• In an age of mad cow disease and pink slime, are young kids ready to read about veganism? (April 26, 2012; The Washington Post)
• 5 Interesting Facts About Plant-based Food Choices (April 23, 2012; One Green Planet)
• Main Street Vegan: How to Go Vegan in the Real World (Book Review) (April 20, 2012; Miami New Times)
• New Poll Illuminates Veg Consumers’ Dietary Choices (April 19, 2012; VegNews)
• Meat-free advocates say plant-based diet better for planet (April 18, 2012; Athens Banner-Herald)
• Care and feeding of a lone vegetarian (April 4, 2012; Minneapolis Star Tribune)

To see more news articles VRG has been featured in, visit http://www.vrg.org/press/vrg_in_the_news.php

For press releases, see: http://www.vrg.org/press/index.htm

About 5 years ago, The New York Times published an op-ed sensationally headlined “Death by Veganism.” This opinion piece created a great deal of outcry, because of its incorrect information and shaky foundation. The Public Editor of the Times said, “I think The Times owes its readers the other side, published on the op-ed page, not just in five letters to the editor that briefly took issue with her” and asked, “And what is the obligation of editors to make sure that op-ed writers are not playing fast and loose with the facts?”

Last week The Times included another opinion piece by the same writer that takes issue with vegan diets for infants and children. I hesitated about even responding to this, hating to call attention to an article that is so filled with misinformation. I do think, however, that those who are raising (or are considering raising) children on vegan diets need good information to support their decision and to help them respond to others who may use this article as a way of questioning their choice. VRG’s website offers many great resources for parents.

While space prevents addressing every one of the questionable statements, here are a few:

“The breast milk of vegetarian and vegan mothers is dramatically lower in a critical brain fat, DHA, than the milk of an omnivorous mother and contains less usable vitamin B6.”

Fact: DHA’s role in brain development is uncertain. An analysis of current research by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly known as the American Dietetic Association) concluded that while DHA supplements can increase the amount of DHA in breast milk, this increase does not necessarily lead to a
positive effect on brain development (1).

There have not been published reports of the vitamin B6 content of breast milk from vegetarians or vegans so I can’t understand where the statement about less usable vitamin B6 comes from. Vegetarians generally have adequate intakes of vitamin B6.

“Vegans, vegetarians and people with poor thyroid function are often deficient in carnitine and its precursors.”

There is also no evidence that vegetarians or vegans are deficient in carnitine or its precursors. While lower levels of carnitine have been reported in adult vegetarians compared to nonvegetarians, levels were within a normal range (2). Carnitine is not considered an essential nutrient because our bodies are able to make it from amino acids. The mother’s diet has little effect on the amount of carnitine in her breast milk (3).

“The most risky period for vegan children is weaning. Growing babies who are leaving the breast need complete protein, omega-3 fats, iron, calcium and zinc. Compared with meat, fish, eggs and dairy, plants are inferior sources of every one.”

Fact: Weaning is a tricky time, nutritionally speaking, for many children. Breast milk contains readily absorbed nutrients with ratios of protein, fat and carbohydrate that support the baby’s growth. Babies who are weaned to a diet high in empty calories or a diet focused mainly on cow’s milk can certainly have nutrition-related problems. Vegan diets can easily meet a toddler’s needs for protein, omega-3 fats, iron, calcium, and zinc. The 2010 edition of Dietary Guidelines for Americans includes a menu planning tool that can be used for vegan children age 2 and older. We also include menu planning guides on our website.

“Soy protein is not good for a baby’s first food…”

Fact: Who said soy protein should be a baby’s first food? While infants who are not breastfed do use soy formula (which has a long track record of successfully nourishing infants), breastfed infants are not usually given soy as a first food. Iron-fortified infant cereals are commonly used as an easily digested first food.

“Studies have shown that kids raised until age 6 on a vegan diet are still B12 deficient even years after they start eating at least some animal products.”

Fact: Vegan children can have adequate vitamin B12 status if their diet includes regular, reliable sources of vitamin B12. Reliable sources of vitamin B12 include foods fortified with vitamin B12 and vitamin B12 supplements.

“Vegans may believe it’s possible to get B12 from plant sources like seaweed, fermented soy, spirulina and brewer’s yeast.”

Fact: With the many reliable websites (like this one) providing information on vitamin B12, I hope that vegans don’t believe that the foods just listed are good sources of vitamin B12.

The New York Times opinion piece was concluded with a call to parents raise their children as nonvegetarians and to allow them to choose their own diets as adults. I don’t get the logic – parents are choosing what foods their children eat, even if they are raising them as meat eaters. I could just as easily say that all parents should raise their children as vegans and then, if the children grow up and want to eat meat, that would be their choice. As parents, we make choices for our children, based on what we think is in their best interest.

Each family makes their own choices about feeding their children. I can only hope that the misinformation in the Times’ article will not deter parents from choosing to raise their children as vegans.

Ginny Messina, MPH, RD offers her take on The New York Times article on her blog, the Vegan R.D. at
http://www.theveganrd.com/2012/04/the-new-york-times-nina-planck-and-safety-of-vegan-diets.html

References

1. James DCS, Lessen R. Position of the American Dietetic Association: promoting and supporting
breastfeeding. J Am Diet Assoc. 2009;109:1926-42.

2. Lombard KA, Olson AL, Nelson SE, Rebouche CJ. Carnitine status of lactoovovegetarians and strict
vegetarian adults and children. Am J Clin Nutr 1989; 50:301-6.

3. Mitchell ME, Snyder EA. Dietary carnitine effects on carnitine concentrations in urine and milk in
lactating women. Am J Clin Nutr. 1991; 54:814-20.

