Veganism

[Elaine]

This is a debate from another forum. basically about the whys and wherefores of bringing up a child vegan. I would suggest that binging up your kid vegetarian nowadays is perfectly viable, but bringing them up vegan is too much. For example if a kid gets invited to a birthday party how are they going to cope when they get there and can't eat the ice cream, jelly, cake, sandwiches or sweets because they all contain animal products?

[dandysmom]

Elaine, could you clarify the difference between vegetarian and vegan? I'm uncertain.....

[alexgirl73]

I quite agree with you Elaine! As you know Raechel is now vegetarian, and she has found it difficult to find sweets etc that are suitable for veggies, I can't imagine her going without ice cream and milk and cheese (a food staple for her now)

[Elaine]

Vegetarians, or lacto-ovo-vegetarians, do not eat any meat products, but they eat dairy products and eggs. Vegetarians need to know whether a product contains gelatine or other meat-based products. Vegans do not consume any animal products.

[farthing]

While I admire people who live buy their morals, I find it unfair to encourage children to be vegan. Veganism, no matter what anybody says isn't natural, humans cannot get enough B12 without suppliments on a vegan diet, this can lead to numerous health risks. Certainly if a parent wants to raise their child as vegan, I would hope they really do their research to ensure they do no long lasting damage to their child.

[dandysmom]

Thanks. I think it would be very very difficult for a child to have to adhere to such strict rules. Growing up is hard enough, especially when being "different" from your friends is such a monumental thing. It's hard for diabetic children to pass on things they can't eat, but at least they can explain it's for medical reasons...and kids with various allergies (nuts, etc). That's a hard decision for parent to have to make, raising a vegan child, I personally would not want to do it to my child. But I suppose if the patent's moral/ethical sense was so strong they might be compelled to do so...

Interesting question, Elaine;look forward to other opinions.

Full disclosure: this written by an omnivore. I eat very little meat, but would not be without bacon, my Italian meatballs or the occasional burger or hot dog. I eat a lot of fish and chicken, and cannot contemplate life without cheese or eggs!

[yola]

Reply *caveat - written after 1+ bottles of wine consumed . . . children have enough trouble confirming to basics . . . Sebi is dairy intollerant and boy do I have problems feeding him Don't inflict dietary restrictions on kids until they are old enough to decide for themselves. Please.

[Kim]

Great thread Elaine and it is very difficult to answer. I do think it is perfectly acceptable to bring children up as vegetarians, but agree that it seems unfair in some ways to enforce veganism on them. As others have said it makes it difficult for Birthday parties, etc. However, I also understand why vegans are vegans as for example to produce enough milk for us to drink, cows are constantly pregnant, their calves are taken away from them and shot and cows don't live anywhere near their life expectancy due to being pregnant so often and overmilked. They also suffer with problems such as mastitis. As for egg production, I'm sure we all know the horrors of battery farms and that male chicks are killed as they are surplus to requirement, like male calves. Chicks are killed inhumanely and often put into a shredder alive. I only drink soya milk now & hope to have my own chickens soon.

I definitely don't agree that a vegan diet isn't natural, I know many vegans and they are usually very healthy! Of course you have to do yur research to make sure you get all the necessary vitamins & minerals, but by no means impossible. There are so many meat & dairy alternatives today that make it much easier.

[farthing]

Sorry, I have to disagree that a vegan diet is natural, as an all meat diet is unnatural, we are naturally omnivores. As I said previously, if you cannot get the required vitamins, whatever from a diet without suppliments it can't be natural. What you do find is that many of the soya milks etc are supplied with the suppliments added, such as B12. I would agree that vegans, if they take suppliments are probably healthier than the general public, because they are more aware of general nutrition and don't eat the rubbish we normally do.
My concern as far as children are concerned, is whether any research has been done to see the affects of a vegan diet on them, and if they do recieve all the nutrients a growing body needs.
I agree about the ethics of veganism and do have qualms about taking milk, but I have my own chickens, who will live here until they die so don't really worry about having my own eggs, it is difficult to avoid eggs in the outside world though.

[Elvisisboss]

hiya my entire family is vegan, i am not, although i do not eat red meat - my choice since i was 10, and now i cant eat chicken due to health, but i still eat fish, so still a meat eater.

you can get ANYTHING that the average person eats in a vegan version from sweets/ice cream/ice cream cones/milk/chocolate/butter/milk/cheese/'pretend' foods!!

ANYTHING!!!! my sister runs a vegan website and is part of Viva! essex so if anyone wants any info PM me

my sisters baby is being brought up vegan, i always thought hed 'miss out' but he has the SAME as other kids, jsut not with dairy/animals in it. passes health checks with flying colours and is 2years but they reckon he is about over a year ahead of his other 2 year olds in nursey and has been put 'up' to there age!

personally its up to her what she does, my kids wont be vegan/veggie i think this is a choice they should make when they are older!

you dont need supplements with the 'correct' diet either, 2 of my sisters are nutrionists aswell and everything you need coems from food anyway, peopel say red meat for 'iron' but spinach & broc do the same thing anyway!

veggies dont eat meat, still eat eggs/cheese/milk, soem go over board eating cheese thinking 'calcium!' but theres more calcium in veg than milk/cheese anyway!

vegans do not wat anything from a animal meat/cheese/milk/eggs, if they are very devoted they will stay away from leather aswell etc.

so its up to the person really, ones good for one person is not good for another.

i do find *most* veggies/vegans do try to 'force' the issue 'down your throat' so to speak, i was literally forced into being a veggie & vegan when i was younger but finally found the strength to say no! ill eat what i want to eat i do not moan about what you eat so leave me alone!

but as long as other just let people get along with their life im fine with it, do what you want!

there are now even 'veggie & vegan' dog/cat food, which i actually think is slight animal abuse in a way! these animals are NOT meant to be veggies! espically cats! my sister tried to make me buy some but i would never ever ever!! make my animals veggie or anyone else for that matter i beleive that everyone makes there own choices and no one should be forced into anything!