Are you afraid that your treasured Oliver or Olivia may not fare nicely in the event you do not feed them animal merchandise? This concern has saved many mothers and households from going all-in on a vegan weight loss plan, not simply within the U.S., however the world over as nicely. The latest cross-sectional research that was revealed in Communications Medication in 2025 supplies recent proof that vegan diets can assist wholesome progress in kids. This has been seen earlier than, nevertheless it’s good to see recent proof.
Vegan Children within the Czech Republic Are More healthy than Omnivore Children
This is what the analysis group discovered within the Czech Republic, amongst households with kids who had adhered to their weight loss plan since delivery. The analysis group interviewed 95 households. There have been 47 vegan households, 23 vegetarian and 25 omnivore households for a complete of 187 adults and 142 kids.
Whereas the vegan kids confirmed no vital variations in progress or bone well being in comparison with their vegetarian or omnivore friends, they did discover that urinary iodide ranges have been decrease within the vegan youngsters. The vegan youngsters had larger ranges of folate, vitamin B12, and vitamin D than omnivores, partly as a result of cautious supplementation. The authors concluded that, total, a well-planned vegan weight loss plan was secure and helpful for the kids, particularly for lipids and cardiovascular well being, because the vegan youngsters had decrease whole and LDL ldl cholesterol than the opposite teams. Variations in progress have been attributed to household variations moderately than to weight loss plan.
The one nutrient of concern was iodine, which may be simply optimized with dietary supplements.
Academy of Diet and Dietetics: Deliberate Vegan Food regimen Wholesome for Children
It isn’t stunning to me to see this discovering, as this isn’t new science. Actually, the Academy of Diet and Dietetics, previously generally known as the American Dietetic Affiliation, has endorsed vegan diets for kids for nearly a decade now. Of their 2016 place paper, they acknowledged this: “It’s the place of the Academy of Diet and Dietetics that appropriately deliberate vegetarian, together with vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally ample, and will present well being advantages for the prevention and therapy of sure illnesses. These diets are applicable for all phases of the life cycle, together with being pregnant, lactation, infancy, childhood, adolescence, older maturity, and for athletes.”
Latest Research of Vegan Children Agree: Deliberate Vegan Diets are Wholesome
VegChi Food regimen Research
In a latest weblog referred to as Wholesome, Completely happy and Plant-Primarily based: The Final Information for Mother and father, I highlighted the work from the VegChi Food regimen Research for 1 to 3-year-olds. On this German research, they in contrast 430 kids raised on vegan, vegetarian, and omnivorous diets. They have been all rising superb.
The vegan youngsters had larger intakes of vitamin E, B1, folate, magnesium, and iron, whereas the omnivorous weight loss plan supplied extra vitamin B2, calcium, iodine, and DHA. All of them wanted extra vitamin D and iodine from dietary supplements.
VegChi Youth Research
I additionally talked concerning the VegChi Youth Research, well being outcomes of 6-18-year-olds in Germany. Power consumption was the identical for all of them, and so they all had enough protein consumption. Folate ranges have been larger within the vegan youngsters, however there have been no variations in hemoglobin, vitamin B2, vitamin D, HDL, ldl cholesterol, or triglycerides between the teams.
Era R Research
A research of three,340 kids within the Era R research, based mostly within the Netherlands, discovered that kids ages 8 via 13 maintained wholesome physique composition from childhood via adolescence. After they adopted a healthful plant-based weight loss plan, they’d higher nutrient intakes of fiber, vitamin C, magnesium, and copper—and a better fat-free mass index and a decrease physique fats share.
Meta-Evaluation of 59 Cross-Sectional Research of Kids on Vegetarian and Vegan Diets
An Italian analysis group revealed a meta-analysis of lacto-ovo-vegetarian and vegan diets in kids and adolescents in March 2025. They recognized 59 research together with 48,000 contributors, together with 7,000 lacto-ovo-vegetarians, about 1,300 vegans, and about 40,000 omnivorous kids. Nutrient consumption amongst these vegan kids was much like that present in different research—rather less vitality, protein, fats, vitamin B12, vitamin D, and zinc than their omnivorous friends, but additionally extra fiber, iron, folate, vitamin C, and magnesium. (Not all the kids in these research took dietary supplements.)
The vegan kids have been barely smaller and leaner. Iron deficiency and anemia have been a priority for vegetarians and vegans each, however this will likely have been extra in lower-income nations with much less entry to vegatables and fruits. Iron deficiency and anemia weren’t seen within the VegChi Research or within the Czech Republic research. Iron is well obtained in a whole-foods plant-based weight loss plan, with no problems with ample consumption or absorption.
General, vegetarian and vegan diets supported wholesome progress in kids who have been a bit leaner and fewer liable to being chubby; with a little bit of planning and supplementation, they did superb.
4 Key Dietary supplements Wanted by Vegan Children and Most Different Children, Too
Now, a key phrase in there’s “appropriately deliberate,” or “particular steerage,” or “well-planned.” Phrases like that point out you’ll be able to’t simply do it haphazardly.
There are simply 4 vitamins that you just want to pay attention to: vitamin D, vitamin B-12, fish oil, and iodine. Of those 4, three of them additionally must be supplemented on an omnivorous weight loss plan. So do not feel dangerous about taking dietary supplements on a vegan weight loss plan. As an alternative of considering your weight loss plan is one way or the other poor, reframe it: You might be really optimizing these vitamins by taking somewhat little bit of care.
How the Donaldsons Do Dietary supplements
This is how we did our children’ dietary supplements. As soon as per week, we took our “Sunday nutritional vitamins”, vitamin D and vitamin B12. Day-after-day, we gave them a capsule of fish oil and vitamin C, and we combined iodine into our morning smoothies. That was it. Tremendous easy to maintain, just a bit little bit of planning and never very costly both. So we optimized these vitamins for our children and obtained all the advantages of a plant-based weight loss plan. It’s a win-win scenario.
And it labored nice for us. Our youngsters grew up with out allergic reactions, having loads of vitality, rising frequently, however not being chubby, and studying good habits about consuming entire, actual meals. They grew somewhat slower throughout their progress spurts, however for longer via adolescence to achieve their full potential.
Backside Line: You Can Elevate Thriving Vegan Kids
If you mix all of this analysis along with the expertise of individuals you realize or individuals who have been round you, you see that vegetarian and vegan diets usually are not simply secure for youths; they will present superior well being outcomes after they’re deliberate and well-balanced. Children develop up normal-sized, not like chubby Individuals, and so they thrive.
So ditch the concern and leap in. It is superb to be plant-based. Actually, you may be doing all of your youngsters a favor. Loosen up, have enjoyable, and luxuriate in your meals collectively.