VEGETARIAN

NUTRITION
BOOKLET

A dietary approach to
VEGETARIANISM
for kids and adolescents
The intention of this booklet is to WHAT IS VEGANISM?
present to you a healthy vegan diet.
Veganism is a way of living.
Have you ever heard of veganism before?
Although it encompasses clothing, cosmetics, entertainment and other areas,
Are you a vegan?
Here’s a video here we will talk about food.
Do you know any vegans? on the booklet
How about we start from the beginning? The vegan diet is the same as the strict vegetarian diet. It contains no animal-sour-
ced products – no meat, no chicken, no eggs, no dairy products (milk, yogurt,
This resource contains information to help educate kids and adolescents about cheese, heavy cream and products containing these ingredients), no honey.
a vegan diet. It could be useful in teaching facilities as well as home and family The International Vegetarian Union (IVU) states that this diet is an excellent
environments. Its purpose is to serve as a guide to those who already chose a way to benefit animals, people and the environment.
vegan lifestyle, to those who are interested in it and also to broaden inclusive ve-
gan environments. Veganism is growing worldwide and although it is a lot more And don’t worry about missing out on any of the foods that aren’t included in
than a diet, here we will focus on the yummy food and nutritional quality part. this diet. As you will see ahead, there are many ways to substitute them.
WHAT IS VEGETARIANISM? WHAT IS WHOLE FOOD PLANT-BASED DIET?
Vegetarianism represents those who opt to exclude absolutely any type any Whole food plant-based diet is the full name for what is also known as
type of animal meat (this includes gelatin too, which is a product from boiled plant-based diet. This term was created to differentiate a healthy from an unhe-
skin, tendons, and bones) from their plate. althy strict vegetarian diet. It’s also used by the industry to define food products
Vegetarians may or may not include eggs, dairy and honey in their diet. that are made only from (edible) plants. These highly processed industrialized
foods are not necessarily healthy so shouldn’t be eaten too frequently.
Ovo-lacto vegetarians
Consume eggs, milk and dairy products.

Lactovegetarians
Do not consume eggs, but do consume milk and dairy products.

Ovovegetarians
Do not consume milk and dairy products, but do consume eggs.

Strict vegetarian
As mentioned above, don’t consume any animal-sourced products.
WHY DO PEOPLE CHOOSE TO
STOP EATING MEAT, EGGS AND DAIRY?

There are many reasons to make this decision.

Here we will discuss the 3 most frequent ones.

For having better health

A balanced vegan diet is naturally richer in fiber, vitamins, minerals and phy-
tochemicals (all elements that are good for your body and helps maintain it‘s
health), as well as lower in saturated fats and cholesterol (elements that are
more difficult for the body to process). The only nutrient that needs to be su-
pplemented is vitamin B12 – but this is not exclusive to vegans!

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics state that appropriately planned ve-
getarian, including vegan, diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate and may
provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.
These diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy,
lactation, infancy, childhood, adolescence, older adulthood, and for athletes.

And more recently, the World Health Organization classified processed meat
as a type 1 carcinogen, which means that these meats are capable of causing
cancer, and other red meat is also probably carcinogenic.

Having better health means having more energy to play, study and work, besi-
des reducing risk for some diseases like type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer,
obesity, and heart disease.

It is never too early to create healthy lifelong habits.

For love for the animals To protect the planet

Have you ever asked yourself: Much of the land and water on Earth is being used for the animals. They need a
place to live and also enough land to plant foods for them to eat. So our biggest
Why do we treat cows differently than dogs? (and smallest) forests are being destroyed to open clearings for these purposes.

Did you know that cows love to play with balls? Here is the catch; there are more than 7 billion people on Earth. Each year,
approximately 70 billion land animals are killed to become food. This number
Why is it okay to eat pigs and not cats? would, at least, double if we were to add water animals.

Did you know that pigs love to snuggle and are extremely smart? It would make more sense to plant and feed humans directly instead of using
animals as nutrient “crossovers”, as it is stated in the IVU’s Guide to Vegan
Why eat fish from the ocean, but not the ones that become pets
Nutrition for Adults.
in tanks at home?
Humans do not need meat to be healthy, so the use of this land to plant foods
Why are salmon considered food, but dolphins not (in most parts of the world)?
directly for humans would be more productive and healthy for all – including
What differentiates one animal from another? the planet.

Baby cows are separated from their moms just a few hours after birth so that
the milk that would naturally go to them goes to humans instead.

Chickens are forced to produce as many eggs as possible,

also for human consumption.

The procedure in chicken farms is to leave the chickens exposed to direct sun
or artificial light most of day and night so they can produce eggs continuously
for humans.

