Feeding Your Vegan Child: NHS Dietitian Sandra Hood Debunks Myths of Malnutrition

I am super excited to read the essential new parenting book for vegan families: Feeding Your Vegan Child by NHS Dietician, Sandra Hood RD.

I have yet to come across such a comprehensive and practical handbook for vegans which debunks myths about malnutrition on a vegan diet and reassures and empowers parents wishing to raise their child within a vegan lifestyle. A lifestyle that is becoming more and more popular and essential for the wellbeing of humans as well as the Earth.

This book is a factual guide for parents and healthcare professionals with questions and concerns about a vegan diet, as with any diet there can be pitfalls to avoid and Sandra’s nutritional advice and guidance is indispensable in a time where many people butt heads about plant based and vegan diets and it’s a breath of fresh air to have this uncomplicated guide full of ideas, recipes and advice from real vegan families!

How do I get my child to eat vegetables?

As with any food it is about taste and texture. Children often prefer raw in preference to cooked so it is a matter of experimenting. For example raw vegetables that are often popular with children are broccoli and carrots, also parsnips, peas and sweetcorn. Introducing a variety of colourful vegetables and presenting then in different ways is the key. For example spirulising, grating and adding dips. If you are fortunate enough to have the space to grow vegetables in your garden or in an allotment, get your child involved. This frequently leads to them wanting to eat the produce grown. If you don’t have a garden, sprouting seeds and grains on a windowsill is very quick and easy and children can quickly see the result. Last but not least, children emulate our behaviour so it is important that they see adults eating and enjoying a variety of vegetables.

What supplements should I give my child?

From 6 months of age vegan infants need to include a reliable source of vitamin B12 of at least 1 microgram per day. The most reliable source is through supplements. The foods fortified with vitamin B12 include plant milks, yeast extracts, yeast flakes and breakfast cereals. However you need to check food labels to ensure these foods are fortified.

Vitamin B12 supplementation should continue throughout life. If relying on fortified foods, aim for at least 3 mcg per day. If your child is taking a supplement this can increase to 5 mcg at one year of age, up to at least 25mcg during adolescence. Vitamin B12 is a water soluble vitamin and this means any excess is quickly excreted in the urine. Therefore it is very rare for anyone to take too much of this nutrient.

The Department of Health recommends that all breast fed infants should be given a vitamin D supplement of 10 mcg per day from birth. Infant formula contains vitamin D so these infants do not need to start supplementation until 6 months of age. Vitamin D supplementation should continue up to 5 years’ of age. In addition, it is recommended that all children, whether vegan, vegetarian or omnivore should take a supplement including vitamins A and C. There are differing views as to whether children actually needs these extra vitamins A and C. They are really a safeguard to protect an infant through times of illness or faddy eating.

All other vitamins and minerals should be met by choosing a varied healthy diet. If you feel your child needs any other vitamin or mineral supplements, please discuss this with your healthcare professional. A supplement needs to be appropriate to a particular age.

Are you sure vegan diets are safe for children?

Vegan diets for children were first nutritionally assessed as far back as 1968. This was by Pamela Mumford, a lecturer in nutrition at Queen Elizabeth College, University of London in collaboration with Dr Frey Ellis MD FRC Path. Miss Mumford wrote “in general the diets appear to be perfectly satisfactory to support normal growth in the children”. She reported that few children achieved the calorie intakes recommended by the Department of Health but as these were being reviewed and childhood obesity was causing concern she suggested this was probably a good thing!

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Miss Mumford compared the vegan diet with the national average and commented that the lower concentration of fat and more carbohydrate was good. In addition the amount and quality of protein consumed was “more than adequate”. Her assessment also found that iron intakes were above average in most cases, reaching those recommended by the World Health Organisation which allowed for the lower absorption of iron from the diet when all the food is derived from plant sources. Calcium intakes appeared to be lower than recommended in the under five year olds but noted that the amount provided by drinking water wasn’t included in the calculations. However interestingly Miss Mumford stated that “that many people have good bones and teeth and achieve full stature on similar low intakes providing their diet contains adequate vitamin D and/ or they are sufficiently exposed to sunlight”.

Since this interesting assessment, there have been a number of small studies looking at the growth and development of vegan children and they all come to the same conclusion. That a “well-planned vegan diets, when based on a wide variety of plant foods and excluding all animal derivates, can provide adequate nutrition throughout all stages of life”. Any type of diet has the potential for pitfalls and deficiencies. Many people fail to recognise that there is as much potential for nutritional deficiencies in children who eat a western-style diet as in those who eat a vegan diet. We are still learning about the benefits of vegan diets for children but what we do know is that they are very protective.

You can grab a copy of Feeding Your Vegan Child here:

https://www.hammersmithbooks.co.uk/product/feeding-your-vegan-child/

Sandra Hood