November 1, 2023, 1:32 pm | Read time: 5 minutes

With a bit of nutritional knowledge, a vegan diet for adults is a safe bet. Without eggs, dairy products, meat, fish, and honey–in other words, all animal-derived products–you are generally well-nourished, provided you supplement with vitamin B12 (and, if needed, iron and omega-3), focus on variety, and choose fresh and minimally processed products. But what about babies and children, who have a higher need for certain nutrients due to their brain and bone development? Can you raise your baby on a healthy vegan diet? Or is it too risky? FITBOOK also spoke with a pediatrician.

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These Nutrients Are Especially Needed by Babies and Toddlers

With breast milk (vegan infant formula based on rice or soy is more of an exception and thus a topic in itself), the baby is fully nourished. Most mothers start introducing solid foods from the sixth month, which also marks the gradual beginning of weaning. Which nutrients are important now? In addition to all the vitamins, minerals, and trace elements that an adult needs, children have an increased need for¹:

• Choline
• Iron
• Copper
• Zinc
• Calcium
• Vitamin A.
• B vitamins, including Vitamin B12
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin D
• Iodine
• Selenium

Calcium, choline, iron, iodine, and vitamin B12 are found in larger quantities with good bioavailability primarily in dairy products, eggs, and meat. They also contain a lot of valuable protein. All these nutrients are essential for brain development and bone growth. 

Also interesting: 6 ½ Foods for Strong and Healthy Bones

Vegan Sources for Children’s Nutrients

For vitamin B12, supplements are the only option. Regarding calcium, green vegetables are a good source, and oatmeal and legumes contain plenty of iron. With choline (important for muscles, heartbeat, and brain function), it’s more problematic; only soy contains significant amounts of this essential nutrient as a purely plant-based product.² Iodized salt is a must. There are some remarkably good vegan protein sources–FITBOOK has compiled the best–but not all are suitable for daily consumption. Therefore, a well-thought-out, sometimes costly nutrition plan is needed to raise a baby or toddler on a balanced vegan diet. Moreover, many parents know the struggle of their children having very specific ideas about what tastes good to them, which further limits options. Compromises can be tricky, as researchers agree: What is missed in the first 1,000 days of life is usually not recoverable.³

Also interesting: What Parents Can Do to Get Kids to Eat More Vegetables

Raising a Baby Vegan: Federal Center for Nutrition Warns of Risks

The Federal Center for Nutrition (BzgE) advises against raising babies and toddlers on a vegan diet. The more restrictive the diet and the younger the child, the greater the risk of nutrient deficiency, according to an article on the BzgE website.⁴ And: “As a result of inadequate nutrient supply, growth disorders can occur, endangering the child’s health and development.” If parents still decide to proceed, experts strongly recommend nutritional counseling and regular medical check-ups to detect potential deficiencies early.

Dr. Axel Gerschlauer, press spokesperson for pediatricians in North Rhine, also warns on World Vegan Day (Nov. 1): “The research on vegan diets during critical growth phases is still insufficient, so we pediatricians advise against a vegan diet, especially in infancy and toddlerhood.” At no time does the child’s body react more sensitively to nutrient deficiency than during infancy and toddlerhood. Here, alongside calorie intake, the adequate amount of a variety of nutrients is crucial for body growth and healthy development of all organs, especially the brain. The “optimized mixed diet is therefore the standard in child nutrition from a scientific perspective.⁵

Also interesting: How Dangerous Is It Really to Follow a Vegan Diet?

Pediatrician: “It’s Not Impossible, but Also Not Advisable”

Raising your child on a healthy vegan diet is not impossible, but also not advisable. This is confirmed by Berlin pediatrician Dr. Clemens Frank when asked by FITBOOK. “According to current guidelines, this diet is not recommended. If you want to raise children vegetarian or vegan, you must thoroughly understand the foods and their nutrients, vitamins, and trace elements.” He considers a consciously low-meat diet for babies and toddlers not only unproblematic but even advisable.

More on the topic

9,000 young participants Vegetarian children develop similarly to meat-eaters but have a deficiency.

Expert Explains What Breastfeeding Mothers Should Consider in Their Diet

Switching to a Vegetarian Diet

With a purely vegetarian diet, the nutrient needs can be much more easily met than with a purely vegan one. Recent studies also come to this conclusion. A Canadian study from 2022 showed that vegetarian children develop just as well as meat-eaters (FITBOOK reported). A significant difference: They tend to have lower weight. Therefore, in addition to nutrient and protein intake, ensure sufficient (healthy) calories!

Also interesting: What Vegans Should Consider During Pregnancy

Sources