Therefore, some people believe that it is not fair to use animals for self-benefit
and that is why they choose not to eat or use anything that comes from them
WHERE TO START?
You don’t need to follow any specific order, but it is interesting to apply these
tips to your life. You can learn something new, see on the list below what you
already do and incorporate what you like into your routine.

The process of learning something new requires different tests and trials until
you find what is comfortable for you. And it’s always important to keep an
open (non-judgmental) mind.

1. Respect one another. If you know that a person is vegan, don’t offer them
foods that contain animal products in it.

2. Eat more plant-based natural foods. Eat less meat, chicken, fish, dairy and
eggs products.

3. Try Meatless Monday. A worldwide movement where no meat, eggs or

dairy is eaten on Mondays – or another day of the week if that works
better for you.

4. Go to the supermarket, farm or street markets. Look at the variety, color

and texture of the different foods you find. Familiarize yourself with the
names. Feel the different smells and textures.

5. Try different foods. May it be fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains. Find
different recipes on the Internet or books or use your creativity. Open you-
rself to new tastes and textures.

6. Don’t give up if you don’t like it at first. Try again! On a different day, with
different people, in a different dish.

7. Read more about the subject. In this document you will find a list of books
that are adequate for children and adolescents. There is also a list on
books and guides more adequate for older teenagers and adults.
HOW TO MAKE A POWERFUL PLATE Figure 1. Construction of a vegan meal

Think of eating colorful foods like a rainbow.

Your diet must include whole grains, legumes, nuts and/or seeds, vegetables
and fruits. These food groups, in adequate amounts, guarantee the necessary
nutritional balance for growing healthy and strong.

A good measure to know the adequate amount of each food group is to divide
the plate in half and one of the sides in half again. This way your plate will
have 3 imaginary compartments as shown in Figure 1.

In one of the smaller compartments you should put whole grains and/or pota-
toes and in the other smaller compartment, legumes.

Half of the plate should be filled with cooked and raw vegetables and you
could also add some fruits and/or seeds/nuts.

Importantly, this arrangement does not imply the need to eat the amount of
food pictured because the meal in the photo contains approximately 750-kcal.
What matters is to organize main meals based on the proportion of the food
groups as shown in Figure 1. At the next page, Figure 2 shows possible subs-
titutions within each food group.
Figure 2. Food substitutions within each food group

If you need more calories for specific reasons, you can divide your plate in 3
equal compartments in which 1/3 will be with whole grains and/or potatoes,
another 1/3 would be filled with legumes and the other 1/3 with cooked and
raw vegetables and you could also mix these with some fruits and/or seeds/
nuts.
Whole grains IMPORTANT NUTRIENTS
• Brown / black / red / wild rice, quinoa, oats, corn, barley, wheat.
• Refined grains and sugars should be minimally consumed (candies, cookies, Protein: Every cell in the human body contains protein, even your hair! Part
ice cream, cakes… ). of its’ job is to repair cells and make new ones.
Legumes are the most important source of protein in a vegan diet and you should
Legumes
know that the protein from plants has the same effect as protein from animals.
• Beans, lentils, chickpeas, soy, peas, and foods derived from these legumes
Plant sources that contain protein: legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains.
such as tofu, seitan, tempeh, hummus.
Calcium: The body uses calcium to form and maintain the bones and also for
Nuts and seeds
muscle contraction, so every time your heart beats and you walk, calcium is used.
• Almonds, cashews, Brazilian nuts, walnuts, pistachio, pumpkin seeds, sun-
Plant sources that contain calcium: legumes, dark leafy greens, sesame seeds
flower seeds, chia seeds, flaxseeds, sesame seeds, hemp seeds.
and tahini, legumes and fortified foods like vegetable milk.
• Peanut is a legume, but within a nutritional classification it is considered a
nut because of its high fat content.
Iron: Very abundant in nature. Every blood cell in our body uses iron to spre-
Vegetables ad oxygen and nutrients to all the other cells.
The variety of this food group is immense. The different combinations and Plant sources: Legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains.
preparations that could be made are never ending. That is why it is difficult for
Vitamin C (abundant in fresh fruits and vegetables) helps increase iron ab-
one not to like any vegetables.
sorption. So vitamin C food sources should be consumed in meals that have
• Dark green vegetables are important sources of calcium. Except spinach,
iron. It could be part of the meal, like fruit in the salad or as a dessert.
Swiss chard and beet greens because the body does not easily absorb the
calcium in these 3 vegetables.
Vitamin B12: It participates in the formation of every blood cell and it is also
• Orange vegetables – carrots, pumpkin, orange tomatoes, orange pepper
part of the nervous system.
• Red vegetables – tomatoes, red pepper
Plant sources: Vegan fortified foods or drinks and supplements.
• Purple vegetables – purple cabbage, red onions
Vegans usually have to supplement this vitamin.
Fruits
The variety of this food group is also immense and it could change so much Omega 3 fatty acids: Important for children in development; is has an
from one place to another depending on climate and culture. anti-inflammatory effect and many other functions in the body.
• Mango, banana, watermelon, apple, orange, jackfruit, grape, strowberry
Plant sources: flaxseed, chia seeds, walnuts, hemp seeds.
and pineapple are just some examples.
These food groups have important nutrients to maintain the human body functio-
ning properly. And some of these nutrients deserve special attention.

