Teenagers Need Healthy Food: Nutrition Tips To Keep Teenagers Healthy

Teenagers need a wide variety of foods to stay healthy. They go through significant physical changes in puberty and need extra nutrition to fuel these changes. Healthy food contains nutrients important for growth and development, especially during puberty, but they need to eat healthy to reap the rewards.
Physical activity levels and developmental stages determine exactly how much healthy food teenagers need, but a child generally has an enormous appetite during puberty- it’s the body’s way of telling them to eat more. Food should include drinks to stay hydrated and help teenagers feel full.
Healthy drinks for pre-teens and teenagers
The cheapest drink- water is also the healthiest drink for your child. In most areas, tap water is fortified with fluoride that helps strengthen teeth. Essential for healthy bones, reduced-fat milk contains calcium and is also a good drink option for pre-teens and teenagers.
What is healthy food for pre-teens and teenagers?
For teenagers and pre-teens, healthy foods have nutrients that are found the 5 healthy food groups. Each group has different nutrients, but the body needs all of them so teenagers need to eat a range of foods across all 5 food groups.
The 5 healthy food groups are:
Fruit
Delivering vitamins, anti-oxidants, fibre, and water, fruit also gives energy- a necessary element for any teenager. The nutrients in fruit also help to protect a child against diseases later in life, including heart disease, stroke and some cancers.
Tip: Fruit and vegetables must be washed to remove dirt or chemicals, but edible skin should remain on as it contains nutrients.
Vegetables and legumes
Teenagers should be encouraged to choose fruit and vegetables or legumes at every meal and also as snacks. Different textures, colours, and tastes, both fresh and cooked make it possible to offer a variety.
Tip: If your teenager avoids fruit and vegetables, it helps if you are a healthy eating role model and your child is more likely to try something if you do.
Cereals and grains
Cereals and grain are found in things like bread, tortillas, pasta, breakfast cereals, couscous, corn, rice, quinoa, polenta, oats and barley and give your child energy to grow, develop and learn.
Tip: Choose wholegrain options whenever possible as foods with a low glycaemic index, like wholegrain breads or pasta will give a child longer-lasting energywhile keeping them feeling fuller for longer.
Dairy and dairy alternatives
Dairy foods such as milk, cheese, and yogurt are good sources of calcium and protein, things necessary in puberty to reach peak bone mass and build strong bones for life.
Dairy alternatives that are rich in calcium, such as calcium-fortified foods like soymilk, tofu, nuts, bok choy, kale, seeds, and tinned fish with bones can be offered to children who don’t eat or can’t tolerate dairy, but read food labels to see whether the food has good calcium levels.
Tip: Encourage your child to have different kinds of dairy each day – milk drinks, cheese slices, and bowls of yoghurt can be alternated.
Proteins- Meat and meat alternatives
Lean beef, veal, lamb, pork, goat, venison, chicken, turkey, and fish are meats. Alternatives include eggs, nuts, beans, lentils, chickpeas, and tofu. Rich in protein, these foods aid a child’s growth and muscle development, especially during puberty and also have useful vitamins and minerals such as iron, zinc, vitamin B12, and omega-3 fatty acids.
Tip: A GP or dietician can ensure a child’s diet is well-balanced and has enough nutrients, especially if they are thinking about choosing a vegetarian, vegan or other special diet.
Consider including a few different food groups at every meal and snack.
Foods and drinks to limit
Salty, low-fibre foods, fatty and sugary foods, and drinks with caffeine or a lot of sugar should be avoided or at least limited and can also leave room for more healthy everyday foods.
Allow “sometimes food” occasionally such as fast food, takeaway and junk food but keep in mind these can be high in salt, saturated fat and sugar, and low in fibre. These foods increase the risk of obesity and other health conditions like type-2 diabetes.
Sweet drinks such as fruit juice, cordials, sports drinks, flavored waters, soft drinks, and flavored milk are high in sugar and low in nutrients. Too many can lead to unhealthy weight gain, obesity, and tooth decay.
Beverages with caffeine aren’t recommended as caffeine could impact how much calcium the body can absorb. It’s also a stimulant that delivers artificial energy and can cause sleep problems and problems concentrating at school.
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