I S S U E 0 9 - G et C o o k i n g
V IS FOR VEGAN With Veganuary well underway, Andrea Rymer, dietitian at The Vegan Society explains why children can benefit from, and thrive on, a vegan diet.
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he number of Brits eating vegan diets has risen rapidly over the past decade to more than half a million, with a quarter in the 15-24 age category, suggesting the number of vegan children may also be increasing. Healthy eating is important throughout every stage of life and nutrition influences many aspects of our health and wellbeing, including energy and mood, growth and development, muscle strength and repair, and helping our immune systems function. But can our children get all they need from a vegan diet?
WHAT IS VEGANISM?
Veganism is a philosophy that seeks to exclude – as far as is possible and practicable – all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and in dietary terms, it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals.
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Most of us weren’t born vegan, so it’s not surprising that many people grow up thinking that animal products like meat and dairy are essential parts of a balanced diet, but we can get all the nutrients that our bodies need without them.
Everyone can benefit from learning more about food A smooth transition to a vegan diet involves making smart swaps from animal products to alternative sources of nutrition. For example, this could be switching from dairy to a calcium-fortified plant milk and yoghurt alternative; replacing meat and fish with quality sources of plant protein, such as beans, chickpeas, lentils and tofu; and including plant sources
of omega-3 fat, such as walnuts, chia seeds or ground linseed (also known as flaxseed) in your daily diet as a smart swap for oily fish. As with any dietary shift, a bit of research and planning is needed to support successful changes.
IS IT SAFE FOR CHILDREN?
When it comes to raising a child vegan – well this can spark some debate with common questions that would rarely be aimed towards parents who were raising their child on a different diet. Will they be healthy? How will they get enough protein? Why would you deprive them? These concerns arise from the mention of veganism, but it’s good to bear in mind that the National Diet and Nutrition Survey shows that on average our children are consuming too much salt, saturated fat and sugar, which will affect the health outcomes of this generation. Some nutritional considerations are different for vegans, but everyone can benefit from learning more about food.
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