Vegan teens: everything they need

Girls and boys in full development can get all the nutrients they need from an entirely plant-based diet. We show you how.

We ask teens to “eat everything.” For a summer teenager this means including ingredients from the four main food groups in the right amounts on the daily menu.

VARIETY OF THE 4 FOOD GROUPS

1. Legumes

They are the main source of protein and also provide slow-absorbing carbohydrates (energy), fiber, minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants. A daily serving is around 150-200 g (weight once cooked).

2. Whole grains and potatoes

They provide much of the energy a teenager needs. In addition to wheat and rice, it usually includes quinoa, oats and corn, among other cereals, in dishes. Cooked potatoes are preferable to fried ones.

3. Fruits and vegetables

They are rich in carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidant substances. A minimum of 5 servings per day is recommended. A piece of fruit or 125 g of vegetables constitutes a serving.

4. Good fats

They are necessary as a source of energy and substances necessary to synthesize hormones or to “build” neurons. They are found in nuts, seeds, and cold-pressed oils, such as extra virgin olive oil. A minimum of 20 to 30 grams a day are necessary.

MINERALS TO DEVELOP

It is convenient to take care of the contribution of iron and calcium, two essential minerals for growth and vitality.

Get enough iron

Meat is a source of iron, so there is a prejudice that a vegetarian or vegan diet can cause deficiency. In fact, plant foods can provide sufficient amounts of the mineral.

• Cooked lentils. A plate with 200 g contains 7 mg of iron.
• Spinach. About 200 g contain 6.5 mg of iron.
• Sesame. 40 g of sesame seeds give you 5 mg.
• Cashew. A serving of 50 g provides 3 mg of iron.

To improve their assimilation, they should be accompanied by ingredients rich in vitamin C, such as raw fruits and vegetables. Iron deficiency is more common among girls due to menstruation and its main symptoms are fatigue.

Calcium without milk

It plays an essential role in bone mineralization. The fixation of calcium in the bones is very intense during adolescence and will determine its state throughout life.

It is found in abundance in dairy products, but calcium from legumes and vegetables is more efficiently assimilated.

The tofu curdled with calcium sulfate is especially abundant and the calcium-magnesium water provides a significant dose (more than 150 mg per liter).

• Tofu It can contain up to 700mg in a 125g serving.
• Almonds 50 g of raw almonds provide 125 mg.
• Broccoli. 200 g cooked contain about 150 mg of calcium.
• Garbanzo beans. A 200 g serving offers 100 mg.
• Orange. A medium piece provides about 50 mg of calcium.

ALL PROTEINS WITH PLANT ALTERNATIVES

It is perfectly possible to compose vegetable menus with all the proteins that a young person needs.

Teens should get the 9 essential amino acids in sufficient amounts every day. To achieve this it is necessary that they consume whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds.

Menu example:

• Breakfast: 2 slices of bread + 10 g of peanut pate + banana + yogurt (15 g of protein in total).
• Snack: soy smoothie with chia (10 g).
• Lunch: lentil salad + fruit salad + cereal bar + yogurt (25 g).
• Snack: 30 g of almonds + fruit + muffin (15 g).
• Dinner: quinoa with vegetables + falafel + hummus + couscous + red fruit crumble with soy cream (30g).

SOME PROTEIN-RICH PLANT FOODS

They help in an important way to add proteins in the adolescent’s diet:

• Tempeh. Based on fermented soybeans, it reaches 2o g of protein in 100 g. Just heat it up for a few minutes.
• Pistachios 30 g peeled or 50 pistachios provide 6 g of complete protein and 1.2 mg of iron.
• Seitan. A 100 g serving contains 23 g of protein. It can substitute for meat in traditional recipes.
• Quinoa. 200 g of cooked quinoa offers 9 g of complete protein. It is rich in iron and does not contain gluten.
• Peanut. 10 g of peanut butter offer 2.5 g of protein. Ideal for spreading on bread.
• Chia. 30g of seeds contain 4.5g of protein and 5g of omega-3s. Add them to a juice and wait for them to soften.
• Pumpkin seeds. 30 g provide 10 g of protein and a significant dose of zinc (2.5 mg).
• Garbanzo beans. A plate with 200 g of cooked chickpeas (100 g raw) provides 16 g of protein.

Remember that anyone who follows a lazy or vegetarian diet should take a vitamin B12 supplement daily, as it is only found in sufficient and assimilable amounts in foods of animal origin.