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Vegetarian diets and children

Vegetariansarepeoplewhodonteatmeatandmeatproducts.Peoplemaybevegetariansor vegansforethical,environmental,healthorculturalreasons.Ifparentsarevegetarians,theymay wanttheirchildrentoeatthesamewaythattheydo. Formosthealthychildren,avegetariandietcanprovideanutritiousalternativetoadietthat includesmeat.However,specialcareneedstobetakenwithchildrenonallvegetariandiets, especiallyvegandiets.Strictvegandietsaregenerallynotrecommendedforveryyoungchildren.

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Types of vegetarians
Therearedifferenttypesofvegetarians,determinedbythetypesoffoodsapersondoesnoteat. Vegetarianscanbeclassifiedintothefollowinggroups: Lacto-ovo vegetariansexcluderedmeat,offal,fishandpoultry.Obtainproteinfrom dairyproducts,eggs,beans,legumes,pulsesandnuts. Lacto-vegetariansexcluderedmeat,offal,fish,poultryandeggs.Obtainproteinfrom dairyproducts,beans,legumes,pulsesandnuts. Vegansexcluderedmeat,offal,poultry,fish,eggsanddairyproducts.Obtainprotein frombeans,legumes,pulses,nutsandsoyproductsliketofu.

Thetypeofvegetariandietmostcommonlyassociatedwithsignificantnutritionalproblemsin childrenisthevegandiet.

Vegetarian mothers and breastfeeding

Ifyourdietishealthy,breastmilkalonewillbeenoughuntilyourbabyisaroundsixmonths.Make sureyoueatplentyofthefollowingfoodsbecausetheycontainimportantvitaminsandminerals: Proteinfoodssuchasnuts,eggs,driedbeansandlentils,andtofu Dairyproductssuchascowsmilk,cheeseandyoghurtorsoyproductsfortifiedwith calcium Cerealandgrainfoods,includingfortifiedorwholegraincerealsandgrains Avarietyoffruitandvegetables,includinggreenleafyvegetables Polyunsaturatedormonounsaturatedoils.

AseverelackofvitaminB12inbreastmilkcancausebraindamagetoyourbaby.Itcanalsocause anaemiainthemother.VitaminB12deficiencycouldoccurifyourdiethasexcludedallfoodsofan animaloriginoveranumberofyears.VitaminB12isfoundmainlyinanimalproducts,milkand eggs. MushroomsareoftenclaimedtobeasourceofB12.However,thisisnotaccurate.Theycontaina compoundwithasimilarstructuretoB12butitdoesntworklikeB12inthebody. Ifyouareaveganandarebreastfeeding,youmayneedvitaminormineralsupplements.Talkto yourdoctorordietitian.

Children need good nutrition

Tomakesureyourchildgetsenoughofallthenutrientsneededforagrowingchild,their vegetariandietmustinclude:

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Proteinalternativessuchasnuts,eggs,legumesandtofu Energyforgrowthanddevelopment Irontopreventanaemia VitaminB12 VitaminDandcalciumtopreventbonedisease Suitablefatsfromnon-meatsources Foodinthecorrectformandcombinationtomakesurenutrientscanbedigestedand absorbed.

Breastmilkorformulawillremainanimportantfoodforbabiesupuntil12months.Talktoyour childandmaternalhealthnurseabouttheintroductionofsolids.

Recommended sources of protein

Meatprovidesaneasilyabsorbed,concentratedsourceofproteinbutotherfoodscanalsoprovide agoodsourceofprotein.Theseincludedairyproducts,eggs,grains,legumes,pulsesandvarious soyfoods(suchastofu,tempehandseitan).Itispossibletoconsumeenoughproteinforproper growthanddevelopmentbyfollowingaveganorvegetarianstyleofeating.

Beans and legumes

Smallservesofproteinshouldbeincludedateachmainmeal.Suggestionsforbeansandlegumes include: Bakedbeans Lentils Chickpeasandhummus Redkidneybeans Butterbeans Cannellinibeans Borlottibeans Threebeanmix Haricotbeans Smoothnutbutters.

Pulsesshouldbethoroughlycookedtodestroytoxinsandtohelpdigestion.Undercookedpulses cancausevomitinganddiarrhoea.