The Rules:

Create and submit a video relating what you want to tell others about vegetarianism and/or veganism.

Some possible topics: food, nutrition, your feelings about veganism and/or vegetarianism, water usage and vegetarianism, vegetarianism and animal rights, or other vegetarian topics which appeal to you. Humor and feelings are appreciated. All videos should be positive, not be critical of anyone, and not include any footage of animal cruelty. You may submit a video you have already made.

Aspects of judging include accuracy and judges wanting to share the video with others.

Entrants give permission to The Vegetarian Resource Group to post and share the video, to link to and from the video, and share the video with the media.

DEADLINE: April 20, 2012

Please e-mail to vrg@vrg.org:

1. Your name
2. Street Address, City, State, Zip
3. Phone number
4. E-mail contact
5. Indicate if 18 or older. If you are under 18, please include a parent or guardian's permission for entry and use of the video.
6. A brief statement on why you are interested in vegetarianism.
7. A link to your video.
8. Include Vegetarian Video in the subject line of the e-mail.

Click through to read the rest of the scholarship rules »

Share VRG’s Video!

Check out VRG’s video, "A Hunter’s Guide to His Vegetarian Daughter and His Vegan Son," and share with your friends!

Check out other vegetarian videos here »

For information about VRG’s scholarship for high school seniors, see http://www.vrg.org/student/scholar.htm

For information about our internships, see http://www.vrg.org/student/index.php

• More vegans, vegetarians fuel meatless market. Soy burger anyone? (March 20, Los Angeles Times)
• Starbucks Really Is Evolving (March 20, 2012; The Motley Fool)
• Declining meat, poultry purchases provide challenge (March 17, 2012; Times Record News)
• Vegan lifestyle has health and other benefits, but ‘animal-free’ diet presents challenges, too (March 14, 2012; Cleveland.com)
• A Chicken Without Guilt (March 9, 2012; The New York Times)
• Carnívoros de fim-de-semana (March 7, 2012; Pagina22)
• Is There a Market for Vegan Food? (March 7, 2012; The Huffington Post)

To see more news articles VRG has been featured in, visit http://www.vrg.org/press/vrg_in_the_news.php

For press releases, see: http://www.vrg.org/press/index.htm

VRG’s Vegan Nutrition in Pregnancy and Childhood is included under General Educational Materials on the USDA’s The WIC Works Resource System, which is an online education and training center for staff of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC).

A newer, brochure version of our vegan pregnancy article is available here: http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/veganpregnancy.php

The Everything Vegan Pregnancy Book by VRG’s nutrition advisor, Reed Mangels, RD, PhD, is also now available! This 304-page guide provides moms-to-be with all they need to know to ensure safe and healthy pregnancies while maintaining their vegan diets. Click here to purchase this book through VRG’s online bookstore.

The Dr. Don Show is a weekday broadcast which aims to help educate the community on important health issues with an emphasis on lifestyle changes and dietary intervention. The host, Dr. Don Wagner, is a doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, board certified in Emergency Medicine & Family Practice. In addition, he is course certified in lifestyle medicine and plant based nutrition. Dr Don talks about the benefits of a plant-based diet, and has spoken on air with Dr. McDougall, Dr. Esselstyn, Dr. William Harris and Dr. Michael Greger.

VRG’s Guide to Vegan and Vegetarian Food Ingredients Windows Phone 7 app is featured on WPCentral today, in honor of Fitness Month: http://www.wpcentral.com/fitness-month-windows-phone-helps-make-being-vegetarian-easier

Perfect for deciphering ingredient labels while you are on the go, our Guide to Vegan and Vegetarian Food Ingredients lists the uses, sources, and definitions of 200 common food ingredients. It also states whether the commercial source of the ingredient is vegan, typically vegan, vegetarian, typically vegetarian, typically non-vegetarian, or non-vegetarian.

	Windows Phone 7 App Developed for VRG by Techark Solutions
	iPhone, iPod Touch & iPad App Developed for VRG by Catch Productions

Print copies of the Guide are available here.

The online version is available here.

Editor’s note: The purpose of our food ingredient research is intended to educate people to enable them to make informed decisions about the foods that they choose to eat. Vegetarians and vegans will draw their own lines at what they will or won’t eat. Do what you feel is appropriate for your circumstances. The guide should not be used to criticize others or feel overwhelmed. We live in an imperfect world and do the best we can.

The contents of this blog, website and our other publications, including Vegetarian Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information from company statements. It is impossible to be 100% sure about a statement, info can change, people have different views, and mistakes can be made. Please use your best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. To be sure, do further research or confirmation on your own.

When a couple forces a hot dog on a young girl in a New Jersey restaurant, neighboring diners are confused and surprised; the girl’s mother had clearly said that the family does not eat meat, dairy or animal by-products.

“Everyone eats hamburgers, it’s un-American not to eat meat,” said the man, urging the girl to enjoy the hot dog.

“So she gets no protein,” added his companion.

Will the other patrons in the restaurant stand up for the child’s way of life? We’ll have to tune in at 9 p.m. Eastern/8 p.m. Central to find out.

For more information about the show, and to see a clip of the episode visit the ABC News website.

For information about vegan and vegetarian nutrition for children and teenagers, see the Teens, Family, & Kids section of our website.

VRGParents is an email list for vegetarian parents and parents of vegetarians. For information on joining the list, visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vrgparents/.

For more information on vegetarian and vegan teen nutrition see:
http://www.vrg.org/family/kidsindex.htm

John, VRG’s Consumer Research Manager, was recently interviewed by Randol White at Eat Drink Explore about tips for new vegetarians as part of their Vegetarian Challenge Week.