Raw foodism is an amazingly efficient diet that can transform an individual from the inside out, restore their health, help control their weight and stress levels, fight depression, as well as regulate metabolic processes.
But is this lifestyle appropriate for children, who have very different nutritional needs when compared to adults? Since children pass through several developmental stages as they transition to adulthood, what they are fed in their infancy will likely define their health as adults, and children with dietary deficiencies often experience a number of health-related issues, such as developmental delays and bone frailty.
Arguably, supplementation may be key in order for children to thrive on raw
As children need more calcium and more fatty acids than adults, some believe that 100% raw, unsupplemented children may find themselves at a higher risk of developing dangerous nutrient deficiencies than vegetarian or supplemented children.
To avoid this, raw parents can consider incorporating raw milk products in the diets of their children, although some are concerned that unpasteurized milk may carry dangerous pathogens, such as salmonella and other unhealthy bacteria. A worthwhile alternative is feeding children non-raw animal products (including goats cheese, yogurt and eggs), or dietary supplements like colostrum (is said to have all essential sugars/fats/proteins – i.e. a complete food), which can keep a child safe from developmental problems like stunted growth and rickets.
Raw vegan – Shazzie – shares her concerns about children on 100% raw diets
It is good to occasionally remember that, even with its many proven benefits, raw foodism may not always be suited for every child. Raw vegan author and TV personality Shazzie (born Sharon Holdstock) has been very vocal about the risks of keeping some children on a 100% raw vegan, unsupplemented diet.
After researching children’s nutrition for over a decade, Shazzie has relayed her findings in the book Evie’s Kitchen, where she stresses on the importance of targeting a child’s dietary needs with the help of a raw, supplemented, plant-based diet, rather than striving to keep a child 100% raw and unsupplemented at all costs.
A raw vegan herself, Shazzie has kept her daughter, Evie, on a fully raw, supplemented diet until the age of four, when the raw mom began replacing about 20% of her daughter’s daily menu with whole, cooked foods.
To ensure Evie’s long-term health, Shazzie included the following types of supplements in her diet: soya lecithin for choline – which she replaced with egg yolk after Evie turned four, vitamin D – though enough sun exposure may suffice for most children, vitamin K2 – which is essential to bone health, but that the human body cannot synthesize in sufficient quantities, a vitamin-mineral mix for bone health – containing K2, calcium, magnesium and other nutrients, vegan DHA – a type of omega-3 fatty acid that is essential to brain development, as well as ionic iron to prevent anemia.
Greens should be a daily staple in a child’s diet
Shazzie also recommends feeding children a pint of raw, green juice per day, seeds and plant milks, nutrient-dense superfoods like berries and coconut, as well as small amounts of seaweeds, maca, purple corn and an abundance of raw plant foods. Other raw families that have successfully raised their children on mostly raw, plant foods insist on the importance of dark green leafy vegetables, wild edibles, honey and bee pollen, hemp seeds, goji berries, as well as a variety of ripe, organic fruits, which are believed to be essential for the long-term health of both raw and non-raw children.
However, while we may know what to feed our children, it is not always easy to convince them to consume more raw foods. This is why it is important to educate our children and implicate them in the process of food preparation as early as possible. Luckily, children love to participate in “grown-up tasks”, so juicing sweet fruits with your child may prove to be both an entertaining and educational way to spend time!
Regardless of the final choices we make concerning what to feed our children, it is important to understand that their specific nutritional needs not only differ greatly from our own, but must be met if they’re to avoid developing serious conditions that may be harder to “correct” later in life.
( http://www.rawfoodhealthwatch.com/ )