*Mushrooms are fungi – not animals – which means they could be part of
any vegetarian diet. Nutritionally, they fit better in the vegetables category.
VEGAN COOKING SUBSTITUTES FOODS THAT MAY BE NEW TO YOU
Keep in mind that when substituting, you will get the same result in aspect and Aquafaba
texture, but nutritional value and/or taste might not be the same. Water from cooked or canned chickpeas. Substitutes egg whites in preparations.

Eggs Chia seed

Aquafaba, applesauce, pureed soft tofu, egg replacer, flax seed (1 tables- Very small, black and round. Mild taste. Crunchy if used dried, soggy if used
poon ground flax seeds plus 3 tablespoons water or other liquid, blended), soaked or with humid foods. Source of protein, omega 3 fatty acids, fiber,
chia seeds or mashed bananas. calcium, iron.

Milk Chickpea powder

Any plant-based milk measure for measure. Examples: soymilk, rice milk, oat Chickpeas, also called garbanzo beans, are very versatile. The powder is
milk, hemp milk, or nut milk. commonly used to make pancakes, pies, coat vegetables.

Honey Jackfruit
Molasses or maple syrup. Fruit that, when cooked while still green, is very similar to chicken.

Gelatin Miso
Agar flakes or powder. Salty fermented soybean paste. Commonly used in soups and sauces.

Nutritional Yeast
yellow and flaky with a cheesy flavor. Commonly used in cheese flavor prepa-
rations or even as a topping on salads and pasta.
Plant milks (almond, cashew, hemp, oat, peanut, rice, soy, etc) WHERE TO FIND MORE INFORMATION ON VEGANISM
“Milk” extracted from different foods, instead of cows, sheep or buffalos. They
have a similar appearance, but are not nutritionally similar to animal milk. • Guide to Vegan Nutrition for Adults
Could be homemade, especially if intended for recipes, but it is ideal to use International Vegetarian Union
the calcium fortified store version. (available in English and Portuguese)

Quinoa
Small round seeds, available in 3 colors – white, red, black. Cooks very fast
and has similar use of the rice.
BOOKS FOR OLDER TEENAGERS AND ADULTS

Seitan • Becoming Vegan (Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina)

Known as “wheat-meat” because of its meaty texture and flavor. • How Not do Die (Michael Greger)
• The China Study (T. Colin Campbell and Thomas M. Campbell II)
Tahini
Sesame seed butter. Can be made from white or black sesame. Has a nutty, • Vegan Reset (Kim-Julie Hansen)
intense flavor. • Why we love dogs, eat pigs and wear cows (Melanie Joy)

Tempeh
Traditionally it is a fermented soy product, but it could be made with any legu-
me. Consumed in preparations or just grilled.

Textured vegetable protein (TVP)

Soy product, has similar culinary use of ground meat.

Tofu
Also known as soybean cheese. Its’ bland flavor helps it absorb whatever
flavor is added to it.
BOOKS AND SHOW FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS CREDITS

• Do Animals Have Feelings? (David L. Rice) International Vegetarian Union - IVU

Marly Winckler - president
• Herb the Vegetarian Dragon (Jules Bass)
• Linus the Vegetarian T. Rex (Robert Neubecker) Department of Medicine and Nutrition
• No Green Eggs or Ham (Flora Lee) Dr. Eric Slywitch - director
• That’s Why We Don’t Eat Animals (Ruby Roth)
Author: Milena D. Brandão
• The Smart Parent’s Guide to Raising Vegan Kids: Lessons for Littles in
Graphics: Brígida Solé
Plant-Based Eating and Compassionate Living (Eric C. Lindstrom)
Layout: Jean Pierre Verdaguer
• Valen’s Happy Birthday (Flora Lee)
• So Many Cooks (bimonthly kids show: bit.ly/SMKKyouTube)

REFERENCES
1. Slywitch E. The IVU Vegan Nutrition Guide for Adults. Department of Medicine and
Nutrition. 1st edition International Vegetarian Union (IVU), 2022.
2. Melina V, Craig W, Levin S. Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics:
vegetarian diets. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2016;116:1970-1980.
3. OMS, IARC. Monographs evaluate consumption of red meat and processed meat.
Avaliable in https://www.iarc.who.int/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/pr240_E.pdf.
Accessed in March 2021. 2015.
4. Nutrition for kids: A dietary approach to lifelong health. The Physician Committee
for Responsible Medicine.