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There are a few books that have been written specifically with teenagers in mind. May we recommend you read the book "A Teen's Guide to Going Vegetarian." The author is Judy Krizmanic and the book was published in 1994 by Viking Children's Books, New York. This book explores the reasons for choosing vegatariansism and then sets young people, such as yourself, on the right track toward planning a vegan diet. There is also a recently published book for people of all ages titled "An Idiots Guide to Being a Vegetarian". This book is available on Amazon.com. Another book we recommend is "The Vegetarian Way" by Virginia and Mark Messina. The book was published in 1996 by Three Rivers Press, Crown Publishers Inc., New York. The Vegetarian Research Group distributes information on vegetarian eating. You can reach them at (410)366-8343 or by mail at PO Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203. You can also call the American Dietetic Association at (800) 877-1600 and ask them to refer you to a dietitian in your area who specializes in vegetarian nutrition and can help you make this diet a healthy one.

There are nutrients that you need to watch for, one being calcuim. Cow's milk, cheese and ice cream are the foods we in the Western World generally associated with being rich sources of calcium and therefore promote bone health. However, many plant foods are also rich sources of calcium. These include legumes, vegetables such as collard, turnip greens and blackstrap molasses. Also, calcium-fortified soymilk, tofu, soy cheese, roasted soynuts, sweet green soybeans and textured soy protein. In particular, the soy milk is an excellent alternative to the dairy milk that you drank prior to making this lifestyle change. Be sure to read the label carefully to confirm that the soy milk you drink is indeed calcium-fortified. To promote bone health we recommend that you include adequate calcium in your diet, you exercise regularly and you avoid too much caffeine and do not smoke. Other nutrients for you to watch are zinc, iron, and Vitamin B12.

Most soymilks are nutrient-dense and a rich source of many vitamins and minerals. For example, soymilks are regularly, but not always, fortified with calcium. Do be sure to have your son or daughter drink soy milk that is full-fat rather than reduced- or low-fat. Children need the fat for proper growth and development. Some of our favorite soy milks are Edensoy (sold in asceptic containers) and Silk (sold in the refrigerator section). You can find soy milk in different flavors - plain, vanilla and chocolate are the most common.

Soy-based formula can be used as an alternative to milk-based formula and may be recommended by doctors for some babies. Soy-formula is typically recommended if an infant has a lactose-intolerance or an allergy to cow's milk or if the parents want to raise their child on a vegetarian, or no animal-foods, diet. Soy formula is made from a soy protein modified with additional carbohydrates, fat, vitamins and minerals. Importantly, it is important for parents to remember that "soy formula" is not the same as "soy milk" that one would purchase for adult or older children consumption.

As far as a numerical recommendation for how much soy is safe in the diet, we have not seen this available at this time. We are sure that in the years to come more research will be done on soy food use in young children.

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