Does anybody know anything about whether or not it is healthy to put children on a totally raw diet. I am mostly concerned about calories since they need so many for growing. I haven't seen much out there about it. I'm also wondering what other concerns I should pay attention to.

Hi Annie,

See my answer to your other question!

Cheers, Julie.

lots of info here.

[www.rawfoodtalk.com]

My daughter and I recently went 100% raw. Thus far, her behaviour has moderated, crankiness has diminished, whining is slowly disappearing. She doesn't get upset if dinner is late. She absolutely relishes eating uncooked food. She is four. Her new favorite food is young coconut. I got permission from her pediatrician before I changed her diet.

The baby is raw, too. At six months, she is eager to eat what mommy and sister eat. She survives on breastmilk, and the occasional banana or other fruit. She has already tried and loves green smoothies.

The only thing I could further wish is if daddy went raw, too. But, it's not a perfect world.

of course it's fine - that's how humans originally ate.

some parents have had problems with feeding their children all raw diet If I were to do it I would only discuss the diet with the doctor and not talk about it with people who do not understand. It seems some parents have been taken to court over the diet. I remember when I had problems with my x husband because I did not feed the children sugar so many years ago. Aside from that I have two grand babies and when they get a taste of a green smoothie they scream for more, they know what is good for them but my teen age daughters don't go near a green smoothie. It seems the younger they are the more open they are to good foods.

You could read 'Evie's kitchen' if you've not already done so. My boys are 3 and 2 years old and having just been pummelled in rage yesterday by the oldest I vowed I would never give them biscuits in the house again. Today they got steamed broccolli on their arrival home from school at lunch time and raisins this evening. Only having recently turned raw I do not feel I can change things too drastically with the boys yet until I feel the benefits are so wonderful I absolutely must. Still detoxing after 20 days. My ex called me a b***h when I didn't give our son chocolate when he was one and he makes sure he gives them loys of jellybabies, biscuits etc at the weekend. I was horrified at his reaction toward me when I was only trying to protect our baby from the adverse effects of sugar. My oldest son is obsessed with sugary sweet foods as he detects this has been an area of great contention. I give him a picnic at lunchtimes, but on the carpet in the living room of as much he can choose, it's not all raw, but it is 'healthy', at least not processed, and always after a portion of fruit or veggies. Seems to work. Archie still prefers natural food and given the choice between cucumber and a cheese sandwich, will always have the cucumber. They both start off with fruit in the morning. But that's it I am done forever with biscuits, they and the pain au chocolats are going in the bin.
Sorry, that was straying a bit off the topic!
Arrow xxx

I don't think parents have been taken to court over a raw-food diet. I think parents have been taken to court due to the ignorance of authorities and other people. If parents were taken to court over a child's poor eating habits/diet, most of the Western world would be lined up to get their turn in front of the judge. If you aren't the norm (which is UNhealthy) and don't support the businesses that our government in the US subsidizes, they go after you.

Parents have been taken to court by Child Services for perceived neglect stemming from "bad" vegetarian regimens. I agree that SAD is far worse on a kid than any variant of veggie, if done properly; if your child is vegan and is thriving, that's the best gauge of success.

As pampam says, the younger they are, the more easily they take to raw because their ancestral palate, so to speak, has not been fully corrupted yet. It is hard to feed a child the wrong raw foods if there is a great variety of fruits and soft green veggies and lots of fats for growing brains. I second the suggestion to read "Evie's Kitchen." Shazzola is a wee bit kooky, but she is brave to have stuck her neck out and suggested the ways in which a child can be raised raw with no problems.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/15/2009 10:21PM by Tamukha.

I agree with Tamukha. There is something I haven't seen people talking about and that is trace minerals. They are are really important. Really serious mental illness and mental retardation can be caused by trace mineral malnutrition. That's something that even our organics doesn't completely handle. I finally got myself a trace mineral supplement. I would definately make sure a child had that. No ADHD for my Kid! Best, Mys Benson

"Parents have been taken to court by Child Services for perceived neglect stemming from "bad" vegetarian regimens."

Yeah, they allege it's for being vegetarian, vegan, and/or raw, but it's really because of their ignorance and/or the parents' neglect. The parents' neglect has little to do with veganism, and ASIDE from that, all of the cases I've read about weren't really raw or vegan at all. They were just starving their children, which omnivores do all the time. It's a case of neglect. If the parents happen to be veg or claim to be (as they're usually not in the cases I've read), that's just a side fact - the neglect or starvation is the real issue.

And of course people will take whatever chance they can get to act like it's due to veganism because they want another excuse to harm animals (in their mind).