Vegan Nutrition with Dina Aronson, M.S. R.D.

Dina Aronson, MS, RD is a vegan dietitian whose specialties include chronic disease prevention, vegetarian/vegan nutrition, and lifestyle management. She is the founder and director of VeganRD.com, a nutrition consulting company. Active in many vegetarian nutrition organizations, Dina was the recipient of the American Dietetic Association's Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year Award in 2002.

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Are there any health risks in switching my 3 year old from a meat diet to an all vegan diet overnight? Or should I switch him slowly, going vegetarian first and then vegan? I don't want his system to "freak out" and cause him pain. Thanks! - Marcia

Dear Marcia,

There is no "right" or "wrong" way to switch from an omnivorous (meat-containing) diet to a vegan diet. Some do it gradually and some overnight. With regard to changes in your son's system, the most important factor to consider is the change in fiber. A vegan diet will provide significantly more fiber than an omnivorous diet. This, of course, is a good thing, but increasing the fiber significantly so suddenly can lead to bowel changes such as diarrhea or, in some cases, even constipation. So it's fine to go vegan overnight, but try to transition the fiber slowly. For example, rather than replace meat with beans, brown rice, and vegetables right away, try keeping around the same amount of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables as before but using some tofu, refined cereals, and low-fiber (4 grams or less) meat substitutes in place of the meat. Gradually add higher-fiber foods over time and watch for changes in bowel movements. If he was getting plenty of fiber before (lots of fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans, and just a little meat), the transition will be easier than if he was getting very little fiber (typical kid diet of mac & cheese, chicken nuggets, hot dogs, fast food, and refined cereals/snacks). Also important to keep in mind, whenever we increase intake of fiber, it is very important to increase fluid intake as well, because fiber pulls water into the bowels in order to encourage a comfortable bowel movement. Without enough fluid in the system, the stool can be too hard or too soft, and/or dehydration can result. So encourage plenty of water. If he's not taking water, try high-water foods such as fruit smoothies and broth-based soups.

Another thing to consider is, will your son readily accept new foods? Will he miss familiar, non-vegetarian foods? If he particularly enjoys certain non-vegan foods, he may ask for them and miss them. And depending on how well he accepts unfamiliar foods, it may be a challenge to make too many changes at once. If he already was eating a wide variety of plant foods, the switch may go unnoticed, but if you're planning on making major changes in the way he eats, you should expect a few challenges along the way. Fortunately, many non-vegetarian favorites such as burgers, chicken nuggets, tuna fish, hot dogs, and dairy products are available in tasty and healthful vegan versions.

As always, be sure that your son gets all the nutrients he needs. Do plenty of research on vegan nutrition. Buy Becoming Vegan by Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina, Raising Vegan Children in a Non-Vegan World by Erin Pavlina, and Raising Vegetarian Children by Vesanto Melina and Joanne Stepaniak. If you can find one in your area, make an appointment with a registered dietitian specializing in vegan diets. Good luck!

Disclaimer: The advice given here is for eductional purposes only. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified health care provider.

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