Healthy Vegan Children
“You can raise healthy people on a vegan diet. Contrary to what the meat and dairy lobbyists who decide what we should eat will tell you, kids can grow up just fine without meat and dairy,” Bialik says in the video. “The only thing vegans can’t get from food is vitamin B12, which we take as a supplement. Many vegan kids take B12 and it helps a lot.”
Asked about protein, Bialik explains: “In fact, we need much less protein than we, as a Western country, eat. Excessive protein intake has been associated with an increase in cancer and many other diseases in countries that use meat as their main source of protein.” She also added that protein is also found in other foods, including bread and quinoa.
About education
Talking to kids about why they are vegan, Bialik says, “We choose to be vegan, not everyone chooses to be vegan and that’s okay.” The actress does not want her children to be judgmental and annoyed, she also often reminds the children that their pediatrician supports their diet.
“Being a vegan is a philosophical, medical and spiritual decision that we make every day. I also tell my children that it is worth sacrificing yourself for the greater good. I want to raise my children to be people who question things, do their own research, make decisions based on facts and each other’s feelings.”
Suitable for all ages
Bialik’s position on the vegan diet is in line with the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: “The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics believes that properly planned vegetarian diets, including strict veganism, are healthy, nutritious, and can provide health benefits, prevention, and treatment of certain diseases. A well-planned vegetarian diet is suitable for people at all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, breastfeeding, infancy, childhood and adolescence, and is also suitable for athletes.”