Would it be right to feed babies vegetarian?

Would it be right to feed babies vegetarian?
If parents want to feed her child meatless, you should know how to replace missing nutrients. And the more food they leave, the more danger of a shortage
Baby eating carrot
Small vegetarians: Only vegetables for babies - there is missing something?

Doubtful conditions in factory farms, excessive use of antibiotics, stuffed animal transport - more and more people turn on ideological grounds on meat. It is understandable that they make about thoughts, whether they can maintain a vegetarian diet also their children. "The primary recommendation is a healthy lifestyle along with a balanced Optimized mixed diet," says Prof. Dr. Mathilde Kersting, Deputy. Director of the Research Institute of Child Nutrition (FKE). "And that also includes meat."

The FKE have, however, repeatedly over the years received inquiries as to whether and how babies and children can be a vegetarian. Therefore, the scientists have responded and recommendations issued. "The vegetarian diet is considering the Optimized mixed diet, a diet second choice, but for which we see no serious risks," says Kersting. So that the child gets all the essential nutrients, parents should consider the following points.

Important iron for pregnant women and in the complementary feeding

This starts in the womb: Pregnant should ensure adequate iron intake. Your demand is higher than usual during the nine months since the iron stores of the babies are created and filled. Vegetarians can have their iron supply using an appropriate diet to make sure that combines whole grains or legumes with vitamin C-containing fruits and vegetables.

During lactation the mother usually the memory fill up again, because through breast milk gives her body barely iron to the baby from. The Little, however, needs to be stored iron then for the most part. After breastfeeding , therefore, iron-rich complementary foods is very important. "Again, meat-containing slurries in Germany the first choice," says Kersting. "For vegetarians, we have found an alternative solution." Instead of the vegetable-meat and potato mash, the loud Beikostplan is recommended from the fifth to the seventh month, a suitable vegetable and potato corn porridge .
Is a vegetarian diet equivalent?

Why applies vegetarian diet as a second choice? "Whether the meatless substitute just as good, is difficult to determine," says Kersting. To investigate this, we would need two groups of children, of which one is after the primary recommendation, that a balanced diet and meaty. The only other likely differ in the fact that they replaced the meat through the recommended alternatives. Such a situation should produce practically impossible.

However, we now know much about the nutrients that we - and our children - need. They are all included in the recommended food containing mixed diet. Meat can only be replaced good. But the more food you leave out, the more danger of a shortage. "In practice, there are different forms of vegetarians," says Kersting. "For some parents it is only important to refrain from meat, but not to fish. Other omit also fish, eggs and possibly even dairy products "in the literature distinguishes between three types:. Ovo-lacto-vegetarians eat no meat and no fish, lacto-vegetarians forego further on eggs and vegans on the other animal foods such as dairy products and honey.
From a vegan diet experts recommend

Nutrients, in addition to iron, which is to look in the vegetarian based foods are zinc and vitamin B12. "Both of you get to cow's milk, vitamin B12 also has fish and eggs," says Kersting. "Would parents feed their child vegan, so they should hold in all cases with her pediatrician consultation." This will probably still consult a nutritionist. Frequently, the wizard creates together with their parents for a longer period of time a food record. From the information he assesses whether the child missing nutrients. He advises parents how they can compensate for the deficiency.

"Vegan diets in children can only work using nutritional supplements," says Kersting. "And that's always a last resort, to which you can not guess." Also, pregnant women and lactating vegans it is recommended to consult their doctor. "Presumably they will at least have to replace vitamin B12." Did the doctor or dietitian suspect that the diet is too one can possibly be needed a blood test. "Generally speaking, it is not recommended to control the blood regularly," says Kersting.