Episode 60: How to Raise Healthy Plant-Based Kids with Pediatrician Dr. Rikin Patel

How safe and healthful is a plant-based diet for children?

In this episode of the Plant-Based Canada Podcast we are joined by Dr. Rikin Patel to chat about raising kids following a plant-strong dietary pattern.

Dr. Rikin Patel is a consultant pediatrician and Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Toronto. He completed his pediatric residency at Memorial University of Newfoundland, and prior to medical school he completed a Masters in Health Policy Planning and Finance from the London School of Economics and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Currently, Dr. Patel works for the Scarborough Health Network and is a founding member of Markham Kids Clinic. He recently completed the Plant Based Certificate program through the T Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies at Cornell University.  He is passionate about promoting a culture of wellness and resilience within physician and trainee communities through medical improv, meditation and plant-based nutrition. Dr. Patel has worked with numerous families and is passionate and confident in giving children and their families the best fuel for their wellbeing to maximize their potential. He is a certified yoga instructor and teaches Shaolin Kung Fu at the Waterloo Kung Fu Academy with over 30 years of experience

Also, stay tuned for more initiatives from Dr. Patel, as he is currently in the process of opening a new virtual clinic in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) called Reset Pediatric Lifestyle Medicine that aims at treating and reversing chronic diseases among children using lifestyle-based interventions.

In this episode we discuss:

• Being a plant-strong Pediatrician at a Kids Clinic
• The safety & nutrition of plant-strong dietary patterns for children
• Micronutrients of interest
• Macronutrients of interest
• Milk alternatives
• Recommendations for different ages or stages of growth 
• Myths & misconceptions

Episode Resources:

Ellyn Satter: https://www.ellynsatterinstitute.org/

E. Satter Resources: https://www.ellynsatterinstitute.org/product-category/books-videos/

Plant-based milk alternatives in child nutrition: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37048365/ 

Safety of vegetarian diets for children: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37242126/ 

Dr. Rikin Patel´s Socials

Website: https://www.resetpediatrics.com/ 
Instagram: @dr.rikinpatel.

Plant-Based Canada’s Socials:

Instagram  (@plantbasedcanadaorg)

Facebook (Plant-Based Canada, https://m.facebook.com/plantbasedcanadaorg/)

Website  (https://www.plantbasedcanada.org/)

Thank you for tuning in! Make sure to subscribe to the Plant-Based Canada Podcast so you get notified when new episodes are published. 

This episode was hosted by Stephanie Nishi RD, PhD.