Chapter 22: Vegan Diets for Kids, Tweens, and Teens ✓ Calcium-fortified soy, hemp, rice, or nut milk ✓ Coconut date rolls (fresh Medjool dates blended with unsweetened shredded coconut and formed into balls) ✓ Corn chips served with salsa, guacamole, and heated black beans ✓ Falafel patties served in a whole-grain pita with hummus and olives ✓ Fresh berries and all-fruit sorbet (without sugar) ✓ Fruit smoothies ✓ Fruit that’s precut into bite-sized pieces ✓ Homemade popsicles made from blended hemp milk, berries, cashews, and a banana ✓ Hummus and crackers or veggies ✓ Organic apple slices dipped in unsweetened, unsalted almond butter ✓ Pickled cucumbers and other vegetables ✓ Pitted olives ✓ Popcorn drizzled with olive oil and nutritional yeast flakes ✓ Raisins mixed with nuts or seeds ✓ Spelt pretzels dipped in mustard or tofu dip ✓ Veggie sticks with tofu cream cheese or nut cheese ✓ Whole-grain cereal with soy, hemp, rice, or nut milk Making Sure Your Growing Vegans Are Getting the Nutrition They Need Every day seems to bring new growth to a child’s mind and body One day she’s asking to hold your hand and play with you in the sandbox, and the next day she’s boldly running off with her friends Because each developmental stage brings new challenges, both physical and emotional, it’s wise to plan ahead for the nutritional needs of your child Consulting traditional food charts isn’t especially helpful for a vegan family The amount of space taken up by meat and dairy on these guides is really large Instead, rely on this section, which provides sound food options to ensure that your growing vegan family has access to all the food groups it needs 289 290 Part VI: Veganism for All Walks of Life Including the four vegan food groups in your kid’s diet Relying on the USDA food pyramid hasn’t created a healthy nation We die earlier and are sicker and more overweight than previous generations Our children need a healthy food guide that takes full advantage of the best foods Mother Nature has to offer The healthy food groups to include in a vegan diet are ✓ Fruits ✓ Seeds, nuts, beans, legumes, and soy foods ✓ Vegetables ✓ Whole grains These general guidelines include plenty of healthy fats from vegetable oils like olive, sesame seed, canola, and unrefined coconut oils Also important are omega-3-rich oils like flaxseed oil Natural fats also can be derived from nuts, seeds, avocados, nondairy milk, and nondairy yogurt Be sure also to include a source of vitamin B12, such as a typical children’s multivitamin or vitamin-fortified cereals or soymilk The nutrition experts at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, or PCRM, have put together an outstanding outline for directing food choices for kids, tweens, and teens See Table 22-1 for a rundown of these choices Table 22-1 Serving Recommendations for Kids, Tweens, and Teens Age Group Whole Grains, Breads, Cereals Vegetables Legumes, Nuts, Seeds, Nondairy Milks 1–4 years servings 2–4 Tbsp dark green vegetables ⁄4–1⁄2 cup other vegetables 5–6 years servings ⁄4 cup dark green vegetables ⁄4–1⁄2 cup other vegetables ⁄4–1⁄2 cup legumes Fruits ⁄4–11⁄2 cups 3 servings breast milk, soy formula, soymilk, or other enriched nondairy milk ⁄2–1 cup legumes servings soymilk or other nondairy milk 1–2 cups Chapter 22: Vegan Diets for Kids, Tweens, and Teens Age Group Whole Grains, Breads, Cereals 7–12 years servings Vegetables serving dark green vegetables servings other vegetables 13–19 years 10 servings 1–2 servings dark green vegetables servings other vegetables Legumes, Nuts, Seeds, Nondairy Milks servings legumes servings soymilk or other nondairy milk servings legumes 2–3 servings soymilk or other nondairy milk Fruits servings servings Source: www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/veg_diets_for_children.html Getting kids to think about calci-yum! Cow’s milk and other dairy products contain calcium that kids need for growing bones, but plenty of natural vegan foods also are rich in this mineral Beans, grains, greens, vegetables, seeds, and nuts can supply everything your child needs for ultimate nutrition and proper growth If cows can get their calcium from greens to grow big and strong, so can humans Table 22-2 lists the calcium requirements for children (amounts are the same for both males and females): Table 22-2 Calcium Requirements for Children Age Amount (mg/day) 1–3 years 500 4–8 years 800 9–18 years 1,300 Source: American Academy of Pediatrics The human body absorbs calcium more efficiently from vegetables than it does from cow’s milk products