Vegetarianism: Part 4 Small people ... important needs

Press, 27 April 1989, Page 11

Vegetarianism: Part 4 Small people ... important needs

your food style

JANICE BREMER DIETITIAN

We think of nutritional deficiencies as a rarity in our land of plenty. The children most at risk are those on vegetarian diets produced with inadequate planning.

It is difficult to achieve normal childhood growth on a vegan-like diet (no animal foods at all) unless it is supplemented. Energy (calories), protein, vitamins 812 and D, and iron will be in short supply unless special attention is taken to include them.

On the other hand, wellplanned lacto (milk)-vege-tarian diets and lacto-ovo (eggs and milk)-vegetar-ian diets can provide adequate nutrition for children. Malnutrition

Several groups adhering to very restrictive vegetarian diets in both the type and amount of animal foods allowed, have been studied. Black Hebrews, macrobiotics, vegans, and Rastafarians may all sound rather foreign, but these groups exemplify the diet sometimes used by our strictest vegetarians. Their children have been shown to suffer nutritional deficiencies of vitamin D, Bl 2, iron, calcium, zinc, folic acid, phosphorous, and vitamin K.

The deficiency diseases seen from these nutritional inadequacies include malnutrition (calories and protein), rickets, anaemias, and convulsions due to calcium deficiency.

There are studies to show impaired levels of concentration and learning problems in children with these deficiencies. However, there is no evidence that well-planned vegetarian eating styles will lead to impaired intelligence or physical stamina. Stages of childhood Early infancy poses few problems in a vegan family as the infant lives mostly on milk (lactovegetarian). At the time of weaning nutritional problems can arise.

The major concern during infancy is that the infant’s stomach capacity is limited. One-to-three-year-olds can only take about 200-300 ml at each meal. Children fed vegetarian diets high in fibre, bulk and water content, yet low in calories, can be at risk of inadequate intake of calories.

Dry cereals (like breakfast cereals and flour) contain 3 to 4 calories per gram, but cooked cereals absorb a lot of water. For example, rice and wheat increase their volume to

2*/2-3 times during cooking. Dried peas and beans triple their volume on cooking. A gruel, often the staple of infants on restrictive vegetarian diets, may have only 1 calorie per gram. This means the child’s stomach will be full of dilute food before calorie supplies are adequately provided. There is little space left for other important foods like fruits and vegatables which are also dilute in calories. Protein quality of these diets is important too, as explained in my last column. Vitamin D supplements, or vitamin D fortified milk, are essential to the vegetarian child. It is highly dangerous for a vegetarian infant to go on a milk-free diet unless an adequate replacement (soy milk) is substituted. Studies of vegan children show their calcium and vitamin D intakes to be low. Vitamin 812 in-

takes can be adequate if foods with supplemented 812 are eaten as 812 is found in significant and consistent amounts only in animal foods. The vegan child can obtain enough vitamin Bl 2 by being fed fortified foods or nutritional yeast grown in a 812 medium. Fermented products such as tempeh and seaweed also contain variable amounts of vitamin 812, but these may not be reliable sources. It is difficult to provide enough calcium, zinc, and iron. Calcium is found in legumes, tofu, oranges, almonds, figs, and some dark green leafy vegetables. Zinc can be obtained from legumes (dried peas and beans), nuts, tofu, and miso, but may not be very available to the body from these sources.

Peas and beans, green leafy vegetables, whole grains, some nuts, and dried fruit contain signifi-

cant amounts of iron, but it is important to include vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables at the same meal for adequate absorption of the iron. Teenagers Iron intake is a concern for all teenagers because of rapid growth of tissues and increase in blood volume. It is difficult to achieve the iron intake ol meat eaters on any type of vegetarian diet.

However, it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to consistently meet the recommended zinc intake on unsupplemented vegan or even lacto-vegetarian diets. The recommended intake of calcium for teenagers increases remarkably from childhood because of accelerated growth of bones. It is an important time for establishing the future health of bones. Vegetarian teenagers who have no milk, milk products, or eggs will find it difficult to have enough calcium unless they- have fortified soy milk or supplements. Adequate exposure to sunlight is necessary for vitamin D required for calcium absorption.

Sometimes teenagers, particularly girls, embark on eating practices different from their family as a part of asserting

independence. Quite frequently this involves exclusion of meat, and dairy products may be limited or excluded for fear of weight gain. This leaves the diet precariously deficient in major nutrients required at this time of life. It is not uncommon to find these "vegetarian” teenagers eat only the fresh vegetable component of the family meal (which includes meat). Along with a small breakfast, and crackers and fruit for lunch, the diet can be quite deficient. How sensible is vegetarianism? There is no doubt that to achieve recommended levels of nutrients the vegetarian diet needs careful planning. Probably most people are not prepared to so deliberately manipulate their food intake as “on-a-diet.”

It is frequently suggested by medical researchers that for vegans, supplements will be needed in addition to the real food. This is highlighted most by the needs of children and adolescents.

It is worth a thought — can vegetarianism requiring capsules of extra nutrients be considered the most wholesome and natural way to have our. nutrients?