Is it healthy for a teenager to be vegan?!
Answers:
It is healthy for anyone of any age to be vegan. Just like a non-vegan diet, if you eat good healthy foods you will be healthy.
I would not worry about getting too much protein. You can get TOO much protein, and if you eat beans and whole grains, and vegetables you will get more than enough protein. Calcium is another issue if you do not consume the right nuts and vegetables. At your age I would also be concerned with iron and B-12. Also, animal fat can inhibit the ability for the body to absorb protein and calcium. So you get more protein from a handful of nuts than a ton of milk.
You cannot get B-12 from plants, it doesn't matter what horrible research is out there -you just cant. So you do have to take a B-12 supplement. You do not need a lot of B-12 either, so taking a little bit will help prevent nervous disorders.
It would be best for a 14 year old to take a multivitamin and extra calcium, iron, and B-12. Very few people have ever died from taking vitamins, but many have from NOT taking them.
You may be gaining weight for a few different reasons:
1. You are gaining muscle - I know this doesn't sound like a great answer, but it is true.
2. You are not getting enough fiber so your body is retaining water and feces, make sure to get beans and fruit.
3. Women often retain water during their time of the month, this is normal.
4. You may be eating a lot more carbs and high fat foods. This is okay - it is easy to become more aware of what you are eating. I follow this rule: 20/65/15 (or 20/60/20 depending on my activity level). 20% of my caloric intake is from fat (less than 7% from saturated fat) - 9 calories per gram. 65% of my caloric intake from carbs (NOT refined garbage, but good whole grains - ps refined sugar is not vegan - bone char is used as a filter), and 20% of my caloric intake from protein. 4 calories per gram of protein and carbs.
Just prove that you can be a healthy vegan to your family. Make sure to stay active, stay away from junk food, and focus on healthy fresh vegetables, nuts, grains, and fruit. Soon enough your family will understand.
Pick up the book "In Defense of Food" by Michael Pollan as well, your family will see that you are researching veganism instead of some crazy diet fad.
Vegan
World Health Organization website
Various books about Veganism
Yeah, it's very healthy for a teenager to be vegan.
I'd know, I'm 14 years old and I've been vegan since March!
I went vegetarian summer 2009. But, yeah it's very healthy
to be vegan- I know other teenagers my age who are vegan and
they're just as healthy. If you have any other questions you can
always ask a nutritionist, they're really helpful and know how beneficial
it is to be vegan :)
Yes, a vegan diet can be very healthy for teenagers.
As long as you know what you are doing and have a well balanced diet, yes.
yep very.
Ya
its all ur choice
My daughter became a vegan at 15. We get her blood checked regularly. If you're worried about consuming too much soy, look into alternatives, such as rice milk, almond milk (yum!) etc, or seitan and tempeh to replace tofu. You can get complex proteins from quinoa. Make sure to take B 12, but read the bottle before you purchase them, as some may have gelatin (capsules) or milk products in them.
Go online, do your research. Share with your parents what you've learned and show them that you can be a vegan at your age and be healthy.
Vegan daughter, who did her homework
