Mail bag! (or should I say email bag?)
So I’ve received a plethora of emails since the inception of this blog (I love to receive emails, btw!). I think some of you may have the same questions as the ones I receive from other readers so I thought, hey, why not share the info with you all?
[My response to these emails is my personal opinion. I include the research that I have used to make my decisions and choices. I share this with you for informational purposes and is not intended to be medical advice or treatment.]
Here’s the first question in the mail bag installment, coming from another vegan momma:
Hi. I love to visit your blogspot & found you through Dreena Burton’s blogspot. I have been vegan for a couple of years, vegetarian for twenty + years. I just had a question about supplements for kids. My daughter is 15 months old & I am raising her vegan. I haven’t given her any vitamins yet. I was just wondering what age & what supplements you are giving your kids. So far she has been great about eating a variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. I am probably most concerned about DHA & vitamin B-12. I haven’t asked my Pediatrician about this yet. But I have a feeling I probably know more about Vegan nutrition than she does. As soon as you tell someone like that you are vegan, a red flag goes up. I just wanted your advice & wondered what you are giving your kids. just sent you an email asking you about supplements to give to kids. I do add Udo’s oil to smoothies. But my question with DHA is how much should I have & my daughter have on a daily basis?
–Heidi
Today I’ll respond primarily to the issue of DHA, and I’ll take on B-12 other vitamin/supplement issues another day.
I can relate to feeling like you know more about vegan nutrition than your pediatrician. I was told by my pediatrician to give my kids low fat soy or rice milk, because kids these days are getting too much fat in their diets! I didn’t bother to tell him that my kids aren’t on the SAD and for this reason I use regular plant milks with my children, because they are definitely not getting too much fat in their diet.
In regards to DHA supplementation. I don’t supplement my kid’s diet with DHA, and I’ll explain why.
All of my kids have been breast fed up to 12 months or more (my 17 month old is still nursing 2-3 times a day), which should be the primary source of DHA in the first year, or ideally two, of life. Since infants don’t have full capacity to convert omega-3 fats to DHA, breast milk is crucial. Beyond infancy, toddlers are able to convert omega-3 fats to DHA, granted they are fed foods that contain these fats. My children have a breakfast shake every morning that contains ground golden flax seed, the most concentrated source of omega-3 fats (even more than fish!) without the cholesterol and animal protein. I’ve found this is an easy way to ensure they’re getting a proper amount of omega-3’s on a daily basis. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in a plethora of plant foods not just flax seed. Sources that provide a rich supply of omega-3’s include soy foods (tofu, edamame, soy milk, tempeh, miso), walnuts, beans, wheat germ, hemp seed, greens, and chia seeds, all foods that I give my children on a regular basis. Also, keep in mind that that the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids should not exceed 1:4. The SAD (standard American diet) is somewhere between 1:25 and 1:30. Omega-6 fats are found in all animal foods, many polyunsaturated vegetable oils, seeds, avocados, and grains.
Udo’s oil has become quite popular. Oils, even Udo’s oil (which has DHA added to it, it doesn’t exist alone in the oil itself), aren’t ideal because they are refined, or separated from their original source. This is problematic, because it adds a lot of nearly empty calories to your child’s diet. Yes, you’re getting “good fats” but not anything else–no protein, no carbohydrates, no fiber, no vitamins and minerals. 100% pure fat. This calorie displacement pushes out other, more nutrient dense foods that your child could be eating.
Further, in my opinion, people are much too concerned with getting one or two particular nutrients and don’t pay enough attention to the overall composition of their diet. As Dr. Campbell has taught, the whole is greater than the sum of it’s parts. Our reductionist approach to nutrition has caused us to stray from the common sense, simple basics of healthful eating which is, eat a variety of plant foods, as close to the source as possible. It’s really much more simple than we’ve made it out to be.
Bottom line for me: I prefer to get my nutrients from foods. Not refined food products or isolated nutrient supplements. The same rule applies to my children. If you feel it necessary to supplement your diet with DHA, I recommend going with a plant-derived source of DHA (which comes from algae). There are many excellent brands from which to choose, although I don’t feel qualified to recommend one, as I’ve don’t use it myself or with my children.
For further reading check out the following links (they are excellent!):
Essential Fatty Acids (check out Vol. 7 Issue 14 April 6, 2009 & Vol. 2 issue 9 August 9, 2004)
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