Providing a healthy diet at an early age significantly reduces the risk of subsequent diseases such as diabetes, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, stroke and some types of cancer.
Balanced diet
Nutritionists recommend choosing to eat teens balanced in content and a variety of products. Daily in the diet should be: meat, fish or eggs, to get enough protein. Protein is important for the construction and restoration of the tissues of a growing organism. It is also recommended to use skim milk products - they are rich in vitamin D and calcium. Give the teenager whole wheat bread, as well as fresh vegetables and fruits every day.
Importance of breakfast
It is very important for teenagers to start the day with a nutritious breakfast to provide themselves with the energy needed during the day at school. Do not give the teenager in the morning foods at increased risk - fatty or sweet, exclude also chips, sweets and cookies. These foods are high in saturated fats and sugars, which do not have high nutritional value, but cause dependence. Their frequent use increases the risk of heart disease and obesity. The main rules of nutrition say that between meals is better to eat foods that are low in calories, such as cheese, fruit or yogurt.
Beverages
Try to limit the amount and frequency of adolescent consumption of sweet carbonated drinks. They are extremely harmful due to high levels of sugar, artificial colors and caffeine. Caffeine can lead to loss of calcium in the body and increases the risk of osteoporosis in later life. Caffeine is abundant in energy drinks, chocolate, tea with ice and coffee. The maximum permissible (although also undesirable) dose of caffeine for a teenager is not more than 100 mg per day. In general, teens need a lot to drink. To prevent dehydration of the body, it is better to choose healthy drinks, such as plain or mineral water, milk, juices.
No fast food!
Studies show that adolescents often eat unhealthy food outside the home. The main rules of fast food - delicious, high-calorie and small portions. And the taste is almost always achieved with the help of artificial amplifiers (sodium glutamate). Fast food, which teens often prefer, is characterized by a high concentration of saturated fats, cholesterol and salt. Experts recommend for lunch to eat food that contains the whole group of nutrients. It can be boiled rice, chicken, bananas, yogurt and mineral water.
The most important microelements for a teenager
Necessity for nutrition of teenagers of calcium is the highest at this age. Calcium is needed to strengthen bone and dental tissue. Insufficient consumption of it during the growth of the body can lead to osteoporosis in adulthood. In low-fat cheese, milk and yogurt contains the greatest amount of calcium. It is desirable that the teenager consume more green vegetables and fish.
Iron is another important mineral for the body of adolescents, especially for girls. Iron deficiency leads to a feeling of fatigue, loss of appetite, weakening of the immune system and anemia. Iron-rich foods: meat, dried breakfast cereals and legumes.