gertvegan
Sep 2nd, 2004, 10:05 AM
The young and the meatless
Teen vegan has all of her nutritional bases covered
By Ron Mikulak
The Courier-Journal
Like many teens, Laura White is a vegetarian. Like many students who choose vegetarianism, Laura is earnest, serious, concerned and committed.
But unlike many of the 1million school-age kids estimated to have sworn off meat, Laura actually likes vegetables and a wide range of food that teens need to be healthy.
Laura, a vegetarian "on and off" since the third grade, takes vegetarianism one more step, avoiding all animal products, including leather. She is a "vegan."
"My sister and I were raised as Unitarians, who do not necessarily accept the biblical assertion that humans have a divine right to be masters over animals," says Laura, a senior at St. Francis High School. "... raising and slaughtering animals for food just strikes me as a wrong way to relate to other living things.
"But I heard that it was easy to become unhealthy on a vegan diet, and I wanted to avoid that. I found a good book, 'Becoming Vegan,' which alerted me to the nutrients often lacking in a vegan diet and what I could do to get protein, calcium and vitamin B-12."
Because teens are growing, parents and health professionals worry when they quit eating nutrient-dense foods such as milk and meat.
Laura has it covered. "I look for calcium-enriched soy milk and orange juice," she explains. "B-12 is a vitamin hard to get from non-meat sources, so I take a multivitamin supplement, which helps with other things, like magnesium." She gets plenty of protein by eating soy products, such as tofu and tempeh, beans and whole grains.
Louisville dietitian Renu Lonial points out a few other nutritional issues to watch for. Too much fiber in the diet can interfere with iron absorption. In addition, she said, Americans often tend to eat more grains, fewer vegetables and legumes, which can leave them nutrient-deficient.
All of that said, however, vegans can easily balance their food intake.
Eating a variety of green, yellow, orange and red vegetables makes for a lovely, lively dinner plate, and provides great nutrition. Whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa and bulgur, along with soy products, are healthy for everyone. A conscientious vegetarian could be healthier than teens subsisting on french fries, popcorn and chips.
For a while, Laura's father went along with her, and she cooked for them both in their Southern Indiana home. "But recently, he went on an Atkins diet, I think in rebellion," Laura laughs. "We sort of go our own way at dinner now."
Article link (http://www.courier-journal.com/features/2004/09/01/teenvegan.html)
Teen vegan has all of her nutritional bases covered
By Ron Mikulak
The Courier-Journal
Like many teens, Laura White is a vegetarian. Like many students who choose vegetarianism, Laura is earnest, serious, concerned and committed.
But unlike many of the 1million school-age kids estimated to have sworn off meat, Laura actually likes vegetables and a wide range of food that teens need to be healthy.
Laura, a vegetarian "on and off" since the third grade, takes vegetarianism one more step, avoiding all animal products, including leather. She is a "vegan."
"My sister and I were raised as Unitarians, who do not necessarily accept the biblical assertion that humans have a divine right to be masters over animals," says Laura, a senior at St. Francis High School. "... raising and slaughtering animals for food just strikes me as a wrong way to relate to other living things.
"But I heard that it was easy to become unhealthy on a vegan diet, and I wanted to avoid that. I found a good book, 'Becoming Vegan,' which alerted me to the nutrients often lacking in a vegan diet and what I could do to get protein, calcium and vitamin B-12."
Because teens are growing, parents and health professionals worry when they quit eating nutrient-dense foods such as milk and meat.
Laura has it covered. "I look for calcium-enriched soy milk and orange juice," she explains. "B-12 is a vitamin hard to get from non-meat sources, so I take a multivitamin supplement, which helps with other things, like magnesium." She gets plenty of protein by eating soy products, such as tofu and tempeh, beans and whole grains.
Louisville dietitian Renu Lonial points out a few other nutritional issues to watch for. Too much fiber in the diet can interfere with iron absorption. In addition, she said, Americans often tend to eat more grains, fewer vegetables and legumes, which can leave them nutrient-deficient.
All of that said, however, vegans can easily balance their food intake.
Eating a variety of green, yellow, orange and red vegetables makes for a lovely, lively dinner plate, and provides great nutrition. Whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa and bulgur, along with soy products, are healthy for everyone. A conscientious vegetarian could be healthier than teens subsisting on french fries, popcorn and chips.
For a while, Laura's father went along with her, and she cooked for them both in their Southern Indiana home. "But recently, he went on an Atkins diet, I think in rebellion," Laura laughs. "We sort of go our own way at dinner now."
Article link (http://www.courier-journal.com/features/2004/09/01/teenvegan.html)