Daughter going vegan.....help!!!!!

rwieber

My daughter is 15 and still growing and I'm concerned about protein and other nutrients she will need. How do I (as the mom) provide well balanced meals/food options for her?

I also have a daughter who is 21 who is gluten free (celiacs)....it's definitely a challenge to meet everyone's needs. Fortunately my older daughter pretty much manages her own food (purchasing/preparing etc). But I will be the one to oversee my 15 year old's diet. She is doing it by choice and I have decided to support her choice best I can. I know that I will continue to eat meat/poultry/dairy/fish but she is choosing not to. The rest of the family (husband, son, and other daughter) all will be eating those things too.

Suggestions for other ways to get the nutrients she should have? Quinoa, nuts, avocado, peanut butter, soy products (soy beans/tofu), beans/legumes are some things I can think of she will eat. Obviously lots of fruits and veggies as well.

Thanks in advance!!

dayone987

Vitamin B12 supplement is essential

socalkay

Maybe take her to talk with a nutritionist so you both have a clear idea of what is necessary to maintain the health of a growing body.

Docbanana2002

Here's an article from the American Dietetic Association that I think you'll find helpful.

http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/2009_ADA_position_paper.pdf

Holly_Roman_Empire

Is she doing it to lose weight?

ajax6677

Just a quick google:

http://www.vegancoach.com/nutrition-for-a-vegan.html

I'm sure there are plenty more sites out there with good information.

La5Vega5Girl

my cousins are vegan and they are very healthy, now granted, they are adults, but they are raising their children vegan, too (ages 6 and 10)
i do not know very much about it, but i would say that there are plenty of vegans/vegetarians who are very healthy so hopefully you can find some advice. i think it's great to see young people embracing new ideas and trying things. perhaps this will be a very healthy lifestyle for her! (or maybe just a phase like my friend's son, who missed steaks too much! LOL)

Brittni__duh

It's easy enough to get protein in with vegetables, grains, and legumes. If she chooses to eat meat replacements, like Quorn or veggie burgers, those are usually full of protein. Non-dairy milks, especially soy milk, are usually pretty high in protein. Seitan, a "faux" meat made from gluten is really easy to make at home and it's delicious when it's done well.

They even have vegan protein powders. I use a hemp protein powder on days I need a bit more protein.

Try to see if you have a co-op grocery store or a "natural" food store in your area. They usually have a lot of vegan options that the whole family can try to incorporate into their meals. Pick up some vegan cheese and black bean burgers and have a burger night for the whole family. Making a few "family" meals that she can eat will go a long way towards helping ease her into a new diet. It will also help it become a more permanent diet shift. There's nothing worse than being the only one unable to eat with the rest of your family at every single meal. If my family didn't make attempts to eat vegetarian meals every once in a while, I may have given up and reverted to my old diet by now

SueInAz

I think a nutritionist is a great idea.

I also think it would probably be a good idea to make sure your daughter understands that she must meet nutritional goals when making this switch. Make a pact with her that as long as she is getting in enough protein, calcium, vitamins, minerals, etc. that you'll do everything you can to help her adjust to this lifestyle. I've known too many people who claimed they were vegetarian or vegan who were really "snackfoodterians". They subsist on potato chips, tortilla chips and salsa, french fries and the occasional iceberg lettuce salad. A teenage girl cannot survive on that type of diet.

rwieber

No, definitely not doing it to lose weight. It might be a phase but I won't know until she changes her mind (or not). I do want to support her choice.

I appreciate the advice and links so far!

bwogilvie

I do a lot of vegan cooking, not because I'm vegan but because it can be healthy and tasty, and my wife and I have a good friend who's vegan. For a full vegan diet, it would be worth consulting with a dietitian; B12 is the major vitamin deficiency to watch out for.

A great resource is Isa Chandra Moskowitz's Post Punk Kitchen website (http://www.theppk.com) as well as the cookbooks she has co-authored. A couple of other cookbooks that I've found useful are Donna Klein, The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen, and Robin Robertson, Vegan Fire and Spice. I haven't yet looked at Mark Bittman's Vegan Before Six but I really like his other cookbooks; How to Cook Everything Vegetarian has lots of recipes that are vegan or that can be made vegan with a few substitutions.

VeganMagpie

I went vegan at a similar age (14 yrs ago). My meat eating mother would make a curry for all with a small pan without the meat for me or spag bol with soya mince (pretending it was meat to the rest of family who didn't notice). There are loads of products that you can put in the oven that are vegan, especially Linda McCartney stuff. Cereal with soya milk for breakfast. Pasta with sauces.

Also B12 supplements aren't essential as it is generally an additive in soya milk's, fake meats etc. I have never taken a supplement in my life.

NewMeowLean

Hello. I became a vegetarian when I was 12. I started eating meat again at 21. The reason? My hair was falling out ( I thought I was going bald!), I was lightheaded, my nails were breaking... I went to the doctor who ran some tests and it turned out I was missing iron, biotin and a bunch of other stuff. I was medicated and started eating meat again.

