Editor,
Your recent article acknowledging the safety of vegan diets for children
was very refreshing.  As a mother who has been vegan for seven years, may I add a few thoughts:

There seems to be an underlying assumption that a vegan diet is somehow inferior to an animal diet and that vegan mothers have to work harder at providing adequate nutrition.  In truth, the animal diet eaten by most Utahns is not proving to be at all healthy.  The large number of children suffering obesity, diabetes, cancer, and even heart disease certainly did not get that way on vegan diets.  And it's not the vegan children who are keeping hundreds of pediatric dentists busy.

A plant diet is actually the healthier, easier diet.  Plants have no cholesterol to plug up the arteries.  Being at the beginning of the food chain, plants have little accumulation of pesticides.  Plants are not vaccinated for diseases or given steroids for growth, so none of those toxins are found on the dinner plate of a vegan.  And plants are loaded with the nutrients children need.

A visit to the website of the Utah State extension office tells us to "Keep raw meat and poultry separate from other foods.  Wash working surfaces (including cutting boards), utensils and hands after touching raw meat or poultry.  Cook thoroughly."  This is because animal flesh and fluids carry viruses and bacteria, the sources of many diseases. Animal foods are high risk foods.

Plant foods require far less water to produce.  The State of Utah Natural Resources Division of Water Resources put out a little slide chart several years ago which showed that 87% of our water is used for agriculture and only 9% for domestic use.  It showed that 16 gallons of water is used to produce an apple, 3 gallons for a tomato, 408 gallons for a serving of pork or chicken, and 2607 gallons for a serving of steak.

Religious people of many faiths have a scriptural belief that God has provided fruits, vegetables, and grains as our intended diet. Our family is most grateful for this knowledge.

Joyce Kinmont
Syracuse

For your information the Water Facts slide chart is viewable at
http://www.ldshea.org/pages/family_health/utah_water_facts.htm
(from LifeSave.org's water issues: WaterAndLife.org/WaterFactsUtah.htm )
 ________________________
 Joyce Kinmont
 LDS Home Educators Assn.
 www.ldshea.org
 www.homeschoolutah.org