Who is Tasj Rose? TikToker mom-shamed for imposing vegan diet on 7-month-old baby
A young mother and social media influencer from UK has drawn flak recently, after she declared that she plans to raise her infant daughter on a vegan diet. Tasj Rose, whose real name is Natasha, is a prominent TikToker and YouTuber, who gave birth to her daughter Oak 7 months ago. She herself follows a strictly vegan lifestyle and plans to inculcate the same in her baby's diet chart. However, netizens lashed out at the 25-year-old mom arguing that meat is a necessary diet for babies.
Many threatened to call Child Protective Services on Rose's daughter Oak, fearing that she might be malnourished. "[Babies] need meat in their diets," one among her 14,000 followers commented, while another remarked, "This has absolutely nothing to do with what’s best [for your baby] — it’s you being selfish." Rose, who promoted the hashtag #VeganBaby, gave back to her critics after the incessant wave of negativity, saying, "She’s well-cared for, happy and healthy. That’s all that matters #VeganBaby."
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Speaking to New York Post, Tasj Rose went on to explain at length why she considers the vegan diet as the best for her baby. "I love animals and don’t agree with using them for our own means,” said Rose, who became a vegan from vegetarian in 2021.
She added that she feeds her daughter a nutritious diet of fruits, vegetables, seeds, and beans. She is still breastfeeding her infant and believes that a baby's optimum nutrition is obtained from breast milk. "I believe cow’s milk is for baby cows, and human milk is for baby humans. I am able to consent to who drinks or takes my milk from me, animals are not,” Rose noted, explaining why breastfeeding does not conflict with her ideals.
Addressing the huge amount of flak she recently drew on TikTok, Tasj Rose remarked, "My honest reaction to people who threaten [me and my daughter] because I choose to follow a plant-based diet is that they are uneducated and [have] ill-informed opinions without evidence or research to back them up." She aspires to promote the vegan baby diet and also educate more people on plant-based diets. "I hope to educate people about plant-based diets. I want to show them that it is healthy, and possible to do for themselves and also for their children," Rose said.
Health and nutrition experts argue that while a fully vegan diet is not unsafe for babies, parents always have to ensure that their children are being provided with all the necessary nutrients. In 2019, a vegan couple from Florida forced their infant son to a highly exclusive diet of mangoes, rambutans, bananas, and avocados, causing his death from malnourishment at the age of 18 months. The couple was arrested and charged with the death of their son.