If you're a teen, you might prefer pizza, burgers, sweets and cola to healthy foods because they're readily available and they taste good. However, you might be missing out on the excellent benefits of eating healthy foods, such as healthy hair and skin, strong bones, better athletic performance and long-lasting energy that powers you through your busy days.
Empty Calories
Teens get 40 percent of their calories from foods low in nutrition but high in sugar, fat and calories. These include sugary soft drinks, french fries, doughnuts, candy, granola bars, pizza, bacon and hot dogs, according to study results published in the October 2010 "Journal of the American Dietetic Association." These foods give teens far more calories than they need each day and are one reason why three in 10 teens are overweight. Manage your weight and get the nutrients your body needs by replacing empty-calorie foods with nutrient-dense foods like whole grains, lean proteins, fruits, vegetables and foods rich in healthy fats, such as almonds, avocado, olive oil and fish.
Calcium
Your teen years are a time of significant growth, and many teens don't get the 1,200 mg of calcium they need each day. Your body needs calcium for optimal growth and to lay the foundation for strong bones throughout life. Cut back on soda and other sugary soft drinks, which may weaken your bones. Instead, get bone-strengthening calcium from skim or reduced-fat milk, calcium-fortified juice, leafy greens and low-fat yogurt and cheese.
Iron
Many teens don't get enough iron in their diets. That puts you at risk for iron deficiency anemia, which can make you feel weak and tired. Your body needs iron to make healthy red blood cells capable of carrying oxygen to all parts of your growing body. Teenage boys need 18 mg of iron per day, while teenage girls need 15 mg. Include iron-rich foods like beans, red meat, chicken, fortified whole grains and leafy greens such as kale and spinach in your diet each day.
Protein
Protein is a nutrient necessary for the building and maintenance of all your body's cells and tissues. Getting enough protein isn't usually a concern for teens, because most get twice as much as they need from foods such as beef, eggs and cheese. However, if you're one of a growing number of teens who follows a vegetarian diet, it is possible to fall short. The Vegetarian Resource Group advises you to eat protein-rich foods like nuts, beans, seeds, tofu, peanut butter and soy milk along with a variety of whole grains and leafy green vegetables. It's not necessary to eat special combinations of foods at any given meal; eating a variety of healthy foods throughout the day will give you all the protein you need, says the VRG.
Vitamin B-12
Most teens get enough vitamin B-12, a nutrient necessary for a healthy brain and neurological system. However, vegan teens who don't eat eggs, dairy or fish, which are top sources of the vitamin, may fall short of their needs. To avoid a vitamin B-12 deficiency, be sure to include fortified soy milk and cereal in your daily diet.
References
- The Ohio State University Extension Fayette County; Need to Improve Children’s Eating; Pat Brinkman
- Helpguide.org; Nutrition for Children and Teens; Maya W. Paul, et al.
- Vegetarian Resource Group; Vegetarian Nutrition for Teenagers; Reed Mangels, Ph.D., R.D.; 2007
- Healthy Children: A Teenager’s Nutritional Needs
