Heaven knows Hollywood stars love a diet fad. Plenty of them are declared macrobiotics or vegans, including Jessica Simpson and even cheeseburger-loving former US president, Bill Clinton. But what about their kids? Is it safe for stars to impose their lifestyle choice on babies?
Alicia Silverstone has been raising her three-month-old baby, Bear Blu, on a strictly vegan diet. And they're not alone. Many parents are choosing to raise their children meat, fish, and dairy-free.
For 43-year-old Californian, Caity McCardell, there “was never really a question”. Both her son and daughter have been vegan since birth, 6 and 8 years ago respectively.
According to the Associated Press, around 1 per cent of Americans are vegan. Even though the diet is more mainstream than it once was, is it healthy to get through pregnancy and breastfeeding without consuming any animal products? I for one had the most carnivorous cravings, which led to many a trip to the local golden arches.
Even staunch-vegan Natalie Portman reportedly reverted back to a less-strict vegetarian diet during her pregnancy to gobble up baked goods containing eggs.
McCardell admits it wasn’t easy. During a particularly intense meat-and-cheese craving, she almost caved at a Taco Bell drive-through.
"I was in this crazy place of hunger, and I ordered some tacos with no cheese and no meat. I can remember wanting to tell her, 'If you leave cheese on it's really okay,'" she said.
McCardell maintains that despite her dietary abstinence, her kids turned out perfectly healthy. "My kids are above average at school and they're super tall," she said. "It's not like they're these twiggy, skinny, little people who don’t get all the nutrients they need."
But what about milk, the nectar for growing healthy bones? Isn’t veganism dangerous for kids?
In an extreme case, an Atlanta-based vegan couple was sentenced to life in prison in 2007 after their son died of malnourishment. They'd been feeding him soymilk and apple juice. Shortly after, an 11 month old died due to vitamin deficiencies because his breastfeeding vegan mom wasn’t yet giving her child solids.
Although veganism didn't cause those deaths directly, a nutritionally restrictive lifestyle can be potentially fatal if parents are not sufficiently educated. The key is a well-balanced diet. Vegans should ensure they are getting enough iron, calcium, vitamin D, zinc, and vitamin B-12, which is missing from breast milk.
Vegan parents should consult a nutritionist or registered dietician to make sure they're giving themselves and their families all the nutrients they need.
And what about when Bear-Blu and the other little vegans grow up? Vegan cookbook author, Kristen Suzanne, isn’t overly concerned about her 14-month-old daughter’s future culinary choices.
"I really hope to share my passion for the animals and the earth with her. When she's old enough to go out for dinner with friends, she can choose on her own. I'm not going to say 'You can't be my daughter because you chose chicken.'"
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