Raw Food & Toddlers

[Guest guest]

I definitely agree. A picky toddler shouldn't be limited to those few foods.

Also, in case it's not something you knew already, this is one of those cases

that ebf is really helpful. If you haven't weaned yet, I wouldn't rush to.

 

Samdra

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

I am interested to hear others thoughts on this:

 

My partner and I are both vegan, and ironically it is food and what to

feed our dd that we disagree about most!

 

I am a cooked food person and I am not into veg. for health reasons, so

I am not adverse to a bit of sugar etc. Everything in moderation.

 

My partner is into raw food and lives mostly on fruit, occassional

sprouted lentils and nuts.

 

Our dd loves fruit, but also loves cereals, breads & grains, marmite

(like vegemite), baked beans, hommous etc. My partner says I am giving

her junk food when she eats rye bread and homemade hommous (not to

mention baked beans), and other (to me) yummy and healthy things. (she

doesn't even like hot chips, crisps or other things that are far more

'junky' in my opinion).

 

Personally I couldn't live on raw food. I get far too hungry after

eating a salad alone and I need a good solid meal with lots of protein.

I am also concerned about raising a child on a mostly fruit diet (she

doesn't like sprouted lentils and is too young for nuts!). Some of the

stories of malnourished 'vegan' infants of late seem to have involved

extremist diets tending towards raw food. Our dd has always been

difficult to feed as it is, and slow to grow, so I rejoice in every type

of vegan food I can get into her. I also imagine it would be extremely

difficult to restrict her diet, while she can see me eating my hommous

and bread!

 

What are others experiences?

 

Karen

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Hi Karen,

 

Raw foods are great, but without supplementation (Vitamin B12, D)

your child can be in danger of health problems. I would never feed

my child only fruit, or even a majority calories from fruit. Fruit

is needed every day, but the child should have dark green leafy

vegetables, other vegetables, legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds

everyday.

 

The Raw Foods movement is great, except that most of the raw foodists

feel B12 isn't needed, or they think you can get it from sea

vegetables, which is untrue.

 

If you are breast feeding, then as long as you are getting adequate

B12 in your diet, your child will be fine.

 

Commercial cereals are generally not very nutritious, so if your

child loves cereals, try making cereal yourself from whole grains,

nuts, and seeds. Museli is very easy to make and delicious, and

serve it with a little Whole Soy brand soy yogurt (the best, in my

opinion).

 

Good luck,

Scott

 

 

 

 

-Scott

 

 

 

, Karen Bevis <karen@w...> wrote:

> I am interested to hear others thoughts on this:

>

> My partner and I are both vegan, and ironically it is food and what

to

> feed our dd that we disagree about most!

>

> I am a cooked food person and I am not into veg. for health

reasons, so

> I am not adverse to a bit of sugar etc. Everything in moderation.

>

> My partner is into raw food and lives mostly on fruit, occassional

> sprouted lentils and nuts.

>

> Our dd loves fruit, but also loves cereals, breads & grains, marmite

> (like vegemite), baked beans, hommous etc. My partner says I am

giving

> her junk food when she eats rye bread and homemade hommous (not to

> mention baked beans), and other (to me) yummy and healthy things.

(she

> doesn't even like hot chips, crisps or other things that are far

more

> 'junky' in my opinion).

>

> Personally I couldn't live on raw food. I get far too hungry after

> eating a salad alone and I need a good solid meal with lots of

protein.

> I am also concerned about raising a child on a mostly fruit diet

(she

> doesn't like sprouted lentils and is too young for nuts!). Some of

the

> stories of malnourished 'vegan' infants of late seem to have

involved

> extremist diets tending towards raw food. Our dd has always been

> difficult to feed as it is, and slow to grow, so I rejoice in every

type

> of vegan food I can get into her. I also imagine it would be

extremely

> difficult to restrict her diet, while she can see me eating my

hommous

> and bread!

>

> What are others experiences?

>

> Karen

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

A strict raw food diet is much too high in bulk/fiber for a toddler, esp one

who is picky (like most.) It is critical that small children receive more

fat, protein and calories than raw food can provide. Consult any good vegan

nutrition resource, like Becoming Vegan (by Melina and Davis) and it will

give you an idea of how much protein, fat and calories a toddler should

receive. Because toddlers tend to eat very little, it is important that they

receive nutrient dense foods as well as bulkier raw foods. Beans, like

hummus, tofu, tempeh, black bean dip, etc and grains provide a lot of the

nutrition and variety that toddlers need. My 2 year old relies on a variety

of foods in her diet. She is far too picky for me to restrict her diet to

only raw foods, though she enjoys those (all fruit, avocado, nuts) as well.

There is a really good article about raw foods in a recent issue of the

Vegetarian Nutrition and Health Letter from Loma Linda, and it debunks a lot

of the myths about cooked foods. Both raw and cooked are necessary parts of

a toddler's diet. Adults who choose to eat only raw might be healthy by

eating lots and lots of foods, but even then it is often lower in protein

and healthy fats than is currently recommended. While this might be okay

short term for an adult, it is not okay for a child. Plus you can't force a

child to eat what you want her to eat, so being able to offer a variety is

critical. Hope this helps!

Leena

[Guest guest]

I am developing this theory that different people (in regard to nationality,

environment, maybe blood type, and a few other factors) will have different

nutritional needs. The two most healthy (but extreme) diets seem to be raw food

and macrobiotic, which are almost complete opposites (although both are

primarily meat, dairy and yeast-free). A macrobiotic diet consists mostly of

whole

grains, and some cooked veggies, with almost nothing eaten raw. I have many

friends who tend to lean one way or the other, and those who are faithful to

their diet of choice seem to absolutely flourish from the benefits. I was

hard-core macro for a while and felt better than I have ever felt in my life.

People

on either diet tend to glow, and seem to have more energy than most.

 

With children, it's so hard to follow their intuition with food, because most

of them would have four bags of M & M's for dinner if they had the option.

Perhaps you could explain to your hubby that some people really do need whole

grains, (you most likely being one of them), and come to an agreement on what

neither of you would want your daughter to ingest. (Meat? Dairy? Refined

sugars?)

If one of you feels that a certain food is dangerous, and the other sees it

as harmless, but not nutritious, then why not eliminate it? You may have to

reach a compromise between the two diets that you both lean towards, until your

daughter is old enough to voice what she thinks her body needs. One very

difficult thing, which you have probably already come into contact with, is that

your child will want to eat whatever her parents are eating. So if you do make a

choice to say, cut yeast out of her diet (there are lots of yummy unleavened

breads out there), then you will probably have to make the same commitment for

yourself if you want it to work. What harm can come from only eating things

that you have no doubt are good for your body?

Congratulations to both of you though..... look how beautiful you both are

for wanting your baby to be as healthy as she can be.