Vegetarian Babies diets and nutrition tips
From an early age, many of the eating habits begin to form that the future adult will tend to do lifelong. In fact, all diets that humans make are valid as long as they respect certain balances and based on the awareness that food's primary mission should be to nourish the body. If we convey this to children and to instill a respect for the food, they would not only thank you all life, but will save them from a myriad of diseases and ailments both physically and emotionally.
The vegetarian diet in infants
A baby can bring a vegetarian diet without any problems and would certainly make babies tall, strong and healthy as any other child. The only drawback with this diet is the same as running with all other diets: not including food needed in the routine trying to "fill" the baby with foods that satiate the moment but do not nourish, as giving bread, candy, cookies, sugary foods, refined pasta, fried, etc., when the child has not eaten the necessary things. It is important that since the baby starts eating solids, you begin an education in habits, so you have to omit the unnecessary before giving the baby what they really need.
The balanced diet
Balance is the key, as with any diet. Usually, when the mother or parents are vegetarians, babies will weigh slightly less than a baby whose parents eat animal flesh. But this is no problem if we remove the idea that a healthy child well fed doesn’t necessarily have to be "chubby". Just you should consider that in some foods of animal origin, some vitamins and minerals are much more concentrated and in larger quantities, so it is necessary to select good vegetarian foods in diet for baby's nutritional demands.
Dairy and vegetarian babies
The best without doubt in the first months is breast milk, which ensures all nutritional requirements of the baby needs. It is necessary, if the mother is a vegetarian, that she has a quality diet that does not undergo a nutritional wasting. It is best to include in your diet fresh juices and vegetable sprouts and brewer's yeast, pollen grains (oats and amaranth are excellent for a good milk) and eat foods high in folic acid, iron, calcium and vitamin B12. It is best to breastfeed the baby until old.
It is necessary that after weaning, you nurture with good quantities of calcium and vitamins that the baby should eat to ensure healthy development of both teeth and bones and all organs and systems. You can start to give calcium products such as tofu, broccoli, green leafy vegetables, almonds, ground walnuts.
If you cannot breastfeed your baby, you will find a special formula based on soy that covers all their nutritional needs. Check that this has included vitamin B12. Pay attention to dilute the formula in the proportions given the package, it is necessary to avoid milk too full or too light, which can affect the baby's health.
There are, on the other hand, many vegetable milks with many nutritional properties with which you can nurture your baby: almond milk and soy milk are especially nutritious and excellent source of calcium.
Solid diet
The first solid foods should be fruits such as bananas, apples, pears or peaches. Regarding vegetables, squash, carrots and potatoes are good allies in the early years. Between the year and 2 years, you can keep adding to the fruit or vegetable with oatmeal or cereal amaranth. You should aim to combine the stewed fruit and vegetables always with some cereal on whole form, or a soy-based product, which are a good source of protein for the baby. Whole grain cereals are the largest supply of vitamins, minerals and proteins have.
After eighteen months, the baby can eat more concentrated. It is necessary to include in the diet the following foods that are great source of vitamins and minerals and are rich source of protein.
Recommended foods for babies from one and a half:
- Soy and derivatives
- Lentils (rich source of iron and calcium)
- Peas, chickpeas, beans, beans, etc..
- Whole grains: wheat, wheat germ, brown rice, oats, baking, peanut butter, whole Grain pastas
Sweeten foods
It is best to get your baby used to taste the food in its most natural form, and do not abuse of salt or sugar. The best practice is to replace refined white sugar for brown sugar, honey or molasses. The white sugar is not recommended in any diet, causes many deficiencies in the body, weakens and irritates organs and systems, and, among other things, steals calcium from the body. The sugar that the body really needs should be obtained from fructose (fruit sugar) or molasses and honey.
After a year and a half, if you feel your baby is more hungry, whole-grain crackers or sliced fruit or vegetable are ok. This is a good time to accustom your baby to eat healthy snacks. Avoid giving food to only fill or please the palate. On the other hand, avoid sodas and bottled juices and added with preservatives, dyes etc. the best to drink is pure water!, Accustom him/her to take it. If you help him/her to drink water or herbal teas certainly will be much healthier.