Children and adolescents who follow a vegetarian eating plan tend to consume more fruits and vegetables and less sweets, salty snacks, and saturated fat than their nonvegetarian peers. They also tend to be at lower risk for obesity and overweight.
In the past, experts worried that following a vegetarian diet, which tends to be low in saturated fat and animal protein and high in fiber, folate, vitamins C and E, carotenoids and some phytochemicals, would lead to nutritional deficiencies in children.
Today, we know that’s generally not the case with well-planned vegetarian eating plans that include enough of the following nutrients:
