Some parents prefer that their children eat only plant-based foods.  This is known as a vegan (vee-gan) diet.  This handout will answer some questions about meeting the nutritional needs of your growing child on a vegan diet.  

Usually parents are concerned about Vitamin B₁₂, protein and omega-3 fatty acids.

Rest assured, many experts agree that vegan diets can be safe for infants and children.¹  If you choose healthy foods, your child’s nutrition and growth will be fine on a vegan diet.^2,3  The vegan diet can also give your child some added health benefits.

Human milk is best for babies.  But you might wonder how a breastfeeding mother’s vegan diet will affect her newborn. The nutrients in human milk that are the most sensitive to the mother’s diet are vitamins A, C, D and the B group.¹  Vitamin B₁₂ is borderline low in vegan breast milk.  A breastfeeding vegan mother should consider taking 500 mcg of Vitamin B₁₂ each day in addition to the food she eats.  A baby can be short on Vitamin B₁₂ even though the nursing mother may show no lack of B₁₂.

DHA is a type of fatty acid found in foods.  It helps a baby to grow and develop.  DHA levels in the milk of vegan mothers are lower than those in other mothers.  (These levels, however, are still higher than those in some infant formulas). Breastfed vegan infants have lower DHA levels than do breastfed infants of non-vegan mothers. Studies are testing the best way to increase DHA in the milk of vegan mothers. One option being studied is for nursing mothers to increase linolenic acid in their diets.¹ 

They can do this by eating more ground flaxseed, flaxseed oil, canola oil, or soybean oil. Another option under study is for mothers to take a DHA-triacylglycerol supplement made by algae.¹ These supplements are available from companies such as Solaray, Deva, Thorne and Source Naturals.

Formula: If breastfeeding is not possible, soy formula is the only plant-based choice for vegan infants. Plain, non-formula soymilk should not be used prior to 12 months of age because it contains low amounts of iron and is high in salt.  From 1-2 year’s of age, a child can be fed a combination of full-fat soymilk (similar to the fat content in 2% cow’s milk) and human milk or soy-based formula.  When two years old, a child can begin drinking 24 ounces daily of fortified soymilk.  Don’t try to make your own vegan formula from regular soymilk or other products. Choose only infant formula regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Zinc is an important mineral for our bodies. As a baby begins to eat solid foods, s/he will likely need some additional zinc. Some plant-based foods with higher content of zinc are miso soups and yeast-leavened whole grain breads. See the chart on page 3 for recommended daily allowances by age.