Vegetarian Cooking for Teens

Vegetarian diets offer significant benefits for all stages of the life cycle.

A significant number of Americans, including teenagers, are vegetarians. Statistics quoted by the American Dietetic Association (ADA) reveal that 2 percent of children and teenagers aged 6 to 17 are vegetarians. The ADA and other such organizations say that vegetarian diets are appropriate and may offer significant benefits for all stages of the life cycle, including rapidly growing teenagers, if appropriately planned and executed.

Protein Content

Those preparing vegetarian meals for teens need to keep in mind that teens need significant amounts of protein. The ADA recommends that pure vegetarians 6 years and older be fed 15 percent to 20 percent more protein than non-vegetarians of the same age to compensate for the generally lower protein content of vegetarian food. To this end, the ADA and the University of Maine say that consumption of plant protein from varied sources can help teens meet their daily protein requirements. They recommend that vegetarian teens derive their protein from key non-meat sources like yogurt, tempeh, tofu, cereal, nuts, beans and soy milk.

Vitamin Requirements

A key concern for vegetarians, especially teens, can be meeting daily vitamin requirements, most notably vitamin B12. This vitamin controls normal brain and nervous system functions. The University of Maine says that most foods supplying significant amounts of this key vitamin are animal-derived. But some good non-animal sources of vitamin B12 exist, such as soy milk, some kinds of nutritional yeast, fermented soy products and sea vegetables. Another important vitamin that teens need to focus on is vitamin D, which is necessary to enable calcium absorption. The University of Maine says that vegetarian teens may need to take non-animal-derived supplements of these vitamins.

Mineral Content

Another key dietary concern of those preparing vegetarian diets for teens is to ensure that they get enough minerals. The ADA and University of Maine emphasize the importance of consuming good sources of calcium. Doing so is particularly important for teens as most of the adult skeleton is created during the teenage years. The University of Maine and ADA recommend consuming at least three sources of calcium daily, such as milk, Chinese or Napa cabbage, broccoli, soy foods and almonds. Iron, another important mineral, can be derived from dried fruit, legumes and beet greens. Good sources of zinc include legumes, seeds and nuts.

Benefits

According to the ADA, a well-crafted vegetarian diet may be able to offer certain advantages. Vegetarian adolescents have been reported by the ADA to consume diets with higher levels of fiber, folate, and vitamins A and C--and less fast foods, sweets and salty snacks--compared with non-vegetarians.

Nutrition Programs

The ADA also says that various governmental nutrition programs can suport teenage vegetarians. The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), a federal program for those at nutritional risk, can offer help to purchase foods suitable for vegetarians. In addition, the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) allows the use of non-meat protein products like certain soy products, tree nuts, yogurt and beans.

References

• University of Maine System: Teen Vegetarians -- Facts for Teens
• Vegetarian Resource Group: Position of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada: Vegetarian diets

Resources

• TeensHealth: Becoming a Vegetarian