are short, the kid will likely be shorter as well The bottom line is this: There are healthy kids, vegan and nonvegan alike, who fall within the “normal” rate of growth on doctor office charts There also are kids who fall below and above normal If you have concerns that your child’s growth has slowed or stopped, talk with your healthcare provider about the possible factors You’re the parent, and you know more about your children than anyone — trust your intuition If you notice that your child is experiencing any developmental delays or that he’s withdrawing, lacking energy, or has lost his appetite, it may be time to talk with a medical professional 285 286 Part VI: Veganism for All Walks of Life Looking at a new kind of growth chart In 2006, the World Health Organization (WHO) released its Child Growth Standards The first charts of their kind, these standards show that children born anywhere in the world, Amazonian Pygmies aside, can grow into the same range of weight and height no matter their upbringing These new charts were based on a years-long study, which began in 1997 This study showed that, given healthy conditions and proper nutrition early in life, children from countries as diverse as Brazil, Ghana, India, Norway, Oman, and the United States show similar growth patterns Taking into account that the children followed over the course of this study included every kind of religious, ethnic, and nutritional background, it goes to show that vegan children develop into healthy teens and adults the world over For the first time, these growth charts show how children should grow for optimal health rather than just describing how they’re growing compared to the average child To discuss these WHO charts with your doctor, print one at www.who.int/childgrowth/standards/en/index.html Discovering a Bounty of Choices for Your Little Vegan Your kid’s vegan menu can and should offer more variety than her omnivorous classmate’s Creating breakfast, lunch, and dinner to mimic what “normal” people eat is simple Your family may be worried that a vegan lunch will draw stares or unwelcome comments in the cafeteria, but that’s uncommon — and it can be avoided if it does happen Plan ahead and a little research into what the natives are eating at school and at birthday parties For instance, is pizza being served as the hot lunch item on Friday? If so, make a vegan pizza for dinner on Thursday and send a few slices as leftover lunch To help your kid feel included at the next birthday party, find out what food the host is offering Purchase or make a vegan version of that party food and have your kid take it with her Colors, shapes, and sizes are important here: Ask whether the pizza will be cut into squares or pie slices If nonvegan cupcakes will be the treat of the day, send your child with vegan cupcakes (rather than baking a full cake) The idea is to help your little vegan blend right in In this section, I provide you with some information on choosing kid-friendly meals and snacks for your growing vegan Chapter 22: Vegan Diets for Kids, Tweens, and Teens Offering kid-friendly vegan fare American kids eat little real food these days A normal day includes many highly processed junk foods, some disguised as being healthy Breakfast may be cereal with hidden sugar, frozen pastry strudels, and even soda or other caffeinated beverages Lunch will likely contain chips, more soda, cookies, french fries, and perhaps a burger or hot dog Dinner with the family often means a fatty and heavily salted and sweetened fast-food meal purchased from a drive-through When parents offer choices like these for their children, kids will take them up on it If you want your kid to eat healthy foods, you should only offer appropriate choices Provide real foods for every meal and eliminate the processed junk food entirely They may complain at first, but most kids won’t starve themselves Stock up on whole grains, low-sodium canned soups, fresh fruit, and healthy snacks If you only offer healthy foods, your kids will begin to eat (and willingly choose) those healthy foods whether you’re around or not However, keep in mind that some kids are picky, and it can take up to a dozen times for a new food to be tasted and enjoyed Here’s a sample list of kid-friendly vegan meals that most parents can whip up whether they went to culinary school or not: ✓ Baked potato fries with fruit juice-sweetened ketchup ✓ Baked potato with steamed broccoli and either olive oil or vegan cream cheese ✓ Barley and vegetable soup ✓ Burgers, hot dogs, and sandwich slices made of tofu and other meat substitutes ✓ Grilled soy cheese sandwiches ✓ Oatmeal with apples and cinnamon ✓ Pancakes spread with almond butter and pure maple syrup ✓ Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (try ’em grilled, too!) ✓ Rice and beans with a side of salsa and guacamole ✓ Romaine lettuce salad with cherry tomatoes ✓ Sautéed seitan with mashed potatoes ✓ Spaghetti with tomato sauce (mix in some cooked lentils for extra protein) ✓ Spinach lasagna ✓ Vegetable stew ✓ Veggie pizzas with vegan cheese and shredded zucchini ✓ Waffles with fresh or frozen berries 287 288 Part VI: Veganism for All Walks of Life Excitotoxins in your meals and snacks Important foods to avoid are those that contain excitotoxins, chemical flavorings and preservatives that are added to processed foods Common excitotoxins include MSG, food coloring, aspartame, and flavoring systems used by fast-food restaurants and packaged-food producers to addict consumers to their brands Avoid any foods that contain these chemicals, because they can result in brain damage with excessive exposure Baby food and children’s snacks should be screened closely, because young brains are much more sensitive to damage from these additives As you’re studying ingredient labels, look for these key words, which indicate hidden excitotoxins: ✓ Autolyzed yeast ✓ Calcium caseinate ✓ Corn oil ✓ Hydrolyzed oat flour ✓ Hydrolyzed plant protein ✓ Hydrolyzed protein ✓ Hydrolyzed vegetable protein ✓ Malt extract ✓ Malt flavoring ✓ Monosodium glutamate ✓ Plant protein extract ✓ Sodium caseinate ✓ Textured protein (including TVP) ✓ Yeast extract If your child has been raised on chemically flavored foods, it may take him a little while to appreciate the more subtle tastes of real, whole foods Have a discussion with your kid and explain the serious ramifications that his diet is having on his health, mood, and future Ask for his opinions and concerns Whatever you do, don’t make sweeping changes to the family menu without first discussing your reasoning behind it If you’re straight with your child, perhaps he’ll see the value in what you’re attempting and can help make the transition easier by participating more fully Dealing with kids’ snack attacks Most kids love to snack, and they can develop really scary food habits by relying on sugary, salty, and fatty offerings Kids will still have access to unhealthy snacks when they’re outside the home, but if you provide them with some of the following healthy options, they’ll start making better choices most of the time: ✓ Applesauce sprinkled with ground cinnamon ✓ Brown rice pudding made from leftover brown rice mixed with blackstrap molasses, hemp or soymilk, cinnamon, berries, or raisins ✓ Calcium-fortified apple or orange juice ... information on choosing kid-friendly meals and snacks for your growing vegan Chapter 22: Vegan Diets for Kids, Tweens, and Teens Offering kid-friendly vegan fare American kids eat little real food these... lentils for extra protein) ✓ Spinach lasagna ✓ Vegetable stew ✓ Veggie pizzas with vegan cheese and shredded zucchini ✓ Waffles with fresh or frozen berries 287 288 Part VI: Veganism for All... background, it goes to show that vegan children develop into healthy teens and adults the world over For the first time, these growth charts show how children should grow for optimal health rather than