My product review on the new Vegan Vitamins for babies and toddlers on the market. The Vegan Society’s VEG – 1 Baby & Toddler Multivitamin.
The Vegan Society launched their Veg 1 – Baby & Toddler Multivitamin in November 2022. I was lucky enough to be contacted to review their NEW product!
I am so excited to get started. I’ll share my views with you on the nutritional content, palatability and overall whether I recommend it. A little secret…I think it’s great!
I have trawled the supermarket shelves, looked online and spoke with colleagues and trust me I couldn’t find anything out there like this at the moment.
The market for vegan children’s multivitamins is very limited and this product is bringing Vegan Infants Multivitamins into the mainstream. It is affordable, provides nutrients that may not be able to be met throughout a vegan diet alone and it also tastes pretty good.
Read on to find out more…
So, who is the Veg 1 – Baby & Toddler Multivitamin product for?
This Multivitamin is recommended for Babies and Toddlers from 6 months to 4 years
What Vitamins & Minerals does it contain?
- B12 – 5μg (200% of daily requirements)
- A – 400μg (50% of daily requirements)
- C – 30mg (37% daily requirements)
- D – 10μg (100% daily requirements)
- Iodine – 50μg (33% daily requirements)
- Selenium – 10μg (18% daily requirements)
Let’s break these nutrients down a little further and explain why some nutrient contents may not be 100%
Guidelines are that all children over the age of 6 months should take a multivitamin containing Vitamins A, C & D.
The vegan society have also added in additional nutrients. Iodine and Vitamin B12 are added which may be difficult to achieve at the levels required when following a plant based diet or are vegan.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is naturally found in larger amounts in animal products but can be found in some fortified plant-based products and nutritional yeast. As plant-based foods are not as rich a source of Vitamin B12, it may be difficult for a child to meet their requirements through their diet alone. This can therefore increase the risk of deficiency.
Vitamin B12 is important for children for the formation of their red blood cells and DNA, their brain function and development. A deficiency of Vitamin B12 in children can cause lethargy, breathlessness, feeling faint, pale skin, palpitations and weight loss.
I would always recommend that anyone following a vegan diet supplements with Vitamin B12 to reduce the risk of deficiency.
Vitamin A
A fat soluble vitamin that supports the immune system, can support vision and also helps to keep skin healthy.
Vitamin A can be found in abundance in leafy green and brightly coloured vegetables such as tomatoes, carrots and peppers and this is why I feel the baby and toddler multivitamin doesn’t contain 100% of requirements.
It is important that VItamin A rich foods along with correct supplementation is included in a childs diet to make sure they meet their requirements.
A deficiency in Vitamin A in infants and children can affect their eyesight and the body’s ability to be able to fight infections. This can lead to a greater risk of developing respiratory or tummy bugs.
Vitamin D
We get the majority of our Vitamin D from the sunlight. Recommendations are that all children over the age of 6 months take 10μg of Vitamin D per day. VEG – 1 Baby and toddler multivitamin contains the recommended daily amount of Vitamin D, meeting requirements.
Vitamin D helps to regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate, supporting healthy development of bones and teeth in children.
Deficiency in Vitamin D can cause pain in legs and muscle weakness, delay walking and affect growth.
Vitamin C
Can be found widely in a plant based diet, however guidelines recommend that all children should take a Vitamin supplement containing Vitamins A, C & D so it is again great to see that this multivitamin contains Vitamin C.
Vitamin C is important to support children’s immune system function. It can also help the body to absorb iron from plant based foods.
Deficiency in Vitamin C can cause a weakened immune system (meaning children are more likely to get coughs and colds).
Iodine
Iodine is a nutrient that is mainly found in animal based foods such as dairy products and fish and can also be found in fortified plant based products such as milk, yogurt and cheese but in lesser amounts.
It can be difficult to meet iodine requirements solely through plant based food so I always recommended children are given supplementation with iodine.
This product contains 33% of daily requirements which is great to see.
Compared to other vegan vitamins for babies and toddlers this is the highest amount of iodine in a product that I am aware of on the market right now.
And the final ingredient…
Selenium
Selenium plays an important role in many enzymes in the body and helps to make DNA and protect cells from damage.
One of the main sources of selenium is brazil nuts, however for infants this should be given in a nut butter. Other sources of selenium are; beans, pulses, cereals and grains, however the content can vary between products depending on the soil it is grown in.
Veg – 1 Baby & Toddler Multivitamin liquid contains 10μg of Selenium (requirements are 20μg per day). I would advise that this supplement should be taken alongside a balanced diet containing Selenium rich foods.
Away from science to my views…
The taste test
Well, I think it tastes great and so do my daughters.
The Vegan Society advised that the product was tested on children (their target audience) with a few different flavours. Strawberry was the clear winner! I can see why.
The dose and why I love it!
The volume of recommended liquid is also a big positive for me. The recommendations are 1ml to provide all the nutrients as above. As a dietitian and mum of two, I always find the smaller the dose the better. This volume is a big positive for me.
Summary
My views;
- Overall I feel that this product is a great option for vegan children between 6 months and 4 years. The nutritional content beats other products out there currently (based on my research in January 2023).
- Another major plus is the volume. A 1ml dose is likely much easier to administer to an infant or young child vs a larger dose which some supplements recommend.
- It contains Vitamins A, C & D per UK guidelines for all children aged 6 months to 5 years.
- The addition of Iodine, Vitamin B12 and Selenium – nutrients can be a little more difficult to achieve when following a vegan diet is a bit plus!
My Recommendations
When following a well planned vegan diet evidence shows that there are no concerns with nutritional deficiency or growth in infants and toddlers. Some nutrients will need more attention than others to ensure balance.
Another nutrient that I would like to see added to this product is omega 3, Omega 2 is essential for babies and todlders brain function and development.
There are 3 main types of omega 3 ALA, EPA and DHA.
Omega 3 can be found in plant based products, however this is in the form of ALA. The body is able to convert some ALA into DHA and EPA, however it has been found that this conversion is unlikely high enough to support adequate production of Epa and DHA. Supplementing with a plant based source of DHA/EPA will ensure that infants and childrens are meeting requirements. Additional information on omega 3 if you are plant based or vegan can be found here
If you need any help or support with yours or your babies diet then get in touch
Hannah
Hannah is an Expert Registered Dietitian specialising in Vegan Family Nutrition and Cows Milk Protein Allergy.
She is a respected figure in the field of nutrition and a captivating speaker and sought after media spokesperson being featured in esteemed publications including the Sunday Times, Independent and Huffington Post.
Credentials
- Registered Dietitian
- First Class Degree in Nutrition
Experience
- Over 15 years experience working in the field of nutrition
- Respected Media Spokesperson both in the UK & USA; quoted online, TV and in local and international news
- Writer & Researcher, supporting the BDA and PEN Nutrition
