Charlotte Singmin – yoga instructor
Let me make it clear that I am not writing this article to convert meat-eating moms to veganism or vegetarianism, nor do I hope to convince daddies to feed their kids plant-based foods. Parents always have a choice, and as someone who has chosen a far from the most popular option (which is gaining popularity, however, mainly thanks to celebrities), I hope that a public statement about why I decided to raise my son as a vegan will give confidence to that who follow the same path.
For me, choosing vegan for my son was a pretty simple decision. All parents want the best for their children, and I believe that for me and for him, the best choice is a balanced plant-based diet. I backed up my beliefs with professional opinion before I started giving him solid food.
I visited a nutritionist (who is not a vegan and does not raise her children vegan) to make sure I was not depriving my son of essential nutrients by eliminating animal products. She confirmed that I could do it and be sure that my son would be healthy.
I decided for two because I feel that a vegan diet is the healthiest way to eat. A healthy vegan diet is full of alkaline foods like green leafy vegetables, almonds, chia seeds, root vegetables and sprouts, all of which have anti-inflammatory properties.
Chronic non-specific inflammation plays a role in many diseases. By eating plenty of vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, etc., I can be sure that we are getting all the nutrients we need to grow and keep our bodies healthy and strong.
For parents considering veganism, protein sources can be a problem, but a balanced, plant-based diet provides plenty of options.
My son is almost 17 months old and I give him as many different foods as possible. Sweet potatoes, avocados, hummus, quinoa, almond butter, and green spinach and kale smoothies (super food and nutrient-rich!) are our favorites, and nutritionists will agree.
People often ask how I will monitor my son’s diet when he grows up and is in a social environment with peers. I hope I can teach him to appreciate our choices and develop a strong connection with our way of eating. I plan to explain where food comes from, whether we grow it at home, buy it at farmers markets or in stores.
I intend to involve him in cooking, choosing fruits and vegetables to help cook, and then we enjoy the fruits of our labor together. Maybe I’ll give him a little vegan cake to parties, or spend the whole night cooking vegan food for all his friends.
Despite the great joy, motherhood has its difficulties, so I try not to worry too much about the future. Right now, at this moment, I know that the decision I made is the right one, and as long as he is healthy and happy, everything is fine with me.