Eating healthy is a term we hear a lot. What do you visualize when you hear someone mention eating healthy? Carrots, veggies piled high, tofu burgers, soybeans, and grilled chicken? Eating healthy doesn't need to be a downer. The average teen can easily get all the nutrients they need without experiencing all the heartache. Lets take a closer look why it is important to eat healthy.
Why it is important for teens to eat healthy?
Eating healthy is when you body receives the proper amount of nutrients and substance consistently in a good way. There are many benefits to eating healthy. First of all, you will feel energized. Feeling energized means that you have a positive list of goals and achievements that are often beneficial to you and others. When you are energized you can find yourself accomplishing more things and in a better mood. You can also learn better. You learn better on a full or partially filled stomach, partially because your body does not need to focus on getting energy and also because eating a good breakfast can help you have better short-term memory.[1] Eating healthy can help to reduce the risk of diabetes, asthma, heart disease, and some forms of cancer.
How do you determine the recommended daily caloric requirement for a teenager?
There are six main factors that affect the requirements needed for a growing teenager. The first is the rate of your metabolism, or your BMR (basic metabolic rate). The term is defined as the number of calories your body burns in the process of normal functions, such as digestion, respiration, cell construction, and temperature regulation excluding physical activities. The second is activity level, or basically the more active you are during the day + the more calories you burn = the more calories you need to consume in order to maintain those energy levels. The third is an individual's weight, which means the total mass of a person's body. The larger your body is, the more calories you need to consume in order to function. The fourth factor is LBM or lean body mass. Basically the higher your lean body mass is, the higher your metabolism rate will be. The fifth factor is age. As you get older, your body doesn't have a lot of capacity to do high-intensity activities. The caloric intake requirement decreases as you begin to age, but if you stay fit and active, then it may be vice versa. The last and final factor is gender. Due to body composition, male bodies tend to have a higher caloric intake than women because males have larger muscle mass than female bodies. With these six main factors, an individual can determine the caloric intake they need to develop a healthy strong body.
What is the importance of each Macronutrient?
Carbohydrates are made up of monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides. Monosaccharides and disaccharides are known as simple sugars. They are used to provide short-term energy. Polysaccharides are for medium-term uses. Forty-five to sixty-five percent of a person's daily caloric intake should include carbohydrates. Foods that contain carbohydrates are grains, vegetables, fruits, and milk. Proteins are made up of chains of amino acids. There is much proteins do. Examples are growth of bones and muscles. Besides being responsible for the growth of bones and muscles, protein also are a part of enzyme production and balancing the amount of acids and bases. Ten to thirty-five percent of a person's caloric intake should include proteins. To meet these requirements people should eat soy products, fish, eggs, and beans. Fats are made up of fatty acid chains to provide long-term energy. However, the long-term activity cannot be intense. Fats also provide insulation and protection to organs and the body. Twenty to thirty-five percent of a person's caloric intake should be of fats. There are several types of fats. The types of fats are saturated, unsaturated, and cholesterol. No more than ten percent of a person's diet should come from saturated fats. Sources of saturated fats include red meat, butter, and egg yolks. Unsaturated fats are divided into two categories. There are monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats are found in oils such as olive oil and canola oil. Polyunsaturated fats are found in oils like corn oil and sunflower oil. There are two types of cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL).
What is the importance of each Micronutrient?
The development stage from teenager to an adult requires the adolescent to take in a lot of important nutrients in order to grow healthy and strong. Teens go through emotional, intellectual, spiritual, and physical growth, which makes nutritional intake for teens as important as it is for a pregnant woman. Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals, and unlike Macronutrients there is a longer list of daily requirements. For example: both types of Vitamin A helps maintain normal vision, the immune system, and reproduction, plus it also helps your heart, lungs, kidneys, and other organs to function properly. Vitamin D is needed for health and to maintain strong bones, plus it helps absorb calcium from food. Vitamin E acts like an antioxidant, helping to protect cells from the damage caused by compounds formed when our bodies convert food we eat into energy or free radicals. There are several other micronutrients that help the body function properly and keep it from shutting down. Micronutrients are just as important as macronutrients because these vitamins and minerals play a key role in the development stages for teenagers.
What foods you should limit and/or avoid and why?
Teenagers should limit the amount of salt consumed because by eating a lot of salt a person can raise their blood pressure, which is not good. If a person's blood pressure is high, then there is strain on their heart, arteries, kidneys, and the brain. Examples of foods that are high in salt are potato snacks, soy sauce, and dry roasted nuts.Foods and drinks that are high in sugar should be avoided because the calories from consuming these products do not provide many nutrients for a teenager or anyone for that matter. Examples of foods and drinks that are high in sugar are drink powders and soft drinks, baked goods like cookies, and candy.The amount of saturated fats consumed by a teenager should be limited because if a person eats foods that contain saturated fats they are raising the level of cholesterol in their blood. By increasing the level of cholesterol they are increasing the risk of heart disease and having a stroke. Examples of foods that have saturated fats are meat products, baked goods, and fried foods.
THREE DAY MEAL PLAN Day 1BreakfastDried Egg Whites, Toasted Wheat Bread, 8oz of skimmed milkLunchHam and Cheese Sandwich on wheat bread, Carrot JuiceDinnerWild Atlantic Salmon Fillet, WaterDay 2BreakfastLarge apple with skin, honey nut cheerios with whole milkLunchShredded Lettuce with Ranch dressing, Cup of green teaDinnerBaked bean casserole, waterDay 3BreafastButtermilk Pancakes, Large Banana, Mango JuiceLunch100g of cooked couscous, WaterDinnerBoiled asparagus lightly salted, Sushi California Roll (2+), waterSnacksAlmonds, dry roasted pistachio nuts, or blackberries
Conclusion
The dietary needs of an average teenager are quite simple when broken down. With all the struggles and busy schedule one can see why it might be hard to keep on top of your diet and intake of calories, proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and so on and so forth. It is important that all key parts are regularly supplemented at the appropriate level, and the intake, along with being healthy, should be regulated and in moderation. Macro and micro nutrients need to monitored, as well as their sub components. Overall this would help a teen to eat healthy.
EATING HEALTHY IMPORTANCE SOUCE[1] "Brain Foods Pictures Slideshow: What to Eat for Better Concentration."WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 04 May 2014.
