To Help Hem Make Good Food Choices!

my girls (19 and 14) have both become vegan and my husband and I are not. The Doctor said they need to take daily vitamins that have iron and b12 and calcium and suggested that they go online and look up "teenage vegan diet" and find recipes they like and give them to me to make or make themselves. Also, she suggested protein shakes if they aren't eating a lot of beans, etc. I got the Trader Joe's brand chocolate (Or vanilla) whey protein powder that also has a ton of other nutrients in it and you can add it to soy milk or whatever soy "ice cream." Hope that helps!

I would have a problem with my child having a vegan diet also. A true vegan, not vegetarian, diet, seems to be deficient in a lot of things, from what I've heard. However, he's 19, so I don't know how much you can do. My son is 19 and not even vegetarian, but this year he's rooming with a bunch of other boys and he doesn't like cooking so I'm worried about his diet for other reasons. I plan on sending him off with a stash of vitamins.

My daughter is the same way. She won't eat meat. To compensate for the fat, protein, iron, and calcium requirements...She drinks Silk Soymilk (there's also Vanilla and Chocolate), Tofu (water squeezed out of it, salt to marinate, sliced lenthwise in half into steak-sized pieces, pan-fried in oil on both sides, and then cubed). I believe boys probably should limit their intake of too much soy, so you might want to moderate the amounts. Beans are terrific in general. My daughter loves the Basil and Tomato Hummus Dip at Trader Joes. She loves what I call "Green Bean French Fries." I fry the green beans in oil and then add salt to them. I do this to brocoli as well and call them "Brocoli Trees." We have Egg Salad for breakfast with a side of "Avocado Boats" and Salmon for dinner to make up for the fat/protien in cow's milk and red meat. Fortunately, She love cheese. That helps a lot. So, we have pizza and quesadillas a lot too. If you can think of anything else that I could prepare for my child, please send it over this way. I'm always looking for new ideas.

Hi K.,

The easiest thing you could do is supplement his diet with Juice Plus+. It is 17 fruits and veggies minus the salt, sugar and water that comes in capsule form. It is a whole food supplement and has 11 published, peer-reviewed studies behind it. It is being studied all over the world. What JP+ does for your health is it delivers key antioxidants that are absorbed by the body, reduces oxidative stress, supports immune function, protect DNA and promotes cardiovascular wellness.
Juice Plus+ is the easiest way to get vitamins, fiber, minerals, antioxidants and phytonutrients into our diets on a daily basis.
You can check out the published ____@____.com
I am an educator and my passion is children's health. I would be happy to answer any questions you might have.
Good luck!

L.
###-###-####

I would agree with fellow poster Deanne here. You CAN make good choices and lead a very healthy life as a vegan. While I am personally a meat eater, I have a good friend who is vegan and healthy (and pregnant with her second). Maybe your son can check out her website and find some recipes sans milk, cheese and meat. (www.consciouscooks.blogspot.com) He's 19, mostly done growing and will probably be OK with his food choices. Vegansim is better than some food choices kids his age eat (ie. McDonalds, pizza, etc.)

Dear K. H,

Well, as you have already found out, argueing does not help. My oldest daughter is now 17, but at 10 she decided she wanted to be a vegetarian. I was terrified. She was still a baby to me, with a lot of growing and bone growth to go. I tried argueing too, but it was not very successful. So, I started searching the internet for alternate sources of vitamins, minerals and nutrients, protiens( tofu, yuck), etc. I did not do a lot, just add one dish, or maybe two at holidays or birthdays that supported her choice. The dishes were not too outlandish and were things that others would eat as well as side dishes with the meal. But what she found out herself was that she could not consume enough of the alternate sources to maintain her protein levels and she sunk into a small depression. Then one day she came home from school with an article that talked about depression being linked to a lack of protien in the diet. (I think that had been mentioned to her verbally by the family before that, but she was not ready to hear it yet) She was about 14 then. So... she started incorporating more protien into her diet and monitoring her moods. She eats a small portion every day, or a larger portion if she misses a day. She is happy because she is in control of her life and her choices, and she is happy with us because we supported her choices.
On the other hand, I have a brother-in-law that is also a vegetarian and has stuck with it for years now. I am woried about him. I know thin is in, but he has lost so much weight that he is on the edge of too skinny, and who knows about moods because he is so quiet normally, hardly ever talking to anyone, that who would know if he were depressed. Oh well, I can't fix the whole world, just try and make an impact on my own. Good luck and I hope things get easier with the men in your house.

