Nutrition Going VEGAN/Vegetarian?


PREVENT NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCIES WITH ANY DIET CHANGE By Sheryl Zang, EdD, FNP, CNS-BC


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our child may approach you about becoming a vegetarian, especially


during the adolescent or teen years. Kids may choose a vegetarian diet out of con- cern for animal rights, to fit in with friends or family members, for religious purposes or for a variety of other reasons. If you have grown up eating meat, poul-


try and seafood, you may be unfamiliar with what a vegetarian diet entails. A change in diet takes planning and creativi- ty to ensure that your child’s meals provide the essential nutrients typically delivered in meat options. As a vegetarian parent, you must understand the nutritional needs of your kids and make the appropriate dietary changes or additions. Vegetarians and vegans avoid certain


food groups. You should understand the reason for your child’s choice, ensuring that it is not a way to avoid food groups and limit food intake. Orthorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by an extreme or excessive pre-occupation with avoiding foods perceived to be unhealthy. Some kids may eat only a few select foods. You need to make sure that avoiding certain foods will not be detrimental to your child’s health. To prevent nutritional deficiencies and to make sure that your child has a healthy relationship with food,


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you need to monitor the situation. While there are many degrees of vege-


tarianism, the most common — which you can help explore with your child — follow. A true vegetarian, also known as a


vegan, eats no meat, chicken or fish, and no eggs or dairy products. A lacto-vegetarian eats dairy products


but not eggs. A lacto-ovo vegetarian eats dairy prod- ucts and eggs but excludes meat, seafood and poultry. The strictness of the diet will determine


whether your child is at risk for nutritional shortcomings. Kids can be well nourished on all three types of vegetarian diets, but nutritional balance is more difficult to achieve when dairy products and eggs are eliminated. Talk to your healthcare pro- vider before eliminating dairy and eggs, or commiting to any type of vegetarian diet, especially with younger kids. The key to a healthy vegetarian diet is to include a variety of foods. Becoming a vegetarian should be a


gradual process. Kids need to be willing to substitute healthy vegetarian sources of protein for meat such as beans, chickpeas, lentils, nuts, soy and dairy products. The transition period depends on the availabil- ity of vegetarian options and commitment


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