Authors: Rip Esselstyn
While nowadays I can’t imagine anything more delicious than a bowl of sweet brown rice, perfectly sautéed vegetables, and a steamin’ hot plate of seasoned black beans, kids who have grown up guzzling cherry coke and bacon burgers might have trouble adapting to a new diet. But all kids can change. For example, before 1985 my family ate just as much American steak and cheese as anyone. Then, when my father discovered the plant-based secret to long-lasting health, all of us Esselstyns switched our diets. It was easy and fun, and the family’s plant-tastic voyage is now in its third generation as my children, as well as my nine nieces and nephews, are all happily eating plants.
After all, all the essential vitamins and nutrients that kids need to grow can be found in a plant-based diet. Instead of raising your child on animal products, which are high in the trifecta of saturated fats, cholesterol, and animal protein, try a mixture of whole grains, legumes, vegetables, and fruits that offer healthy fats, zero cholesterol, and friendly plant protein.
For growing children, steady sources of vitamin B12 and calcium are important. Many plant milks, from oat to almond, are fortified with a bountiful supply of both, and plenty of calcium can be found in lentils, beans, peas, sweet potatoes, collards, kale, mustard greens, Swiss chard, and other green vegetables. A steady source of iron is also crucial, and can be found in lima beans, red kidney beans, black beans, split peas, potatoes, broccoli, spinach, kale, rice, raisins, sesame seeds, and walnuts. Iron absorption is maximized when paired with the abundance of vitamin C found in fruit.
For younger children, PCRM recommends a slightly higher fat intake. But remember, not all fats are created equal! Most American children raised on animal-based fats already have abnormally high
deposits of fat in their arteries—the very beginnings of future heart disease. Instead of potato chips, Snickers bars, and other processed, saturated yuck, give your kids healthy, naturally occurring polyunsaturated fats in the form of nuts, avocados, soybeans, and oatmeal.
For infants, PCRM recommends they remain on breast milk for at least six months (Dr. McDougall recommends two years). If breast feeding is not possible, commercial soy formulas fortified with vitamins and minerals are an excellent option. The animal-based proteins found in dairy-based formulas, especially those derived from cows’ milk, sometimes do not agree with infants’ fragile digestive systems. Dairy-based formulas have also been linked to allergies, ear infections, and, more seriously, juvenile diabetes. Remember that infants require special soy-milk formulas; typical milk alternatives found in grocery stores, while delicious and healthy for adults, are not adequate for infants.
After six months, when the high iron supply an infant is born with begins to diminish, you can then add iron-fortified infant cereal mixed with either breast milk or soy formula. At around eight months, try adding fruit, such as mashed bananas, peaches, avocados, and applesauce. You can also try adding cooked and mashed vegetables: sweet potatoes, green beans, peas, and carrots. By eight months, most infants can digest whole-grain crackers, breads, and dry cereals, and you can also try adding higher-protein foods such as tofu and mashed beans.
Remember that growing children and teens can handle high-calorie diets better than adults—they need energy to grow! Frequent snacks in addition to their three square meals are fine, but promote snacking on fruits, nuts, and nut butters, as well as whole-grain-based foods. Load them up on dark green vegetables, including broccoli, spinach, kale, collard greens, turnip greens, beet greens, mustard greens, bok choy, and Swiss chard. A consistent supply of protein is important, so steer your kids toward legumes, including pinto, black, and kidney beans; lentils; split peas; navy beans; and chickpeas. Most kids love hummus! Protein-rich soy products such as tofu, tempeh, edamame, and homemade veggie burgers are great as well.
Remember, this is one big plant-strong, lifelong adventure! You will be making changes—or introducing a lifestyle—that will have a lasting impact on your children. It’s a gift that will keep on giving for years to come, and it all starts when you set a healthy example of what plant-strong living is all about!
People always ask Jill and me how our children eat. So here’s a brief history from Jill herself!
I breast-fed both kids as long as possible. I weaned Kole at fifteen months when I became pregnant with Sophie; then I nursed Sophie for a little more than two years.