N. H. ____@____.com

This reply may sound harsh. Your son is old enough to make is his choices regarding food. You had 18 years to teach him the food pyramid and how to make healthy choices. Now, he is an adult and away at college. Do not harp or nag him since the only result will be his pushing away from you. It is his choice, so make the best of it and move on.

Buy yourself and him a vegan cookbook. Let him know that when he visits, you will do you best to accommodate his choice, but he needs to understand you have been cooking for 35 years a certain way. Then, let go of the issue and move on.

Good luck.

There are ways to make veganism work nutritiously. It just takes a fair amount of conscious thought and action. Bread and vegies are not enough, obviously, but beans, nuts, grains, fruits and vegies all combined can be very nourishing. Avocados and nuts are a great source of healthy fats and protein, not to mention great vitamins and minerals. Talk to him about the right approach, without trying to talk him out of it altogether. There are tons of nutritional resources on the web. Beans, nuts and seeds really are key, mixed with whole grains and the requisite raw fruits and vegies.

A vegan diet can be healthy but your son needs to educate himself on combining foods to meet appropriate essential protein needs, like combining rice and beans makes a "perfect protein". Also he should take a multivitamin to ensure he recieves adequate B vitamins, B12 in particular which mainly comes form meat products. Calcium is also a critical nutrient as he is still growing- fortified soy or rice milk is a good choice. Can you make an appointment with a registered dietitian in you area? She can teach you and your son about combing proteins and give you menu and recipe ideas too. There maybe a dietitian at your son's school health department who he can make appointments with. Overall I would support your son's choices with a lot of support about educating himself because you are concerned with his health, as he is still growing an so young
good luck

Um, I just wanted to make mention that if someone is on a vegan diet then they shouldn't be having whey protein. Whey protein is made from dairy (I know because I'm lactose intolerant and went to find protein shakes and discovered I can only have soy protein ones). They make soy protein though that is very good for a getting protein when on a diet that takes out dairy.

Hi K.. My name is B., I am a 22 year old mother to be(I'm a little over 37 weeks) to a little boy. Like your son, I have been a vegan since I was 19. My loved ones were very concerned with my choice to exclude animal products from my diet also. Like any diet, it is essential for a vegan to make sure their diet is balanced and that are supplementing for what their diet is lacking (in the case of a vegan, protien, calicium and iron are usually areas for concern).
I have had a very healthy pregnancy ("text book pregnancy" is how my obgyn describes it :))and good health in general despite my diet. But there is extra responsibility and planning involved in making sure that I am getting the proper nutrients. May I suggust some reading that may be beneficial to you and your son? "The Vegan Source Book" by Joanne Stepaniak. A majority of the book does cover vegan ethics, but there are some very useful nutritional charts for Vegans to follow.
It is very possible for your son to be very healthy (he'll never have to worry about cholesterol) while keeping a vegan diet as long as he gets the proper nutrients from the foods he is choosing.
Best of luck to the both of you!
B.

We went through some time with our daughter who decided to be vegetarian.. not totally vegan. Our problem, and the family joke, was how could a person who didn't like most vegetables survive on a vegetarian diet. I did as much research as I could on how to feed her a healthy diet on what she would eat, and we supported her in every way possible without criticism. She actually became healthier as a result, and now has reverted back to a regular diet (after marrying a man who really likes to eat meat). My advice is to support your son, find out how to prepare good healthy meals that include a larger variety of veggies when he is eating at your home, and maybe you'll find that you even like some of his dietary choices. We found our daughter's choice to go vegetarian helped us to learn to eat a healthier diet.

