Assure your teen that vegetarian diets can be healthy, but they take planning. They also include a variety of foods, provide all the nutrients and calories needed for growth, and are not overly low in fat. Agree to provide teens with the foods they need for a healthy vegetarian diet, but avoid becoming a short-order cook. It's fair to expect them to help plan their meals, shop and prepare special foods. Stay flexible and creative.
Vegetarian entrees can often serve as side dishes for the rest of the family.
Reserve your right to veto unhealthy eating behaviors, such as overly restrictive diets and those that cause unhealthy weight loss. Modifying a gene that causes plants to store excess calcium might one day make fruits, vegetables and grains a better source of this important nutrient. The study results are reported in a recent issue of Plant Cell . Hirschi believes that the CAX 1 gene acts as a calcium regulator. When the calcium content of the cellular fluid gets too high, the gene is turned on.