At some point, many parents face the question: Is a vegetarian diet healthy for my child? Whether you have personally chosen a vegetarian lifestyle and would like your family to consider this lifestyle as well, or your child becomes interested independently, you may have concerns or questions.

Vegetarian Diets

In general, vegetarian diets can be healthy for children as long as you are diligent about providing alternative foods to meet their nutritional needs. Children following vegetarian diets must still get plenty of protein, calcium, vitamin B12, vitamin D, iron and zinc. These can be found in tofu and soy milk, milk and milk products, dry beans and lentils, nuts, whole grains, and green leafy vegetables.

You can help your child eat a healthful vegetarian diet by encouraging him or her to get involved in making healthy food choices and preparing meals. Watch your children closely; some children become vegetarians to hide a developing eating disorder. If your child avoids eating even vegetarian meals, contact your pediatrician or family doctor.

Vegan Diets

Vegan diets, which do not include any animal products including eggs or dairy, come with some unique risks for children. Babies' and children's nutritional needs are different than adults practicing a vegan diet because of their extremely rapid growth rate. They require more protein, calcium, vitamin D and B12, which are abundant in milk and milk products. A typical newborn may go from 8 pounds to 21 pounds in 12 months, which doesn't sound like a lot until you consider that this would be like a 160-pound vegan adult gaining 260 pounds in a year.

For most of the first year, you can ensure a healthy vegan diet for your newborn by either breastfeeding or offering a soy-based infant formula recommended by your pediatrician. Sometimes vitamin B-12, vitamin D and iron supplements are given during the first year, but before adding any supplements to your child's diet, be sure to ask your pediatrician.

After your baby turns 12 months old, it is more difficult to maintain proper nutrition on a vegan diet. Babies and toddlers need diets high in fat and protein and low in fiber, which is the exact opposite of many vegan diets. You will need to make sure your baby gets lots of foods like cooked beans, lentils, tofu, avocados, soy yogurt and (after age 1 and with a pediatrician's approval) nuts. Because finicky toddlers may resist these restrictions, some parents decide to supplement their children's diets with eggs and milk from organic farms that follow high standards for the humane treatment of animals.

The rules for adult nutrition can't directly be applied to a baby. If you feel strongly about your child being on a vegan diet, be sure to find a pediatrician and nutritionist willing to work with and advise you. Otherwise, it is very likely your baby or child will have nutritional deficiencies, such as iron or vitamin B-12 deficiencies.

More About Vegetarian and Vegan Diets for Children

If you're interested in learning more about vegetarian or vegan diets for children, speak with your pediatrician or family medicine doctor. You can also find great information through reputable online resources such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Information Center.

Dr. Manisha Panchal is a pediatrician at PAMF's Santa Clara Center.