Ms. Mary Silva
Specializing in feeding and nutrition.
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 Ask Mary Silva
A 17-Month-Old Semi-Vegetarian | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Ms. Silva,
My 17-month-old daughter is not on a vegetarian diet, but I rarely feed her red meat or poultry--mostly just vegetables, fish, rice, beans, tofu, and fruit. She won't eat cheese, but she does drink two 15-oz. bottles of goat's milk a day (she's lactose intolerant). Is she missing anything on this diet?— Veggie Mama | | | ANSWER |
October 11, 2000 | | | Dear Veggie Mama,
It sounds as if your daughter eats a semi-vegetarian diet. Overall, as long as you offer her a wide variety of healthy foods, your daughter will get most of the nutrients she needs with this diet, but there are a few factors you should consider.
First, you need to ensure that your daughter is getting enough calories, which is the primary concern with this kind of diet. Your healthcare practitioner can tell you whether or not she's growing well or if you need to increase her caloric intake. Second, while your description of her diet indicates that she gets enough protein and calcium, you might try giving her some yogurt. Many people with lactose intolerance are able to eat yogurt in varying amounts, and this is a good, healthy food that would add calcium and calories. Third, goat's milk has very little folic acid, so you'll have to provide your child with other foods that provide this essential nutrient. Folic acid can be found in spinach, kale, collard greens, dried beans, fortified cereals (check the package label), oranges, and nuts (such as peanut butter or cashew butter, at her age).
Finally, it's important that your daughter gets adequate iron and zinc. She can get both from beans and whole grains, such as bulgur, oats, brown rice, fortified cereals, breads, crackers, muffins, and pasta. In addition, she can get iron from spinach, collards, kale, and dried fruit. Iron from non-meat sources is best absorbed when a Vitamin C-rich food or beverage (citrus fruit, strawberries, kiwi, broccoli, spinach, tomatoes, etc.) is eaten at the same meal. Other foods that contain zinc include wheat germ, nut butters, and tofu.
— by Mary Silva, M.S., R.D. |
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