[100% veg*n ] Baby fed raw vegan diet died from malnutrition

[Guest guest]

Hello Sergio,

 

Here is interesting e-mail about this case:

 

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I am entirely happy for you to forward this letter to any vegan or vegetarian

internet list that you feel would be appropriate.

 

best wishes,

 

Stephen Walsh

 

 

Here is the letter he wrote:

 

Dear Sir,

 

The article " Fed on ignorance " takes the tragedy of Areni Manuelyan's death

and uses it as a launching pad for a general attack on vegan diets.

 

" Independent researchers say some vegans and vegetarians can lack necessary

nutrients such as B vitamins and iron. " This statement would be equally

valid if the word " people " was substituted for " vegans and vegetarians " . It

is therefore misleading. Within any type of diet inappropriate choices can

lead to insufficient levels of many important nutrients. Vegans can readily

meet the UK recommended intakes of all nutrients by following the

recommendations of the Vegan Society and other responsible nutritional

advisers. Vegans also show lower levels of heart disease than their

meat-eating counterparts reflecting their lower cholesterol levels due to

the avoidance of animal products.

 

The suggestion the protein found in soya is of a different quality to that

from animal sources is true, but not in the adverse sense suggested. The

American Heart Association recommends the consumption of soy protein due to

its cholesterol lowering properties. The same cannot be said for meat, dairy

products or eggs.

 

The Vegan Society has provided advice on appropriate vegan diets for over

50 years. It has enthusiastically collaborated with independent nutritional

scientists in investigating the healthfulness of vegan diets, particularly

for children to whom we all owe a very special duty of care. Prof. Tom

Sanders of King's College London concluded that " if known pitfalls are

avoided, the growth and development of children reared on both vegan and

vegetarian diets appears normal. " The known pitfalls are failing to include

a reliable source of B12, such as fortified soya milk or nutritional yeast,

and relying too much on low calorie fruits and vegetables so that the diet

is insufficiently calorie-dense for a young child.

 

The tragic death of Areni arose not from any problem with vegan diets as

such but from failure to provide suitable calorie-dense solid foods to

supplement breast milk. Areni's parents adhered to an extreme diet that

bore no relation to Vegan Society recommendations. Parents feeding their

children an appropriate vegan diet can be confident that they are meeting

their nutritional needs while providing them with protection from heart

disease and from animal-borne infections ranging from salmonella to vCJD.

Given Scotland's leading position in the heart disease stakes you do not

serve your readers well by denigrating the healthfulness of appropriate

vegan diets.

 

 

yours faithfully,

 

Stephen Walsh

On behalf of The Vegan Society Council

 

Stephen Walsh The Vegan Society

11 Borderside 7 Battle Road

Slough St Leonards-on-Sea

SL2 5QT East Sussex

Stephen_walsh TN37 7AA

07967361510 info

08454588244

 

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Best regards,

Sergio, CEO

vegan

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