Childrens high-energy needs

Youngchildrenhavehigh-energyneedsandasmallstomach.Youshouldincludeamixtureof refinedandunrefined(wholegrain)cerealsandavarietyofenergy-givingfoodsinyourchildsdiet. Thesecanbefoundinthefollowingfoods: Cerealsalltypesofcerealaresuitableforvegetariandiets.Thisincludesbabycereals suchasinfantricecerealandwholegraincerealsandrefinedcerealslikepasta,flour,white riceandwhitebread. Dairy products fullfatdairyproductsarethemostcommonchoice.Analternativeissoy milkwithaddedcalcium.SomesoymilksalsohaveaddedvitaminB12. Fruit and vegetables includeawidevarietyoffruitandvegetableseveryday.Asa guide,aimfortwosmallservesoffruitandthreesmallservesofvegetables. Oilsincludesoyandcanolaoilsbecausetheycontainlinolenicacid,whichisimportant forbrainandnervoustissuefunction.Oilsalsoprovideenergy.

Be careful with fibre

Watchtheamountoffibreinyourchildsdiet.Toomuchfibrecanleadtopoorabsorptionof importantnutrientsincluding: Iron Zinc Calcium.

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Toomuchfibrecanalsobeextremelyfilling,whichmaypreventachildfromeatingenoughfood fortheirenergyneeds.Trytointroduceavarietyofhigh-energyfoods,suchasavocadosand vegetableoils,tomeetyourchildsenergyneeds.

Vegetarian diets for very young children

Suggestionsforavegetariandietforbabyandyoungchildinclude: Milkcontinuebreastfeedingorusingfortifiedinfantformulauntilatleast12months. Solidsdontdelaytheintroductionofsolids. Grains, fruit and vegetablesincludebabyricecereal,fruitsandvegetables(consider continuingwithiron-fortifiedricecerealforlonger)asfirstsolids. Offer a variety of solidsaftersixmonthsbeginwithpureedfruitandvegetables.On advicefromyourchildandmaternalhealthnurse,youcanlateraddsoftcookedbeans, lentilsandpulses,tofu,pasteurisedyoghurt,cheese,egg,avocado,smoothpeanutand othernutpastesorsesameseedpaste(tahini).

Tips for your childs vegetarian diet

Forafamilyconsideringachangetoavegetariandiet,orforthosewhowanttobringupachildon avegetariandiet,itisimportantto: Understandwhatfoodsneedtobesubstitutedinthedietasenergy,proteinandvitamin sourcesmayneedtobetoppedup. Encourageyourchildtoeatawidevarietyoffoods. Alternatewholegrainandrefinedcerealproducts. Combinelowerenergyvegetarianfoods,suchasvegetables,withhigherfatfoods:for example,vegetablefritters. Increasetheenergyvalueoffoodbytheuseofnutbutters,avocado,fullfatdairy products,fatspreadsandoils. Giveyourchildregularmealsandsnacks. CombinefoodscontainingvitaminCwithfoodsthatarehighiniron.Forexample,offeran orangewithbakedbeansontoast.VitaminCenhancestheabsorptionofiron.

If you are going to place your child on a vegetarian diet, it is a good idea to see a health professional for advice about a balanced diet and supplements.

Where to get help

Yourdoctor YourMaternalandchildhealthnurse DietitiansAssociationofAustraliaTel.1800812942 RoyalChildrensHospitalTel.(03)93455522

Things to remember

Inhealthychildrenavegetariandietcanprovideanutritiousalternativetoadietthat includesmeat. Vegetariandietsarepronetovitaminandproteindeficiencies,socaremustbetakenthat nutritionalneedsaremet. Veryyoungchildrenandbabiesshouldnoteatastrictvegetariandiet.

This page has been produced in consultation with, and approved by:

RoyalChildren'sHospital-NutritionDepartment

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Contentonthiswebsiteisprovidedforeducationandinformationpurposesonly.Information aboutatherapy,service,productortreatmentdoesnotimplyendorsementandisnotintendedto replaceadvicefromyourdoctororotherregisteredhealthprofessional.Contenthasbeen preparedforVictorianresidentsandwiderAustralianaudiences,andwasaccurateatthetimeof publication.Readersshouldnotethat,overtime,currencyandcompletenessoftheinformation maychange.Allusersareurgedtoalwaysseekadvicefromaregisteredhealthcareprofessional fordiagnosisandanswerstotheirmedicalquestions. Forthelatestupdatesandmoreinformation,visitwww.betterhealth.vic.gov.au Copyight 1999/2013StateofVictoria.ReproducedfromtheBetterHealthChannel (www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au)atnocostwithpermissionoftheVictorianMinisterforHealth. Unauthorisedreproductionandotherusescomprisedinthecopyrightareprohibitedwithout permission.

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