Vegan Talk Forums

AndyBa · Lord of the posts Joined: 27 May 2001 Posts: 670

WHAT ABOUT INFANTS AND CHILDREN?
According to the American Dietetic Association, vegetarian diets can meet all nitrogen needs and amino acid requirements for growth. A vegan diet, to be on the safe side, should be well planned, and probably include fortified soy milk. If you live in a cold climate and you don't intend to get your child out in the sun a lot after you finish breastfeeding then a vegan source of vitamin D should be added to their diet. Children need more of the essential fatty acids than adults so a bit more fat in their diet is a good idea. Also keep the fiber content down, their under-developed digestive systems can't handle it. Generally the energy content of their meals should be higher than for adults. You should also ensure that they get a regular supply of B12.