Hi K.,

First I wanted to say that it is very good of you to be so supportive of his food choices. Even if he doesn't continue to be vegan for the rest of his life, your support during this time will be invaluable to him. Since he's 19 he will be making a lot of new food choices and learning to be independent, so your influence can help him remain healthy while he's away. First, it would be important to evaluate what he is eating on his own. I would assume that there is a lot more junk in his diet when you are not there. I knew a lot of vegans in college who didn't know how to eat nutritiously and so ate a lot of chips. :P Since he is expressing an interest in vegan cuisine, this is a good way to get a lot of fruits and vegetables into his diet. One cookbook I can suggest is "Simply Vegetarian" because most of the recipes can be altered to exclude butter, cheese, milk, eggs, etc. Make sure he is getting enough protein through soy, beans, and legumes. He also should be eating plenty of fruits and fresh vegetables as well. One problem I have seen with vegan friends is they don't seem to like vegetables very much. Sometimes the bitter taste can be a deterrent, as well as a "boringness" to boiled or steamed greens. International cooking can provide many solutions to this problem. Indian food is largely vegan if you remove the dishes containing meat. Some indian food includes yogurt and butter but these can easily be omitted (make sure he is not eating only fried foods. There are many delectable fried Indian dishes and they are full of fat.)Thai food and Chinese food and even some Italian dishes can all be altered to be vegan. He mainly needs to make sure he gets protein and lots of vegetables to make sure he gets all his nutrients. He also should take a multivitamin. There are still many nutritious choices out there for him even without animal products. I hope this helps. My kids are little but I remember my mom didn't know what to do with me when I became a vegetarian so I ended up eating a lot of salad at their house. Maybe your son's choice will open up a lot of new and interesting foods for your family. Best of luck.

I'm so glad you are supporting him! I stopped eating meat at 16 and went vegan in my mid-20s. It's not nearly as complicated as people make it, I think. At 19 his food needs are that of an adult, not a child or teenager. He needs to get adequate B vitamins, calcium, and protein.

Don't worry too much - I don't think any 19 year old at college eats well! He'll be fine!

Beans, legumes, soy, nuts, and whole grains are all great protein sources. There are also a ton of vegan meat substitutes out there now.

He might want to avoid too much soy, as it does have a naturally occurring estrogen, so I think young men shouldn't eat too much. He can use rice, oat, or hemp milk as an alternative. And products like seitan are mainly wheat based.

Be supportive, and be sure to avoid ever saying "i told you so" if he changes his mind about it later.

The Vegetarian Resource Group has a listserv called ____@____.com and although many of the people are pretty extreme, there are some moderates too who can encourage you and help you educate yourself and your family about what all the options are. The most important thing is for all of you to discuss your thoughts and decisions with love!
-Sarah

My husband, my son and I are vegetarian and have been since my son was age two, so we have been vegetarian for six years. A lot of family members were worried about my son since we do not eat meat, but my son has only been sick twice in the past six years, and is super healthy.
Just keep supporting your son on his diet decisions, and if you are concerned about him eating healthy, maybe give him a vegan recipe book with fairly easy recipes that he can fix up himself. That, and if his body needs something healthy, he will start craving it, and will listen to his body. Sometimes I don't eat too much leafy greens, but when I start craving for it, I know my body is telling me I am laking some nutrients and leafy green goodness!

Good Luck and try some Vegan foods yourself, it is really yummy!

M. *~

Vegan diets are perfectly fine as long as he's getting enough fats and proteins. Nuts (almonds, cashews, etc) are a good source of protein and healthy fats. Obviously getting him to eat fruits and veggies won't be a problem, it's usually protein that's a little harder. There are so many tofu products on the market, he shouldn't have a hard time finding vegan boca burgers, meat substitutes, etc. Tempeh is another healthy meat alternative. I was vegan for about 6 months once, I lost a lot of weight (which was fine, I was overweight at the time)and I was very healthy. He will definitely need to find a good supplement to take. (Calcium, iron, etc.) You can usually find one that is made specifically for people on a vegan diet.
My sister-in-law has been vegan for 7years or more and before that was a vegetarian for over 20 years. She is hands down, the healthiest person I know. He will be fine as long as he takes the time to go grocery shopping. Maybe try to come up with a meal plan and shopping list with him while he is home during the summer.

