
The NHS Start for Life website has added information about vegan and vegetarian babies.
Nutritionists and dietitians have raised concerns about the health implications of vegan diets for babies following the publication of the NHS’s vegan infant nutrition guide.
The NHS Start for Life website, which provides guidance for new parents, has added a new section to cater to parents wanting to raise their baby vegan or vegetarian.
The guide indicates that infants on a vegan diet may require vitamin B12 supplementation and advises that parents should introduce baby plant-based drinks like soya, oat, and almond milk after the age of one if the drinks are unsweetened and fortified with calcium.
However, according to the NHS, cows’ milk and dairy foods are still good sources of nutrients, so parents should not exclude them from a child’s diet without consulting a GP or dietitian.
‘Babies or young children can be fussy eaters ‘
Duane Mellor is a registered dietitian and lead for nutrition and evidence-based medicine at Aston University. She said: “If a baby or toddler does not have enough energy and protein, this can affect their growth.
“If their diet is low in iodine, or they become iron-deficient, it can affect their brain development and even reduce their intellectual capacity.
“If their diet is low in B12, it can not only lead to anaemia but also impact their nerve development.”
Dr Carrie Ruxton, a child nutrition expert added: “Adults on vegan diets have to ensure they mix up their protein sources, for example eating plenty of beans, lentils and wheat, but this may be harder for babies or young children to achieve since they can be fussy eaters.”
Planning is key
This isn’t the first time naysayers have questioned whether a vegan diet is appropriate for babies or children. Moreover, a few studies such as the one conducted last year led by University College London indicated that children on vegan diets were on average three centimetres (1.2 inches) shorter, suggesting they were growing more slowly, or potentially could be smaller as adults.
The study looked at 187 vegan, vegetarian, and meat- and dairy-eating children aged five to 10 years old.
The vegan kids also had a lower bone mineral content, although they also had less body fat and lower levels of bad cholesterol.
Still, the general consensus of all large health bodies is that well-planned plant-based diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, including infancy.
Bahee Van de Bor, a former paediatric dietitian at Great Ormond Street, who now runs the company UK Kids Nutrition, weighed in her opinion. She said: “If you plan plant-based diets carefully, by including a good ratio of carbohydrate foods and fats from vegetable oils, nut butters, avocado and other higher energy foods like hummus, you can meet a baby’s daily energy requirements.
“But without careful planning for total energy and nutrient requirements, there can be gaps in nutrition which can compromise growth and increase risk of nutrient deficiencies.
“Parents should not ignore the advice to use dietary supplements for calcium, vitamin D, B12 and iodine, and include foods containing Omega-3, to make a vegan diet safe from birth.
“A baby’s brain grows rapidly in the early years, so adequate nutrition is crucial to support this early brain development.”
Chantal Tomlinson is a dietitian at the Vegan Society. She said: “If parents do their research, and plan carefully, they can provide a totally plant-based diet with appropriate fortified foods and supplements which contains all the essential nutrients needed for growth and development.
“There are many plant-based foods rich in protein, iron, and zinc, such as beans, chickpeas, lentils and tofu, and iron absorption can be boosted by including a rich source of vitamin C in each meal, such as broccoli, cabbage or mango.”
Share this story: Dietitians claim plant-based diet can stunt growth of infants.
Lifestyle
Vegan culture, food, beauty & more
Is Tobey Maguire vegan? Here’s what we know
- Mohsina Dodhiya
- 17th August 2023
Tobey Maguire often speaks about veganism and animal issues. Tobey Maguire, the actor best known for playing Spider-Man in the Sam Raimi trilogy, is a vegan. He has been a vegetarian since 1992 and became a vegan in 2009. A lifelong commitment to animal rights Maguire’s decision to go vegan was motivated by his love …
Continue reading “Is Tobey Maguire vegan? Here’s what we know”
Plant-based food jobs surge with 32% growth in just 3 months
- Mohsina Dodhiya
- 17th August 2023
The number of open jobs advertised in the plant-based industry increased by almost a third from April to July 2023, GlobalData reported. The plant-based food industry is booming, and this is reflected in the number of job openings in the sector. According to data from GlobalData, the number of open jobs advertised in the plant-based …
Continue reading “Plant-based food jobs surge with 32% growth in just 3 months”
VEGAN MEMES
NEED A LAUGH?
QUIZZES
All the quizzes you love to binge!
QUIZ: If you score 11/12 on this quiz, you’re a verified vegan food expert
- Marlon Farrugia
- 10th January 2020
How much vegan knowledge do you have stored away? Do you have to Google your way through a shopping trip, or do you have all the bad E-numbers memorised? Find out now with this quiz. Marlon Farrugia Marlon Farrugia is a freelance writer from Brighton. He has been a dedicated vegan for many years, and …
Continue reading “QUIZ: If you score 11/12 on this quiz, you’re a verified vegan food expert”
QUIZ: What is your perfect Vegan Halloween Costume?
- Marlon Farrugia
- 13th October 2019
Spook Season approaches. There will be ghosts, goblins, ghouls, and glucose. You need a costume, and you want to it to show off your personality, which means VEGAN. But what to choose? Take our quiz to find out your perfect outfit. Marlon Farrugia Marlon Farrugia is a freelance writer from Brighton. He has been a …
Continue reading “QUIZ: What is your perfect Vegan Halloween Costume?”
QUIZ: What kind of vegetable are you?
- Marlon Farrugia
- 26th September 2019
“If you were a vegetable, what kind would you be?” A question that has tormented humanity throughout the ages – until now. Read: QUIZ: If you score 19/20 on THIS quiz, you’re a Vegan God Marlon Farrugia Marlon Farrugia is a freelance writer from Brighton. He has been a dedicated vegan for many years, and …