As a vegetarian parent, you have probably thought about putting your child on a similar diet as your own. Not only would it be a lot easier when planning and cooking meals, but also for dietary and ethical reasons you may believe it is a better choice for your child.
It could also be that your child is going through a vegetarian phase and refuse to eat any meat. Whether the case is, you might have made some thoughts about if a vegetarian diet is okay for kids.
If a vegetarian diet is not planned properly, it can in fact have serious consequences and cause short and long-term health problems. If your child is in a growing phase it is very important that she get enough vitamins, proteins, zinc and iron.
However, if your take some time to set together a functional vegetarian diet for your child, there is nothing worrying about not giving your child any meat. In fact, a proper vegetarian diet will improve your her health both in the short and the long run. It will reduce the exposure to animal products that contains preservatives and hormones, which can increase the risk of cancer and development problems.
It is important that you take the time necessary to research and learn what your child needs to grow. Let us take a look at some of the most important nutrients that you, as a vegetarian, should include in your diet planning.
Protein
Muscles are built up by amino acids found in proteins. Meat and dairy products are the primary source of protein. If you child do not get any meat, you have to make sure that she is getting her proteins from another source. Wheat, soybeans, isolated soy proteins and nuts are all great sources of proteins. If you do not mind your child drinking milk (organic preferably), this has a high number of proteins; so does cheese and butter.
Calcium
Our bones are made from calcium. As with protein, calcium is very important for your child. Beet greens, Bok Choy, broccoli, chard and collards all have high amounts of calcium. To be on the safe side you should add these to your child’s diet.voedingsschema
Iron
Iron helps build up new blood cells. Lack of iron will make you dizzy and could make you faint. Soybeans are once again on top of the list. Add these to the diet along with lentils, spinach and tofu and you have nothing to worry about regarding iron.
Zinc
Zinc is a mineral that is present in every part of the body. It has a wide range of functions. It helps with the healing of wounds and is a vital component of many enzyme reactions. To ensure that your child gets enough zinc, include peanut butter, almonds and mushrooms in the diet.
After reading the above, you should have a basic understanding of what a vegetarian diet should consist of. If you take the time necessary to plan your meals and to make sure that your child gets all of the needed nutrients, there is absolutely nothing wrong with putting your child on a vegetarian diet and let her gain all the positive health consequences.