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When I last researched, most studies studying vegetarian diets for toddlers and young children showed clear deficiencies when it came to certain nutrients and d
by sersi 5y ago
When I last researched, most studies studying vegetarian diets for toddlers and young children showed clear deficiencies when it came to certain nutrients and delayed development due to this. So I'm not entirely sure I'd call it unhealthy.
That said, as an adult I do strive to heavily reduce meat and fish consumption and to adhere to a vegetarian diet 80% of the time but it's easier to manage for adults than for young children.
- scandox 5y agoMy kids are 100% vegetarian from birth and I can't say we have observed any issue whatsoever. We do ensure they eat a very varied diet. We do get their bloods checked from time to time and nothing notable there either. Of course it's possible they would have been gigantic, athletic super-geniuses if we'd fed them meat. I can't disprove that, except to say I ate meat as a kid and I'm decidedly average.
- Sammi 5y agoN=1
- DFHippie 5y agoThis is an existence proof that deficiency is not inevitable.
- twofornone 5y agoHow can you be so sure that whatever blood test is being done would detect a deficiency? Humans evolved to eat meat. The energy density is what gave us large enough brains to eventually develop civilization. Which is why a "healthy" vegetarian diet (one which does not result in malnutrition) comes with a laundry list of necessary foods and supplements, all of which could simply be replaced by eating meat as nature clearly intended.
- Freak_NL 5y agoChildren can fairly easily have a vegetarian diet without any issues. There are a few things to look out for (enough vitamin B1, B12, iron and protein), but if you provide fish, eggs, tofu, tempeh, and legumes this is not generally a problem. Most store-bought meat replacements (vegetarian meat balls etc.) have those added already. Veganism is a different beast and requires much more care (and probably advice from a dietician). Vegan children not getting the nutrition they need seems to be a point of concern for many health care professionals. I would wager that most national nutrition centres provide useful guidance on vegetarianism or even veganism by now based on up-to-date research — the Dutch Voedingscentrum does¹. 1: https://www.voedingscentrum.nl/nl/service/vraag-en-antwoord/kinderen-en-jongeren/kan-mijn-kind-vegetarisch-eten-.aspx https://www.voedingscentrum.nl/nl/service/vraag-en-antwoord/...
- carlmr 5y agoOn the B12 front, it should be noted that while vegetarians and vegans usually need to supplement this, animals are supplemented B12 in their feed, which is the largest reason why meat eaters don't need to supplement. They're being indirectly supplemented.
- Ensorceled 5y agoI keep seeing this claim in these HN threads and across the internet, do you have a reliable source for this? Google brings up nothing but vegan conspiracy sites.
- gilbetron 5y agoFound this interesting article from someone that seems to know cows: https://praisetheruminant.com/ruminations/is-it-true-that-cows-need-supplemental-vitamin-b12 https://praisetheruminant.com/ruminations/is-it-true-that-co...
- Ensorceled 5y agoYeah, this article makes more sense. My grandfather put out the blue salt blocks every year so the cows would get enough cobalt (I remember asking teachers why salt blocks were blue until one knew why). That's why this all seems like nonsense, none of the farmers I know ever gave their cows B12 supplements or have even heard of it. Now their VET might have given B12 shots to the odd calf like that article states, that I would believe.