So if your daughter is going vegan she should do it properly with a professional's help (which should include blood work) and she probably will have to take vitamin supplements.

Docbanana2002

Another thing.... my tracking on MFP has shown that I am getting all my nutritional needs met on a vegan diet (other than the B12), but I do recommend that she track for a little while to check that she's doing that and that she's eating enough calories. Vegan foods are often lower in calories and people sometimes lose weight unintentionally when switching. And sometimes people make the mistake of just dropping meat/dairy/eggs without thinking what to replace them with that have the same nutrients. Tracking helped me figure out that I was shorting myself on iron consistently and then address it. Transitioning from vegetarian to vegan, I realized (from tracking) that I had been relying heavily on dairy for protein and calcium, so I had to do some research on that too.

I prefer to also take supplements just as a precaution, but also get my minimums from diet (I actually did the same thing as an omnivore, so that isn't really a change). The ones I take are (1) Ovega-3 Vegetarian Softgels for omega 3 from seaweed, (2) Deva Vegan Vitamins Daily Multivitamin as just a general vitamin. Is formulated for vegans and contains extra B12 and (3) RAINBOW LIGHT Everyday Calcium for extra calcium. I get these on Amazon.

Your lists of foods are good... here are a few more ideas. I get all of these at Whole Foods: blackstrap molasses, Whole Soy & Company soy milk yogurt, SoDelicous almond milk that is fortified with protein/calcium, seitan, lots of green veggies for iron, Cliff Builder's Bars (20 grams of vegan protein, tastes good, and makes a nice snack). There are a lot of iron fortified cereals out there, so check labels to find some.

gabrielleelliott90

She doesn't need to, vegans are not the healthiest people believe you me.

VeganMagpie

In addition, there is an organisation encouraging people to go vegan for November. They have a bunch of different recipes and info on there which may be helpful.

http://www.govegan.org.uk/

mank32

:creeps for links:

rwieber

So, we recently had her blood tested and she was low on Vit D. She has begun taking Vit D and I will have her take B Complex (6/12) as well. Since she is also stopping any dairy, she is drinking Almond milk which is fine. I think the iron is something to note, so I will have her take a multi vitamin. I'm sure I will also make an appt to see the Dr. again to discuss the vegan choice.

I think we will explore the veggie/bean burger. I love that there are so many options now for vegetarians/vegans. Lots of fabulous ideas. Protein bars are awesome on the go! Cereal is a definite in our house. She likes the almond milk so that helps.

AliceDark

I became a vegetarian at 11, and I've been every different "kind" of veg you can be (ovo-lacto, lacto-only, even vegan). I've also been a very healthy and very unhealthy vegetarian. For me, it all came down to learning about nutrition. Lots of new vegetarians and vegans just cut out animal products and don't replace them with other protein sources, and that's an excellent way to make yourself sick. (Trust me, I've done that, and I figured out a way to improve my health without eating meat, but if she can avoid getting sick in the first place, it's SO much better!).

It can be helpful to think of it as a plant-based diet, not a no-meat diet. keep the focus on the things she can eat, not the things she doesn't eat.

Chain_Ring

Tell her to make her own food. Problem solved.

rwieber

Just a note....this is my daughter's choice. She has her own reasons for choosing to become vegan. I know it can be a loaded discussion on either side (for or against)...we have had discussions in our home. I know not everyone will understand or support her reason or choice but I appreciate those of you who offer great suggestions. I am not blindly just telling her "go for it" without trying to help her figure out how to do this the most healthy way possible.

We are fortunate to have an EXCELLENT store in our town. It's got all kinds of natural/gluten free/vegan/vegetarian options.

lynn_glenmont

Just in the interest of making your life simpler, you might want to organize most of your dinners around separate dishes: a grain or starch (preferably whole grains or a starchy veg that everyone can eat), veggies prepared without animal or gluten products (or any sauce containing those things served on the side), an animal-based protein (roasts, steaks, chops, chicken whole or in parts, fish, etc.) for most of you (again, with any gluten-containing sauce, like a wheat flour-thickened gravy, on the side), and a vegan protein (whole beans or lentils are generally the most versatile and least work -- you can make a potful from dried beans at the beginning of the week, or use canned if money and sodium aren't issues, and add different seasonings to go with each night's dinner-- or better yet have your daughter do it herself; tofu, tempeh, and seitan are other options -- keep the seitan away from your older daughter, as it is essentially all gluten).

This is in contrast to making a lot of casseroles and stews and such where the animal protein is all mixed in, so you have to make a completely different meal for your younger daughter (although you could do a veggie and grain based stew, and serve separately cooked proteins for people to add to their individual bowls -- some people might want both meat and beans added to their chili, or whatever). But, obviously, if your family likes casseroles and stews enough for it to be worth it to you to make two different meals, ignore this advice.