When the kids were about eight months old, we started introducing solid foods: whole-grain cereals, mashed bananas, applesauce, avocado, lentil soup, mashed beans and bean broth, oatmeal, and sweet potatoes. I loved making homemade baby food, including pears and steamed kale blended with a little bit of cinnamon.
Similar to adults, every child’s palate and digestive system is different. It is fair to say that Kole (who is five) is a picky eater, and Sophie (three) will eat almost anything, except when she is emulating her big brother! Therefore, I experimented with small amounts of spice—Kole tended to like his food plain, and Sophie spicy. We found that Kole had no problem with whole-grain cereals at eight months, but Sophie’s little digestive system could not handle them: she became extremely constipated so we cut the grains altogether and focused her diet solely on fruits, legumes, and vegetables until she was slightly older than one year.
For allergy reasons, we were careful about not introducing nuts or berries until both of them turned two.
As the kids grew, we started talking to them about their diet. And once Kole started relating to the stories we were reading to him at bedtime, he became curious about animals as well—see
chapter 33
for his reactions. The great thing is that everything we tell the kids is backed up by what they see in nature and the world around us, so it makes sense to them. I think it would be much more difficult to try to explain to our kids why we let other people kill the animals we love and then eat them.
And we kept the vegetables coming, and so should you! Human breast milk is sweet, which gives babies a natural propensity toward sweet foods. So fruits are an easy transition food as solids are being introduced. Babies will try anything, but when toddlerhood comes into full swing, many kids start shying away from anything that’s not fruit or a carb. Keep giving them as many vegetables as possible!
Our kids also eat nuts and naturally fatty foods, such as avocado. Kids can, and should, eat more naturally fatty foods than adults. Their growing little bodies need it.
The most important lesson I have learned is to never give up. Kids go through phases, and so of course we too experience the “I don’t like carrots!” dinner conversation (that of course occurs the day after they ate two huge carrots!). Just like all other aspects in parenting, just roll with it and don’t give up. Our kids get at least one vegetable on their plates at both lunch and dinner. Keep dishing it out and don’t be daunted by a phase.
Another tip is to “hide” some vegetables: soup is a great way to do this, and so are veggie burgers. I even put chickpeas in the chocolate chip cookies I make!
The last tip: if your child gets on a kick for one food, let them go!! Kole was on a carrot kick once—lunch, dinner, snack: carrots, carrots, carrots. And Sophie goes through phases when she can eat an entire large avocado in one sitting. Their little bodies know what they need, and when you are feeding them natural, whole foods you don’t have to worry.
Finally, we know the plan is working, because both Kole and Sophie are healthy and happy kids!
E
ver taken a stroll down the health food aisle of your local supermarket or drugstore? You’ve probably seen the endless parade of vitamins and supplements as well as shakes, pills, powders, mixes, and more from ten thousand different brands. Some contain one vitamin, others lots of vitamins, and still others seem to be things you’ve never even heard of. But in the end, all those supplements seem to do the same darn thing—that is, offer you the chance to take in all your daily vitamins with one gulp.
Which are actually important? Which do you need to take?
Well, for you lucky plant munchers, the answer is simple: None of them! That’s right. With a proper plant-strong diet, you don’t have to worry about all those bulky, expensive pills and disgusting shakes. That’s because all the essential vitamins and minerals you could ever want can be found in good old fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes.
Our bodies were never meant to consume isolated vitamins in a concentrated pill form. They were meant to consume whole foods so that all of the powerful vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fibers work as a team the way Mother Nature intended. In fact, several meta-analyses have shown the detrimental effects when antioxidants such as vitamin A, E, and selenium are taken in pill form—much to the dismay of many pill companies.
Let’s break it down by discussing some of the most important vitamins, starting with none other than the letter A. The type of vitamin A found in all plants is actually beta-carotene, which is the precursor to vitamin A.
Vitamin A is needed primarily by our eyes, especially for low-light
vision. It also helps coat our retinas and mucous membranes, protecting them against infectious disease. Most supplements are chemically infused with vitamin A, but instead of popping pills it’s far easier to get your daily vitamin A intake by eating vegetables. And one of my favorite veggies happens to be the reigning heavyweight vitamin-A champion of the world: carrots. One 7-inch, Bugs Bunny–style carrot is jam-packed with more than 200 percent of your daily vitamin A requirement. This is one of the main reasons Steve Austin, the “six million dollar man,” had such good eyesight—he loved carrots!
