Your teenager may be taller than you, but he is still growing and developing. Sue Rodwell Williams and Eleanor D. Schlenker report in their book, "Essentials of Nutrition and Diet Therapy," that teenagers still need to consume adequate amounts of multiple vitamins in order to complete the growing process and enter adulthood as a healthy individual. Knowing what the most important vitamins are for your teen will help you offer the most nutritious foods possible as he finishes developing.
Vitamin A
Many teens are lacking a sufficient amount of vitamin A, which is essential for proper and healthy eye development as well as for the health of your teen's skin. Diets high in saturated fats and sugar from foods like pizza, cheeseburgers and ice cream, result in lower levels of vitamin A, report Williams and Schlenker. If your teen typically consumes these types of foods, add foods rich in beta-carotene, which your teen's body will convert to vitamin A. Offer your teen cantaloupe wedges or carrot sticks as a snack or serve baked sweet potatoes as a side dish at dinner. Dark green and yellow vegetables, such as spinach and yellow bell peppers, are additional sources that will help you increase how much vitamin A your teen consumes.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C works to prevent infections that could make your teen sick and also aids in proper muscle and bone formation, Marjolijn Bijlefeld and Sharon K. Zoumbaris, report in their book "Food and You: A Guide to Healthy Habits for Teens." Many teens lack sufficient amounts of vitamin C because their diets are low in fruits and vegetables. Different fruits and vegetables supply a good amount of vitamin C, including citrus fruits, berries, broccoli, bell peppers and tomatoes. Adding fresh produce to your teen's meals and snacks will help increase her levels of vitamin C so she is able to continue developing properly. Increased vitamin C may also reduce the number of times your teen gets sick.
Vitamin D
Many teens are deficient in vitamin D, a vitamin that works with calcium to create strong and healthy bones, teeth and muscles. A diet low in vitamin D often results in softening of the bones as well as dental problems. Adding food sources of vitamin D can help your teen continue growing a strong skeleton and may also help prevent dental disease. Bijlefeld and Zoumbaris report that the best sources of vitamin D are fortified milk, egg yolks and fish. You can also increase the amount of time your teen spends outside because the sun is another important source of vitamin D. A few minutes of unprotected sun exposure will increase levels significantly, but encourage your teen to use sunscreen if he is going to be outside any longer than that.
References
- "Essentials of Nutrition and Diet Therapy"; Sue Rodwell Williams and Eleanor D. Schlenker; 2003
- "Food and You: A Guide to Healthy Habits for Teens"; Marjolijn Bijlefeld and Sharon K. Zoumbaris; 2001
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