What is a vegan diet?
"Veganism is a type of vegetarian diet that excludes meat, eggs, dairy products and all other animal-derived ingredients. Many vegans also do not eat foods that are processed using animal products, such as refined white sugar and some wines." (vegetarian.about.com)
"Veganism is a philosophy and lifestyle whose adherents seek to exclude the use of animals for food, clothing, or any other purpose..." (Wikipedia)
The above definitions do a nice job of explaining to those of us who may not be quite as knowledgeable in the lifestyle of veganism as maybe we should be. When executed correctly, it can be a very healthy lifestyle full of flavor, fun, and rewards for both your body and the mind. According to the Baltimore-based "Vegetarian Resource Group", in 2012 approximately 5 percent of the adult population declared themselves "vegan". This doesn't sound all that surprising, but did you know the same group conducted a study in 2010 that found approximately 3% of children were described as vegan? It's suspected, though not verified, that the percentage now for children is likely around the same 5% that it is for adults.
These numbers are up from a similar study done back in 1994 that had about 1% of adults calling themselves vegan. No numbers were reported at that time on children. Perhaps because the idea of vegan children just wasn't really in enough prevalence to even report it.
On the surface, the idea of feeding your kids a vegan diet may seem, well...impossible. Given the fact that I need to go through hours of negotiations with my three old to get her to eat so much as one green bean on some days, I can't imagine her getting a healthy enough number of calories if I attempted a vegan diet for her. As usual though, a little education goes a long way.
Vegan diets don't have to be exlusively non-stop bean sprouts and broccoli. A child's vegan menu actually doesn't have to look a whole lot different than a non-vegan menu. How many kids do you know that like pizza? Yeah, mine can't get enough of it. Sure you have to make it with non-dairy cheese, but most kids won't notice. How about peanut butter and jelly? Or, a turkey sandwich? Okay, so the turkey would need to be tofurkey, but none of these items are going to cause your children to become social outcasts at school. In fact, there's a good chance that their friends, and non-friends for that matter, won't notice anything at all, and your kids like all those foods anyway.
In conclusion, a vegan diet is a way of life that can be enjoyed by all. Men, women, and children alike can realize a happy and fulfilling life through veganism. All it takes is a little knowledge and the proper execution of the lifestyle.
For some more help in starting and maintaining the Vegan lifestyle, whether you are a beginner or a confirmed fan of the vegetarian/vegan lifestyle, check here for the many more options available to you to enjoy a wide and varied diet.
"Veganism is a type of vegetarian diet that excludes meat, eggs, dairy products and all other animal-derived ingredients. Many vegans also do not eat foods that are processed using animal products, such as refined white sugar and some wines." (vegetarian.about.com)
"Veganism is a philosophy and lifestyle whose adherents seek to exclude the use of animals for food, clothing, or any other purpose..." (Wikipedia)
The above definitions do a nice job of explaining to those of us who may not be quite as knowledgeable in the lifestyle of veganism as maybe we should be. When executed correctly, it can be a very healthy lifestyle full of flavor, fun, and rewards for both your body and the mind. According to the Baltimore-based "Vegetarian Resource Group", in 2012 approximately 5 percent of the adult population declared themselves "vegan". This doesn't sound all that surprising, but did you know the same group conducted a study in 2010 that found approximately 3% of children were described as vegan? It's suspected, though not verified, that the percentage now for children is likely around the same 5% that it is for adults.
These numbers are up from a similar study done back in 1994 that had about 1% of adults calling themselves vegan. No numbers were reported at that time on children. Perhaps because the idea of vegan children just wasn't really in enough prevalence to even report it.
On the surface, the idea of feeding your kids a vegan diet may seem, well...impossible. Given the fact that I need to go through hours of negotiations with my three old to get her to eat so much as one green bean on some days, I can't imagine her getting a healthy enough number of calories if I attempted a vegan diet for her. As usual though, a little education goes a long way.
Vegan diets don't have to be exlusively non-stop bean sprouts and broccoli. A child's vegan menu actually doesn't have to look a whole lot different than a non-vegan menu. How many kids do you know that like pizza? Yeah, mine can't get enough of it. Sure you have to make it with non-dairy cheese, but most kids won't notice. How about peanut butter and jelly? Or, a turkey sandwich? Okay, so the turkey would need to be tofurkey, but none of these items are going to cause your children to become social outcasts at school. In fact, there's a good chance that their friends, and non-friends for that matter, won't notice anything at all, and your kids like all those foods anyway.
In conclusion, a vegan diet is a way of life that can be enjoyed by all. Men, women, and children alike can realize a happy and fulfilling life through veganism. All it takes is a little knowledge and the proper execution of the lifestyle.
For some more help in starting and maintaining the Vegan lifestyle, whether you are a beginner or a confirmed fan of the vegetarian/vegan lifestyle, check here for the many more options available to you to enjoy a wide and varied diet.
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