Can’t find a carrot? Well you’re in luck: Vitamin A is also abundant in dark, leafy greens; yellow vegetables and fruits; broccoli, spinach, turnip greens, squash, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, cantaloupe, and apricots.
Now some of your meaty friends might bring up vitamin D—surely that’s found only in animals? Nope. You can also find it in sunshine-grown mushrooms. That’s right, the only plant food that has vitamin D is good old ’shrooms! And of course, you can find it in all of the fortified cereals and soy products. But unless you’re a true troglodyte, you don’t really have anything to worry about. Why? Because our bodies synthesize appropriate amounts of vitamin D naturally from as little as 15 to 20 minutes of sun exposure. So step outdoors and enjoy!
Probably the most common type of supplement you’ll see is vitamin C tablets. These guys tend to be chewable, taste like candy, come in big plastic jugs, and, like other supplements, are probably not necessary. A long time ago, back when sailors would spend months and years at sea, vitamin C deficiency was a serious problem, leading to excruciating diseases like scurvy. When a daily ration of limes proved to solve the problem, the English sailors ate so much of these fruits they became known as limeys.
If you don’t feel like puckering up for a lime or lemon, though, try guavas, papayas, strawberries, kiwis, cantaloupe, oranges, and grapefruit. Far more tasty than popping a pill.
At some point, one of your Paleo buddies is bound to start screaming about vitamin B12. Tell him or her to read
chapter 4
. But remember once again that humans require only trace amounts of this vitamin, and plant-superhero eaters have very low rates of B12 deficiency. In fact, more meat eaters have B12 deficiencies because of gastrointestinal and inadequate-absorption issues. You can get lots of B12 from fortified foods such as cereals and plant-based milks, or in Red Star nutritional
yeast. But if you do decide to supplement with this one vitamin because you’re not eating any of these foods, the good news is that there are no known toxic effects of excessive amounts of B12.
What about minerals? Do plants provide adequate amounts of zinc, iron, and magnesium? You betcha! Zinc is an essential one, which promotes healthy skin and immune systems and enhances cell reproduction and tissue growth. And lucky for you it’s found in some pretty darn delicious plant-based foods. Lentils, beans, seeds, nuts, green vegetables, and whole grains are all adequate sources of zinc.
Now, lots of uninformed “meatsters” might try to convince you that plant-based iron is not as well absorbed as the iron found in a steak and can, therefore, lead to iron deficiency. Studies routinely prove that iron deficiency is no more common among plant-based eaters than among animal and dairy eaters. In fact, according to the USDA, the top sources of iron are from plants such as collard greens, lentils, and broccoli. Check out
chapter 5
for more on iron.
One more mineral: magnesium. Magnesium deficiency is extremely rare—and even rarer among plant-chompers. That’s because this deficiency is usually the result of excess consumption of other things, including fat and calcium, which can inhibit the absorption of magnesium. Well, rest assured! As you know by now, animal-based products and by-products are especially high in saturated fats and calcium—the perfect recipe for developing a magnesium deficiency!—while plants contain moderate, appropriate amounts of everything. For especially magnesium-rich foods, try almonds, avocados, bananas, whole grains, lentils, nuts, and seeds.
Let’s not forget folate (vitamin B9), which many nutritionally challenged doctors will insist their patients take. The word
folate
is derived from the word
foliage
because the vitamin originates in root vegetables. Forage through the foliage section and get all the folate you need.
If you’re eating a plant-sorry diet of potato chips, French fries, and dozens of diet sodas, then you won’t be getting the right amount of the minerals and vitamins your body needs. But if you eat a plant-safe diet of whole grains and a variety of legumes, and peel your vitamins and minerals from fruits and vegetables, then you’ve got your game on! Now you’ll be getting a cornucopia of vitamins and minerals in a whole package made by Mother Nature, not Nature’s Mother, and you’ll be as healthy as a Canadian moose.