Eating 100 calories of bok choy gives your body 435 milligrams of calcium, or 53 percent of the total available calcium Drinking 100 calories of skim milk gives your body 107 milligrams of calcium, or 32 percent of the total available calcium You obviously get some calcium with the milk, but you get more from the bok choy — and you also get the fiber, chlorophyll, iron, and other minerals available from this delicious green 291 292 Part VI: Veganism for All Walks of Life Chapter provides a list of vegan foods that are great sources of calcium Be sure to give your child a variety of these foods so he can reach the proper calcium requirements for his age group Ensure the bone health of your growing child, tween, or teen by eliminating all sodas from his diet Most sodas, diet and regular, contain phosphoric acid This acid has been shown in studies to deplete bones of their calcium When the body is overly acidic, it leaches calcium out of the bones to alkalinize the blood Strong evidence suggests that girls who drink more soda are more prone to fractures and broken bones The soft drink industry vehemently denies that soda has anything to with bone health, but parents should draw their own conclusions You can offer your kids many other healthier beverage options, including calcium-fortified juices and vegan milks, iced herbal teas, and plain ol’ water Iron’s in it: Fitting iron into kids’ menus Growing kids need iron-rich food to ensure consistent energy levels and healthy blood production Table 22-3 provides recommendations for how much iron kids need at various stages Include in your child’s diet items from the list of iron-rich vegan foods in Chapter Because girls in their tween and teenaged years are likely to be having their menstrual cycles, they require more iron starting at menarche, or their first period Table 22-3 Iron Requirements for Kids, Tweens, and Teens Age Males (mg/day) Females (mg/day) 1–3 years 7 4–8 years 10 10 9–13 years 8 14–18 years 11 15 Source: National Institutes of Health Iron-containing foods that also contain a source of vitamin C, which enhances the body’s ability to absorb the iron, are the best kind And kids often like these options (without knowing their health benefits) Broccoli is one of these perfect foods You also can pair foods to gain the same effect For example, pair black beans with tomato salsa for a burrito topping or dip for tortilla chips Or blend tomato sauce with steamed kale for a great pasta dish Chapter 22: Vegan Diets for Kids, Tweens, and Teens If necessary, children also can take a daily, chewable vitamin that ensures that their iron and mineral intake is sufficient VegLife and Freeda both make good vegan chewable vitamins for kids Emphasizing the power of protein Growing bodies need protein to create muscle, build blood, work, and repair tissues Luckily, protein deficiency is extremely rare A varied diet can help everyone in your family meet their daily protein requirements, including the kids, tweens, and teens Use Table 22-4 to create family-friendly menus based on your family’s changing protein needs Table 22-4 Protein Requirements for Kids, Tweens, and Teens Age Males (g/day) Females (g/day) 1–3 years 16 16 4–6 years 24 24 7–10 years 28 28 11–14 years 45 46 15–18 years 59 44 Source: National Institutes of Health Focus on offering a variety of protein-containing foods throughout the day, and your kid’s body will accumulate all the amino acids it needs to create complete proteins Daily doses of whole-grain products, different kinds of beans or legumes, and a variety of nuts, seeds, and soy foods all ensure that your child meets her protein needs Flip to Chapter to see a list of vegan sources of protein Gaining essential vitamins and minerals from food Vegan kids need the same vitamins and minerals that adults need They may need a bit more or less at certain stages and ages, but a well-balanced, wholefood vegan diet and proper life habits provide them what they need 293 ... effect For example, pair black beans with tomato salsa for a burrito topping or dip for tortilla chips Or blend tomato sauce with steamed kale for a great pasta dish Chapter 22: Vegan Diets for. .. vitamin-fortified cereals or soymilk The nutrition experts at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, or PCRM, have put together an outstanding outline for directing food choices for kids,... servings breast milk, soy formula, soymilk, or other enriched nondairy milk ⁄2–1 cup legumes servings soymilk or other nondairy milk 1–2 cups Chapter 22: Vegan Diets for Kids, Tweens, and Teens