Are you afraid that your treasured Oliver or Olivia may not fare nicely when you do not feed them animal merchandise? This worry has saved many mothers and households from going all-in on a vegan eating regimen, not simply within the U.S., however internationally as nicely. The current cross-sectional examine that was printed in Communications Medication in 2025 gives recent proof that vegan diets can assist wholesome development in youngsters. This has been seen earlier than, nevertheless it’s good to see recent proof.
Vegan Children within the Czech Republic Are More healthy than Omnivore Children
This is what the analysis staff discovered within the Czech Republic, amongst households with youngsters who had adhered to their eating regimen since beginning. The analysis staff interviewed 95 households. There have been 47 vegan households, 23 vegetarian and 25 omnivore households for a complete of 187 adults and 142 youngsters.
Whereas the vegan youngsters confirmed no vital variations in development or bone well being in comparison with their vegetarian or omnivore friends, they did discover that urinary iodide ranges have been decrease within the vegan children. The vegan children had increased ranges of folate, vitamin B12, and vitamin D than omnivores, partly on account of cautious supplementation. The authors concluded that, general, a well-planned vegan eating regimen was secure and helpful for the youngsters, particularly for lipids and cardiovascular well being, because the vegan children had decrease whole and LDL ldl cholesterol than the opposite teams. Variations in development have been attributed to household variations fairly than to eating regimen.
The one nutrient of concern was iodine, which may be simply optimized with dietary supplements.
Academy of Diet and Dietetics: Deliberate Vegan Weight-reduction plan Wholesome for Children
It isn’t stunning to me to see this discovering, as this isn’t new science. In reality, the Academy of Diet and Dietetics, previously referred to as the American Dietetic Affiliation, has endorsed vegan diets for youngsters for nearly a decade now. Of their 2016 place paper, they acknowledged this: “It’s the place of the Academy of Diet and Dietetics that appropriately deliberate vegetarian, together with vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally enough, and will present well being advantages for the prevention and remedy of sure illnesses. These diets are applicable for all levels of the life cycle, together with being pregnant, lactation, infancy, childhood, adolescence, older maturity, and for athletes.”
Latest Research of Vegan Children Agree: Deliberate Vegan Diets are Wholesome
VegChi Weight-reduction plan Examine
In a current weblog referred to as Wholesome, Comfortable and Plant-Primarily based: The Final Information for Dad and mom, I highlighted the work from the VegChi Weight-reduction plan Examine for 1 to 3-year-olds. On this German examine, they in contrast 430 youngsters raised on vegan, vegetarian, and omnivorous diets. They have been all rising high quality.
The vegan children had increased intakes of vitamin E, B1, folate, magnesium, and iron, whereas the omnivorous eating regimen offered extra vitamin B2, calcium, iodine, and DHA. All of them wanted extra vitamin D and iodine from dietary supplements.
VegChi Youth Examine
I additionally talked concerning the VegChi Youth Examine, well being outcomes of 6-18-year-olds in Germany. Vitality consumption was the identical for all of them, they usually all had enough protein consumption. Folate ranges have been increased within the vegan children, however there have been no variations in hemoglobin, vitamin B2, vitamin D, HDL, ldl cholesterol, or triglycerides between the teams.
Era R Examine
A examine of three,340 youngsters within the Era R examine, based mostly within the Netherlands, discovered that youngsters ages 8 by 13 maintained wholesome physique composition from childhood by adolescence. After they adopted a healthful plant-based eating regimen, they’d higher nutrient intakes of fiber, vitamin C, magnesium, and copper—and the next fat-free mass index and a decrease physique fats proportion.
Meta-Evaluation of 59 Cross-Sectional Research of Youngsters on Vegetarian and Vegan Diets
An Italian analysis group printed a meta-analysis of lacto-ovo-vegetarian and vegan diets in youngsters and adolescents in March 2025. They recognized 59 research together with 48,000 members, together with 7,000 lacto-ovo-vegetarians, about 1,300 vegans, and about 40,000 omnivorous youngsters. Nutrient consumption amongst these vegan youngsters was just like that present in different research—rather less vitality, protein, fats, vitamin B12, vitamin D, and zinc than their omnivorous friends, but in addition extra fiber, iron, folate, vitamin C, and magnesium. (Not all the youngsters in these research took dietary supplements.)
The vegan youngsters have been barely smaller and leaner. Iron deficiency and anemia have been a priority for vegetarians and vegans each, however this will have been extra in lower-income international locations with much less entry to vegetables and fruit. Iron deficiency and anemia weren’t seen within the VegChi Examine or within the Czech Republic examine. Iron is well obtained in a whole-foods plant-based eating regimen, with no problems with enough consumption or absorption.
Total, vegetarian and vegan diets supported wholesome development in youngsters who have been a bit leaner and fewer liable to being chubby; with a little bit of planning and supplementation, they did high quality.
4 Key Dietary supplements Wanted by Vegan Children and Most Different Children, Too
Now, a key phrase in there may be “appropriately deliberate,” or “particular steerage,” or “well-planned.” Phrases like that point out you may’t simply do it haphazardly.
There are simply 4 vitamins that you just want to concentrate on: vitamin D, vitamin B-12, fish oil, and iodine. Of those 4, three of them additionally must be supplemented on an omnivorous eating regimen. So do not feel unhealthy about taking dietary supplements on a vegan eating regimen. As an alternative of considering your eating regimen is someway poor, reframe it: You’re really optimizing these vitamins by taking somewhat little bit of care.
How the Donaldsons Do Dietary supplements
This is how we did our youngsters’ dietary supplements. As soon as every week, we took our “Sunday nutritional vitamins”, vitamin D and vitamin B12. Daily, we gave them a capsule of fish oil and vitamin C, and we blended iodine into our morning smoothies. That was it. Tremendous easy to deal with, just a bit little bit of planning and never very costly both. So we optimized these vitamins for our youngsters and obtained all the advantages of a plant-based eating regimen. It’s a win-win scenario.
And it labored nice for us. Our youngsters grew up with out allergic reactions, having loads of vitality, rising usually, however not being chubby, and studying good habits about consuming entire, actual meals. They grew somewhat slower throughout their development spurts, however for longer by adolescence to succeed in their full potential.
Backside Line: You Can Increase Thriving Vegan Youngsters
If you mix all of this analysis along with the expertise of individuals you already know or individuals who have been round you, you see that vegetarian and vegan diets are usually not simply secure for youths; they will present superior well being outcomes after they’re deliberate and well-balanced. Children develop up normal-sized, not like chubby Individuals, they usually thrive.
So ditch the worry and leap in. It is high quality to be plant-based. In reality, you may be doing all of your children a favor. Loosen up, have enjoyable, and revel in your meals collectively.
