Blog

You’ve made the “shift” from a meat-centered diet to a vegan one, a great choice!  You’re not only stepping in the right direction, you’re making a commitment to the environment while insuring the health of your Family. But there’s some ruts in the road to healthy eating for you and your children that should be addressed. Here’s a few common pitfalls.

SUGAR – Most of us have heard the news about sugar. It is particularly troublesome for children, whose immune systems are still  developing. It’s hidden in a variety of vegan products today, in disguise. When you read Corn Syrup, Cane Syrup, Cane Crystals, Fructose, Dextrose, Glucose, Malt, Molasses, Fruit Juice Concentrate, Brown Sugar, Turbinado (and more), you know you’re getting Sugar. While an occasional sugar treat won’t hurt, the habit is what is dangerous and difficult to break. Sugar effects behavior and emotions as well as health, so cutting down or eliminating it is a powerful step in maintaining inner calmness as well as health of your Family.

EASY TO BE A JUNK-FOOD VEGAN – There’s a wide variety of vegan quick foods offered today in health food stores to choose from.  Soy Milk, Refined Cereals, Veggie Burgers, Tofu Slices, Vegan Cheeses, etc… While these items do have some nutritive value and are fun, they should be treated as pleasure foods, not staples. They will not provide your children with any real vitality or energy in the long run. There’s also a long list of ingredients, many of which you’ve never heard of or can’t pronounce, some of which have a shelf-life of a Century or so.  If a product has a long list of ingredients, it probably contains something you or your Family don’t need or want in your bodies. Look for products with few ingredients that are minimally processed, when you purchase them.

OBSESSION WITH PROTEIN – We are all aware of the importance of protein for growing and maintaining bodies. However, the amount of protein you and your children need has been overblown. It’s estimated that American children get 2-3 times the amount of protein they really need. Many vegan families have become obsessed with feeding their children large amounts of vegan meats, cheeses and protein powders to make sure they have enough protein. They do so at the expense of eating vegetables, whole grains and beans. These foods provide the cleanest source of protein for you and your children and will provide enough protein for healthy growth and maintenance.

NOT ENOUGH HOME-COOKING  – Parents are busy and see home-cooking as an impractical task today. Home-cooking has become a lost art in our search for convenience. When you take the time to learn the basics, some short-cuts and the creative reuse of leftovers, the unimaginable becomes formidable. Home-cooking not only improves health, it also offers the chance for the Family to sit down and eat together, an activity that is less common today than the past. Family bonding is important for kids and adults and home-cooking sets the stage.