One more tip...Follow Your Heart Vegan Cheese is the only "fake" cheese that melts, it's good for grilled cheese and pizza. And, he should get a bottle of Bragg's Essential Amino Acids. It's like a soy sauce, he'll need the extra amino's. Also, Egg Replacer substitute can be used for baking and can even be used to make vegan scrambles and omelets.

Good Luck!

Dear K.,
I'm a 33 year old mom of two girls. From the age of 4 on my family became Vegetarian, and from the age of 7 or so we became strictly Vegan. I was raised like that until entering College, at 18.
While I now do not strictly adhere to those guidelines, there is no doubt in my mind that you can be a healthy and thriving young adult while practicing the Vegan diet. You have to start thinking in different ways. Instead of meat as the central part of each meal, start thinking beans, tofu, nuts, complex whole grains, substitute meat products and of course fruits and vegetables.
I think it is a mind set that is very difficult to wrap ones mind around if that has not been your background. It is doable, as well as a healthy choice.
For myself personally it is a challenge that I've fudged on a bit. I'm not Vegan, though Vegetarian, and so that opens up a lot of choices that otherwise I would not have.
Please email me if I can be of any more help,
D.

If he is 20 you have to trust that he has researched the vegan life style to some extent and just ask him what are his protein sources. He can get alot of nutrients from veggies as long as they are prepared good. It is usually that they sometimes don't get enough protein. You could suggest a daily multi vitamin. At 20 he is going to do what he wants and since he is away most of the year it is really out of your hands.

If he hasn't already been turned on to Amy's Kitchen foods, I would definitely do so. They make vegetarian frozen and shelf stable convenience foods that are very good. They don't do all vegan foods, but have enough vegan options to have some variety. They have a college section on their website because they are in colleges and also a FAQ section that addresses being a vegetarian/vegan. Also, the founder's daughter, a college student herself, is a vegetarian and she writes a blog on the site. Maybe reading through their site would help with your concerns. I am not a vegetarian myself, but have been known to eat Amy's quite a bit because the food is just good. www.amys.com. Good luck.

No worries.

My daughter decided to be a vegan and is very healthy. Grab a vegan cookbook and find a coop. Davis Coop is amazing. It is easy to learn.

mother of four

Unfortunately, at 19, your son isn't a "pre adult". He is legally an adult, and he can make what ever food choices he wants. I personally don't think vegan diets are very wise, but many people thrive on them and it is his choice. I think the best thing to do is support him by arming him with information on how to eat as healthily as he can in his lifestyle choice. I'm sure there are plenty of books out there on eating vegan that you could supply him with. Also, encourage him to take b-12 supplements. There are no plant sources of that vitamin, only animal. If he isn't eating animal protein, he won't be taking any b-12 in and eventually his liver stores will run out and he'll run into health problems. Good luck

Dear K.,
Choices about diet are a strange thing.
I, personally, was practically a vegan from the time I was a very small child. I came from a family of hunters and fisherman and I just could not bear the thought of eating something that had to die for me to eat. It broke my heart. My mother hated me. I wasn't really a typical picky eater....I would eat any vegetable or fruit...I just couldn't deal with eating the flesh of another living being. I did eat cheese and yogurt. But, no eggs, I wouldn't put milk on my cereal, no fish, no chicken...nothing. It almost seemed like my mom deliberately made things that I wouldn't eat. Liver. Scrambled eggs with oysters. Deer meat. Chicken hearts. Beef tongue. I would have been happy just going to bed hungry, but that was not an option. She tried to literally force me to eat it and I ended up vomitting and I swore I would never do that to my kids.
To make a long story short, I was a vegetarian all my kids' lives. But, I let them taste everything. I did not transfer my food beliefs onto them. My kids would eat absolutely anything. And liked it. I cooked things for them that they and my husband would eat and let them have at it. My preferences didn't need to dictate what they like. And they like everything.
My 22 year old daughter went through a vegan phase a while ago. There was really nothing I could say about it. Someone had her convinced that her allergies were caused by not having a vegan diet and she listened. As a result, she just ended up hungry all the time. No cheese, no yogurt, no nothing. She's getting over it. It's too hard to eat that way if you are trying to only eat pasta with no eggs, no salad with dairy based dressing, no biscuits and gravy....no mashed potatoes if there is milk in it or butter on toast.
Just so you know...a few years back...I was at a friends house and they cooked some steaks. It smelled so good. They asked me to just take one bite. Now I eat fish, chicken, steak, eggs, all kinds of things I wouldn't eat before. Not every day, in fact my 13 year old son cooks all the meat that we eat because I have no experience cooking it and I tend to cremate everything.
Your son is an adult now and you can't control what he will or won't eat. I know about the worrying part, believe me. That's why even if I wouldn't eat a certain thing, I let my children have it.
Do some research online. There is nothing wrong with being a "vegan" but it is super expensive to be doing it as a fad. My daughter found that out the hard way and she is back to eating what she always ate before. Zero junk food. The only time my kids ever got to go to a drive through was for ice cream. Or the fake version of it.
Like I said, it was peer pressure with my daughter but none of her friends stuck to it. Not there's anything wrong with being organic and vegan. But, she had about enough of fricking starving and that was the end of that.

