Vegetarians of all ages regularly encounter misunderstandings from well-meaning relatives and friends about the diet’s nutritional value, especially as it affects growing children (How will they get enough protein? Won’t lack of meat lead to iron deficiency? Might it stunt a child’s growth?). But ask almost any food expert, and you’ll get the same answer: A well-balanced vegetarian diet promotes health in kids and adults alike and can lower the risk for chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, obesity, and cancer. Plant-based foods are loaded with fiber and vitamins generally and skip the animal fat and cholesterol that are in omnivorous diets.
If you’re vegetarian but are eating pizza, nachos, and rice all the time, and no vegetables, that’s not a positive statement for health,” says Mollie Katzen, author of several vegetarian-friendly books and coauthor of Eat, Drink, and Weigh Less (Hyperion, 2006). Whether your child chooses vegetarianism or has been raised that way since birth, you can ensure a lifetime of healthy development and eating habits by choosing foods wisely and widely. Pay special attention to the following nutrient needs.
Protein
Probably the most common concern parents have about their vegetarian kids is that they won’t get enough protein. Though T-bone steaks are off the table, the plant world provides abundant protein sources, which often are healthier than most meat sources—free of cholesterol and low in saturated fat. Excellent protein-rich foods include beans, nuts, seeds, and whole grains such as quinoa and cous cous. “I think the most brilliant source of protein for vegetarians is seitan (wheat gluten),” Katzen says. She also lauds soy foods, cottage cheese, and nut butters, which are all protein-packed.
For a “complete” protein—one that contains all the essential amino acids the body needs—vegetarians have several choices, most notably soy, as well as basic combinations of legumes, grains, and nuts. Most foods from plants contain all the essential amino acids, although their proportions vary. Examples of other complete-protein combos include brown rice with beans; peanut butter on whole-wheat bread; and whole-wheat pasta with white beans or chickpeas.
Calcium
Vegetarians who eat dairy can obtain more than enough calcium through milk and the moderate use of cheese. But even vegans can obtain the recommended 800 to 1,300 mg daily with calcium-fortified foods such as juice, tofu, soymilk, and rice milk. On the green front, broccoli, bok choy, mustard greens, and kale offer absorbable calcium, as do almonds, sesame seeds, and many beans.
Iron
Critical for energy as well as healthy blood and tissue, iron abounds in beans, tofu, grains, dried fruits, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and spinach. Vegetarian children should aim for 16 to 30 mg of iron daily. For best absorption, encourage kids to eat vitamin C-rich produce like oranges, bell peppers, and tomatoes with their iron-rich foods, since vitamin C can more than triple iron-absorption.
Iron
Canola and soybean oils, walnuts, flaxseed, hempseed, and wheat germ offer the omega-3 fats essential for proper growth, especially brain development and cell-membrane health.
Dedication to eating a variety of foods is key to every vegetarians’ health and vitality. “If vegetarian kids include choices from all of the plant food groups in their daily routine, chances are they are eating a well-rounded, nutritious diet,” says Lilian Cheung, DSc, with the Harvard School of Public Health.
Give your body a break – a few vegetarian lunch ideas
- Black-Bean Dip • All-natural corn chips • Cherry tomatoes and snap pea pods • Milk or soymilk
- Almond or peanut butter, sliced banana, and toasted sunflower seeds (or sprinkle with cinnamon) on whole-wheat bread • Cut-up orange sections • Milk or soymilk
- Hummous sandwich with alfalfa, tomatoe, cucumber & endive • Carrot and celery sticks • Whole-grain crackers or breadsticks • Milk or soymilk
- Toasted wheat minibagels with cottage-cheese-honey spread (drain and puree cottage cheese for a smoother texture) • Chopped walnuts and raisins • Sliced apples sprinkled with lemon juice and cinnamon • Milk or soymilk
- Trail mix: sunflower seeds, raw pumpkin seeds or pecans, dried cranberries or blueberries, apple chips, and chocolate chips or yogurt-covered raisins • Vegetarian (rennet-free) string cheese • Fresh grapes or berries • Milk or soymilk
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