Are you afraid that your valuable Oliver or Olivia may not fare properly should you do not feed them animal merchandise? This worry has saved many mothers and households from going all-in on a vegan food regimen, not simply within the U.S., however internationally as properly. The latest cross-sectional research that was revealed in Communications Drugs in 2025 supplies contemporary proof that vegan diets can assist wholesome development in kids. This has been seen earlier than, however it’s good to see contemporary proof.
Vegan Children within the Czech Republic Are More healthy than Omnivore Children
Here is what the analysis group discovered within the Czech Republic, amongst households with kids who had adhered to their food regimen since beginning. 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 development 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 children. The vegan children had greater ranges of folate, vitamin B12, and vitamin D than omnivores, partly as a result of cautious supplementation. The authors concluded that, general, a well-planned vegan food regimen was protected and helpful for the youngsters, particularly for lipids and cardiovascular well being, because the vegan children had decrease complete and LDL ldl cholesterol than the opposite teams. Variations in development have been attributed to household variations slightly than to food regimen.
The one nutrient of concern was iodine, which will be simply optimized with dietary supplements.
Academy of Vitamin and Dietetics: Deliberate Vegan Eating regimen Wholesome for Children
It’s not stunning to me to see this discovering, as this isn’t new science. In reality, the Academy of Vitamin 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 said this: “It’s the place of the Academy of Vitamin and Dietetics that appropriately deliberate vegetarian, together with vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally enough, and will present well being advantages for the prevention and therapy of sure ailments. These diets are applicable for all levels of the life cycle, together with being pregnant, lactation, infancy, childhood, adolescence, older maturity, and for athletes.”
Current Research of Vegan Children Agree: Deliberate Vegan Diets are Wholesome
VegChi Eating regimen Examine
In a latest weblog referred to as Wholesome, Pleased and Plant-Primarily based: The Final Information for Dad and mom, I highlighted the work from the VegChi Eating regimen Examine 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 children had greater intakes of vitamin E, B1, folate, magnesium, and iron, whereas the omnivorous food regimen supplied extra vitamin B2, calcium, iodine, and DHA. All of them wanted extra vitamin D and iodine from dietary supplements.
VegChi Youth Examine
I additionally talked in regards to the VegChi Youth Examine, taking a look at well being outcomes of 6-18-year-olds in Germany. Vitality consumption was the identical for all of them, and so they all had enough protein consumption. Folate ranges have been greater within the vegan children, however there have been no variations in hemoglobin, vitamin B2, vitamin D, HDL, ldl cholesterol, or triglycerides between the teams.
Era R Examine
A research of three,340 kids within the Era R research, primarily based 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 food regimen, that they had higher nutrient intakes of fiber, vitamin C, magnesium, and copper—and a better fat-free mass index and a decrease physique fats proportion.
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 individuals, 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 power, 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 may occasionally 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 Examine or within the Czech Republic research. Iron is definitely obtained in a whole-foods plant-based food regimen, with no problems with enough consumption or absorption.
General, vegetarian and vegan diets supported wholesome development in kids who have been a bit leaner and fewer vulnerable 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 may be “appropriately deliberate,” or “particular steering,” or “well-planned.” Phrases like that point out you may’t simply do it haphazardly.
There are simply 4 vitamins that you simply want to pay attention to: vitamin D, vitamin B-12, fish oil, and iodine. Of those 4, three of them additionally should be supplemented on an omnivorous food regimen. So do not feel dangerous about taking dietary supplements on a vegan food regimen. As a substitute of considering your food regimen is someway poor, reframe it: You’re really optimizing these vitamins by taking a little bit little bit of care.
How the Donaldsons Do Dietary supplements
Here is how we did our youngsters’ 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 blended iodine into our morning smoothies. That was it. Tremendous easy to care for, just a bit little bit of planning and never very costly both. So we optimized these vitamins for our youngsters and bought all the advantages of a plant-based food regimen. It’s a win-win scenario.
And it labored nice for us. Our youngsters grew up with out allergy symptoms, having loads of power, rising frequently, however not being chubby, and studying good habits about consuming entire, actual meals. They grew a little bit slower throughout their development 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 understand or individuals who have been round you, you see that vegetarian and vegan diets aren’t simply protected for teenagers; they’ll 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 worry and soar in. It is superb to be plant-based. In reality, you may be doing all your children a favor. Loosen up, have enjoyable, and luxuriate in your meals collectively.