Just try not to worry too much. My daughter is away from me too and I miss her and worry....but we try to raise them to make their own decisions and we have to let them do it. With my daughter, I found the less I tried to keep her close and check her diet and where she was....the better. They will never understand what a parent goes through until they have a kid of their own and for now that's one thing we don't want to speed up if they aren't ready.
Hang in there. Your son will be fine. No matter what he eats. I am a living example.

Best wishes!

He must learn about complimentary proteins. I turned Vegan in college but it was easy for me to do so since I worked in a health food store. I had everything i needed to do so right there for me. However, once I graduated and moved back out here and dated a carnivore, I slowly moved away from vegan and I'm now, sadly, an omnivore again. I will have my vegetarian days though and I always feel better. It takes more planning to be a vegan than it does to eat meat. But the health benefits are tremendous if done correctly.

Hi K.

in fact your son can still be healthy and be a vegan. it's a myth that you can't get protein outside of meat or calcium outside of milk... there ARE many websites out there debunking that myth. also, check out Brendan Brazier's book, the thrive diet, he is a vegan athlete who believes and has proven you don't need meat products (or processed food) also check out
Tim VanOrden's website runningraw.com << tim has many informational youtube videos that share his thoughts on being in his case, a raw vegan... again. there is much info out there, matter a fact, your son may turn out healthier by going vegan.. hope this helps

Congradulations on choosing to support your sons choice instead of change it. There is ALOT of information out there on how to have a healthy vegan diet. I suggest that you encourage good health through education and example. Buy him some books about veganism, research dietary needs on the computer, and most important, find a local health food store (whole foods and wild oats are actually health food chains that may be easier to find than small local ones to start). They will help with book recommendations, basic foods, and whatever questions you may have. There are websites that can calculate his calorie, protien, and other daily dietary needs by just punching in his weight, height, and activity levels. Use this information to help him build a proper diet. There are great food combinations that equal complete protiens such as beans and rice. Often cultures like indian and thai offer great foods that are vegan. Foods such as nut butters, tofu, and beans offer great protien sources as well. He will need to add a product to his diet called "nutritional yeast" for his "B" vitamins because we get them soley from animal products. This is a great thing to add on top of almost any meal, somewhat cheesey. Also, wheat germ for protien, and on and on. I know it can be worrisome to see him do things that are new and unfamiliar and different but, he is 19! This is bound to happen more and more in his life. Anyway, one last suggestion, when he is home, have him shop with you and cook at least one vegan meal together a week that your entire family can enjoy. Often the health food stores will offer cooking classes geared toward specific diets, buy him a session for christmas or a birthday! This way he is getting to make the choices he wants and you feel comfortable too. Good Luck and happy learning!
M.

K.:

Your growing boy is 19 not 6 years old. He will not starve and he needs to make mistakes so that he learns for himself what is good for his body. It sounds like you are a bit of a helicopter parent- it is time to cut the cord so that your children can make choices for themselves. It surprises me that you and your husband even have a conversation about your son's food choices at his age. Patience and stepping back is important at this point in your life.

