Vegetarianism for children?

Based on a number of studies the experts concluded that vegetarianism is not harmful to the health and development of children.

However, note that there are different types of vegetarian diets (for example, when taking in food only vegetarian food). Diet exclusively of plant foods is not sufficient for pregnant women and for rapidly growing children, who may not like the food dopoluchaet with right amount of protein and energy. If you carefully plan the food, the right amount of protein and the amount of energy can be obtained from legumes and nuts (for children up to 7 years of nuts should be given in ground form), as well as soy products, cereals and grains.

Particular attention should be paid to the fact that a pregnant woman, and child to receive the necessary amount of minerals (calcium, iron, and zinc). A vegetarian diet contains enough essential vitamins, exception only of vitamin B12, which is found in foods of animal origin. In this regard, women during pregnancy and lactation (when the need for this vitamin is especially great), you should take extra vitamin B12 or soy milk fortified with this vitamin.

At the age of 6 months, the child will receive the necessary nourishment from mother's milk. Especially for children under one year vegetarian formula designed to soybeans.

The most useful is the one form of vegetarianism, where permitted to eat not only purged of plant origin, but also the animal (such as milk, dairy products). Such food contains protein in sufficient quantity.

A child under one year requires 4 times more protein than an adult. Mother, who is planning to raise a child, having to vegetarianism, should at least for the first 6 months to feed the baby milk. Furthermore, at 6 months can be administered in the diet enriched with vitamins baby soy formula. On the market there are a lot of vitamin-enriched baby food, which is why the choice of power plant exclusively mothers should consult with your doctor. However, though, milk is the first time it is necessary.

At the age of 4-6 years old children can be gradually introduced into the diet of rice cereal mixed with milk or baby food, banana, apple, avocado (in the form of porridge), fresh juices, and after a while a protein), cottage cheese, a variety of vegetables and fruits , bean porridge as other cereals.

Since 8 months you can enter products that replace baby meat (soy products).

With the introduction in the diet of the child should be aware of new products, what they should be administered separately and at intervals of three to four days in order to check the baby's response to certain foods. If you find your child allergic to certain foods (often at the egg), be sure to immediately contact the child's doctor.

The most important thing in the diet - is to choose a varied diet, which would include various vitamins and minerals. This is very important because it is the power to influence the formation and development of the child's, mental activity and mobility, energy