Raw kids and nutrition needs

[defectgrrrl]

We've recently switched over to 75% plus raw from a no sugar/flour vegan diets. I have two little ones ages 1 and 2. I'm a little worried about them getting enough protein and fat now, they tend to be on the small side as it is and my youngest dropped a little weight the last time she went to the doctor (pre raw). Can someone point me in the direction of websites/articles that discuss raw kids nutrition. Book suggestions would be helpful to but I'd like some immediate info. Thanks in advance all!

[Denise Nicole]

Storm & Jinjee are raising raw children:
http://www.thegardendiet.com
Here's an e-book:
http://jinjee1.securesites.net/children/

[firefaery]

Baby Greens is a reasonable book. I personally don't find Storm and Jinjee all that helpful in this area. There isn't much out there, unfortunately. Do you have specific questions or limitations? Are your kids unwilling or unable to do nuts and seeds for protein? I find you can still follow most of the good info that's out there...just don't cook any of the food!

[Helen Of Tennessee]

Here is a board geared toward babies and toddlers eating raw. You may find some links to websites, videos and books on there:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rawfoodbabies

Here's a DVD on Raw Parenting:
http://www.chidiet.com/tapes.htm

A book on Raising Raw Children:
http://www.waldorfhomeschoolers.com/raw.htm

[Conscious Midwife]

For iron increase variety with the following:

Chick peas
Banana
Avocado
Spinach
Asparagus
Sprouted beans
Broccoli
Wild Rice Sprouted
Dried figs and apricots
raw nut butters

If you're not opposed to supplementation you can find vega supplements for children at Wild Oats

If you make raw crackers then make spreads ou of sprouted beans, season to taste

For fat I'd blend cashews into smoothies and make lime pudding out of avacados. You can also make olive oil based salad dressing and and yeast flakes, the extra B vitamin in the yeast flakes aids in iron absorption.

Be sure they get lots of outside exercise/ play time too

Just my thoughts

[SeaGrass7]

The Green Smoothies are a Must in my opinion. Greens are key and they really are (can be) VERY DEE-lish!

[vgloveforlife]

Just so you know, Spinach is not a reliable source or iron because of the oxalates in it that inhibit absorption. Other good sources of iron are seaweed, seeds like hemp, sunflower and pumpkin.

[Helen Of Tennessee]

I'm going to have to look for the information, but I believe that the oxalates is only a problem when the spinach is cooked and not when you eat it raw. I'll see if I can find some info on that and post it here.

Okay, here is what I found so far:

Spinach contains oxalic acid which is indigestible. Baby spinach is better because the acid forms as the plant matures. (from Nora Lenz's board).

Then on page 1 of this article (highlighed in yellow) it says:
"In other plants e.g. spinach, sugar beet leaves, and bananas, there is a large increase in oxalate content during the early stages of development, followed by a decrease as the plants mature"
http://russiantortoise.org/oxalates.pdf

Then on Dr. Doug Grahams board here are some discussions on it:
http://www.google.com/custom?cof=S%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.vegsource.com%3BAH %3Acenter%3BLH%3A21%3BL%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.vegsour ce.com%2Ftalk%2Fgraphics%2Fno1site.gif%3BLW%3A468% 3BAWFID%3A007969b76c9a71bd%3B&q=oxalic&sitesearch=www.vegsource.com&domains.x=7&domains.y=11

On some of the posts above it says that there are many other plants with higher contents oxalic acid in it (like Parsley). They also say spinach is okay if it's raw and not cooked.

I'm not sure what to say, except to go by my instinct. Eat it if it tastes good and my body doesn't react negative to it. You'll just have to read the posts above and then make your own judgement just like we have to with the controversy of wheatgrass, sprouted grains, fermented foods, etc.

Boy, with all the conflicting info on this, this could be a thread of it's own :D

[vgloveforlife]

Helen:
It appears from what I read that oxalates are actually lowered a little bit when spinach is cooked.


Measurement of oxalate content in vegetables commonly consumed in New Zealand shows that cooking reduces the oxalate content of the food by leaching losses into the cooking water.
http://www.foodscience.ac.nz/research_topics/oxalate/abstracts.htm

I also found this:


The myth about spinach and its high iron content may have first been propagated by Dr. E. von Wolf in 1870, because a misplaced decimal point in his publication led to an iron-content figure that was ten times too high. In 1937, German chemists reinvestigated this "miracle vegetable" and corrected the mistake. It was described by T.J. Hamblin in British Medical Journal, December 1981.

He publicized the fact that, contrary to popular belief, spinach contains no more iron than lettuce.

[Helen Of Tennessee]

Hi vgloveforlife,

I was editing my post when you posted. I had read it both ways about the oxalates being more when raw and being more when cooked. Also read them being more when the spinach is a young plant and read when it's more when the spinach matures. I posted links above to these contradicting statements. Who to believe . . . . How can something so simple be so difficult? I'm just going to go by instinct. I rarely eat spinach, but when I do, it's because I feel like it. I'm sure the spinach is better for me than the kit kat bar ;) I only eat it about once every 2 months or so.

[vgloveforlife]

Helen:
My head is spinning too!

Everything is so controversial. Moderation is key!!

[Helen Of Tennessee]

Hi vgforlife,

I think you are right. When in doubt . . . moderation :)

[AJ Bodine]

Greens are an excellent source of protein, green smoothies every day get my vote for kids! My son starts every day with a giant green smoothie and we rotate the types of greens we use. Right now our front lawn is covered in dandelions so we use a lot of the greens right from our yard. He even helps me pick them!

[RawNut]

Gabriel Cousins says that the body naturally produces an enzyme called oxalase, which unbinds the oxalates from minerals for easy absorption. He also said we produce phytase, which does the same for phytates.

Craig

[Conscious Midwife]

Recent blog by Jinjee and Storm

about their thriving children

click here (http://jinjee1.securesites.net/kidsblog/)