As far as her getting enough nutrients, I think you're hitting most of the bases, with the addition of B12 which someone mentioned (some nutritional yeasts are fortified with B12, and some people find it to be a tasty replacement for cheese -- I like it well enough, but I don't think it tastes like real cheese).

I'm not vegan, but I have a lot of meals and even days that are either meat-free or animal-product-free. I think soy milk is probably the best substitute for dairy milk from a nutritional standpoint; try different brands, because if she doesn't like one, she might like another (personally, I prefer the ones without added sugar; the ones with sugar are a lot sweeter than dairy milk). Without meat, dairy, and eggs in her diet, all else being equal (and assuming a relatively healthy diet that doesn't consist of french fries twice a day and a "vegan" pastry for breakfast), she should easily be able to afford the extra fat and calories from a serving or two of nuts a day (I probably averaged about two servings of nuts a days while I was losing 40 pounds in my 50s, so a growing teenager with no weight problem, or at least none that you've mentioned, should be able to handle that). Chia and flax seeds are also good sources of fat, fiber, and protein (add to cereal, smoothies, cooked grains, baked goods). If she gets a lot of legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, veggies, and fruits, and you address the B12 issue, she should be fine. Since a lot of people manage to survive their teen years by eating fatty burgers, fries, pizzas loaded with fatty meats, soda, chips, and candy, she'll probably be OK being a vegan with a mom as conscientious as you.

I would second the suggestion to see a nutritionist together, if that's an option, or (cheaper and honestly, perhaps better, because you won't be limited to one person's views, and I've heard some questionable things from people calling themselves nutritionists) just do some research and reading (again, together -- she needs to know about this herself because you're not going to be preparing all her meals for her for the rest of her life).

Good luck with this. You sound like a great mom.

Naley2322

I have been a vegetarian since birth....and vegan since 16...I am now 25 and have had no major health concerns in my life...being vegan doesn't mean shes going to lose nutrients and be unhealthy

AliceDark

lynn_glenmont wrote: »

Just in the interest of making your life simpler, you might want to organize most of your dinners around separate dishes: a grain or starch (preferably whole grains or a starchy veg that everyone can eat), veggies prepared without animal or gluten products (or any sauce containing those things served on the side), an animal-based protein (roasts, steaks, chops, chicken whole or in parts, fish, etc.) for most of you (again, with any gluten-containing sauce, like a wheat flour-thickened gravy, on the side), and a vegan protein (whole beans or lentils are generally the most versatile and least work -- you can make a potful from dried beans at the beginning of the week, or use canned if money and sodium aren't issues, and add different seasonings to go with each night's dinner-- or better yet have your daughter do it herself; tofu, tempeh, and seitan are other options -- keep the seitan away from your older daughter, as it is essentially all gluten).

This is essentially how my family eats when we're all together -- I'm veg, my mom and dad are 90% veg, my sister has Celiac disease and my brother would be happy eating just meat and potatoes.

snikkins

If swearing doesn't offend you, www.thugkitchen.com has a lot of good recipes. All of the recipes are plant-based, but it's pretty clear where you could add meat products so you're not having to make a ton of different things all the time.

As for the nutrition portion, going to a registered dietitian seems like a good call.

rwieber

Alice! That sounds like us (ok, mostly). I love your take on it and do think my daughter would not think of replacing stuff that she is cutting out.

I liked lynn's advice as well. I already cook stuff separately so that my other daughter can eat part of what I am making. Definitely veggies and/or salad, rice/risotto/quinoa/potato, and usually a protein separate. My older daughter will eat some of the protein if it doesn't have gluten in the sauce.

I don't think vegetarians/vegans are unhealthy...just wanting to make sure I have the appropriate options for protein if she isn't eating meat/poultry/fish/eggs/dairy. That's a lot to cut out and at 15, I don't think she would look at the overall vitamins she is getting or not getting (example: recently having blood work and realizing she is Vit D deficient). That is not a general statement about anyone else, just our recent experience.

Thank you niccipotts1 for the link. I sent it to my daughter and she was very happy/excited.

AliceDark

You sound like a really good mom!

It took me WAY longer than it should have taken to figure out that a portobello isn't a good substitute for a burger, even though they can function the same way within the meal (because I wasn't approaching it from a carbs/fat/protein perspective). I'm having the same kind of struggle with trying to teach my BF how to cook for me (he doesn't always think that marinara sauce =/= meat sauce, nutritionally speaking). The more she learns about overall nutritional concepts, the healthier her eating plan will be.

Chief_Rocka

Get some wagyu filets and serve them medium rare. She'll change her mind.

rwieber

Thanks Alice :-) I'm trying!

Chief...she may not eat it but I would! I respect my daughter's choices but we all can make our own.

Snikkins....thank you....ThugKitchen looks hilarious! I'll check it out.

Thank you Docbanana for all the great info!

RodaRose

Pedal_Pusher2point0 wrote: »

Tell her to make her own food. Problem solved.

^^^^^^^
This. Exactly this.

slvrsrfr

Vegan Health by an RD.

Vegan Nutritional Recommendations by an MD.