Vegetarian kids need to add protein

Go nuts: Children who want to be vegetarians need to “fill in the blanks” of their low-protein diets by eating alternatives to red meat, fish and poultry, experts say.

Good examples are soybeans, fortified soy milk and nuts. Those are important sources of the protein, iron, zinc, calcium and vitamin D that most kids get from meat.

Nutritional yeast — which has a cheesy flavor — has much-needed vitamin B-12. And flaxseed is good for linolenic acid.

Vegetarian children who eat eggs and dairy products will most likely get all the nutrition they need. But those who become vegan — abstaining from dairy — need to be more diligent, said Dr. David Ludwig of Children’s Hospital Boston, a specialist in pediatric nutrition.

Associated Press