I wish you the best in reclaiming your life after your children are grown.

N.

My college nutrition instructor told us that combining foods is very important as some vitamins only absorb in combination with other foods. She also suggest using cast iron cookware to assist with iron as well as good supplements. Since he is in college, he should take a nutrition course, if he hasn't already and ask his instructor for tips and local resources to help him support eating healthy as a vegan.

I think it is great that he has made this decision and wonderful that you and his father are supporting it rather than giving him a hard time about it. Although you will always be concerned since you are his parents, he is an adult now and will be making most of his decisions on his own and many you will not agree with, but if you want to maintain a good relationship, you will need to respect his decisions and let him learn from the bad ones. If you are lucky, he will consult you on ones he is unsure about. Good luck!

"Fit For Life" diet is a diet of fresh raw food. the lady who does it is 40 and looks 20! You can do a web search on it for more info.

The best way to help would be to educate yourself about a vegan diet. I'd buy some books and read up! : ) Good luck, C.

Sorry this is such a late response, just thought i would add my two cents :)

Many of us assume that one diet is better than another. Any diet can be unhealthy if you don't consume adequate nutrients, and unfortunately those of us that have standard american diets consume the least of the nutrients and the most of the calories!
Personally, I eat meat, fish, eggs, etc, but I was vegan at one time.
I found that many of the rules I applied to eating vegan I could apply to my meat eating diet as well. Eating a variety of ethnic dishes (many cultures eat vegi/vegan as a daily routine) and that grazing throughout the day helped me curb my hunger.The biggest mistake that early vegans/veggies make is just cutting out the meat (getting a burger w/ out meat and still eating the fries for example) or eating a ton of processed prepared vegi foods that "replace" the meat.
When he visits, just keep a lot of fresh veggies, fruits, nuts and grains on stock (something i am sure the rest of your family could benefit from as well).
Eating healthy is the bigger issue here, not whether or not he is eating meat, and eating healthy usually takes a lot of effort at first, but as you begin to feel better from the inside out, it is way worth it.
Hope I was helpful or at least encouraging :)

s.

oh, and P.S....some ppl here mentioned things like whey protein...these are derivatives of milk and the whole point of being vegan is "no animal products" ...gotta watch out for things that seem vegan friendly but aren't (like a lot of beauty products as well)

Hi K.;
I really understand your concern. 50+ years ago this might have been ok, but now our food suppply is so poor. Read this article and maybe share it with your son. Dhttp://www.alternet.org/healthwellness/81773?page=3
I would be interested in knowing if he knows this information. The other thing that I would like to suggest is MonaVie, there is a lot of science research documenting how high it is in nutrients. My friend, Debbie Schuster has a vegan 12 year old daughter and has her drinking MonaVie, Debbie would be happy to give you information that she has found. She liked what is was doing for her daughters nutrition that she started her own business. Her email is ____@____.com . I really beleive knowledge is power, gather the knowledge and make an educated decision.
S.

My family and I have been using products that would be great for a college student. They are whole foods and quick to make and eat and your son will get more than he needs from them. This would really help to put your mind at rest. If you would like me to mail you some info let me know. It is affordable too and can be shipped direct to where he lives. My phone is ###-###-####. I would be happy to talk with him as well because sometimes it is harder to hear from Mom:) Let me know if I can be of help. D.

Send him a container of whey protein. Whole Foods has some really good ones. It's better than soy protein. I've seen people start to build muscle quickly after adding whey protein into their diets (easy to throw into smoothies or just add to a glass of juice).

Hi K.,

Here's something no one mentioned: perhaps you and your son could visit a nutritionist together.

Also, I recommend to everyone to read "What to Eat" by Marion Nestle. It's a long book, but easy to skim or just read select chapters. She goes row by row through a grocery store and discusses what the healthier choices are. By the way, Nestle seems to eat what I would consider a normal diet, including sweets and meat. While I could still eat much healthier, I shop differently after reading this book. Guess what? Lobbyists, not nutritionists, determine what the food pyramid and calcium intake guidelines are...

Good luck!