Why Eat Healthy?

Why Eat Healthy

There are many reasons why it is very important for teens to eat healthy. Teens should eat healthy because proper nutrition promotes the optimal growth and development of teens.

Healthy eating can help prevent different type of diseases and problems. Healthy eating helps prevent high cholesterol and high blood pressure. It also helps prevent heart disease such as cancer and diabetes. It is important to eat healthy in the early years of your life, because it takes years of good eating to prevent diseases.

Also, If you eat healthy, with a lot of calcium in your diet, your bones and teeth will grow strong. This will prevent osteoporosis, which is when your bones get weak and brittle. It is harder to take in calcium in your later years of your life. Eating healthy also helps strengthen your muscles. If your muscles are not strong enough, you cannot perform daily activities such as taking the trash out and cooking your food. Eating healthy can also affect you mentally. You are also able to focus better with proper nutrition, and won’t get light headed easily. Healthy eating can also reduce the risk of developing obesity, iron deficiency, and dental cavities. When healthy, you don’t run out of breath easily because oxygen gets carried around your body efficiently. This helps athletic performance.

Sources
www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/nutrition-for-children-and-teens.htm

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Pages/healthy-eating-teens.aspx

http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Eating_tips_for_teenagers?open

http://www.nutrition.com.sg/he/heteens.asp

http://www.betterhealthusa.com/public/268.cfm

http://www.livestrong.com/article/413268-importance-of-healthy-eating-for-teens/

Factors Affecting Caloric Requirement

Factors Affecting Caloric Requirement

Teens have different caloric intake needs based on a few things. Gender is one of them. Girls need less calories than boys because they don’t have testosterone and have less muscle tissue. Since more muscle burns more calories, boys need to take in more calories. Boys generally need 5-10% more calories than girls, unless the girl is pregnant. Age and activity level also affect caloric intake. An aging body replaces muscle with fat, which burns fewer calories than muscle does. When you are active, you burn more calories. So more active teens need more calories. Very active teens will need 3.5k calories per day while less active teens need less. Bigger and taller kids will need more calories than small and skinny kids as well.

Sources
healthyeating.staple.com/determine-calorie-intake-children-555l.html

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/Dietary-Recommendations-for-Healthy-Children_UCM_303886_Article.jsp

http://www.exercise4weightloss.com/teen-calorie-intake.html

http://www.livestrong.com/article/403229-what-is-the-recommended-caloric-intake-per-day-for-teenagers/

http://www.sevencounties.org/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=45509&cn=1342

http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/how-many-calories-do-teenagers-need.aspx?CategoryID=51&SubCategoryID=165

Macronutrients

Macronutrients

Macronutrients are nutrients that provide calories and energy. The nutrients absorbed are needed for a healthy lifestyle and growth. Each one affects the body in a certain way. The prefix macro means large, thus these macronutrients are needed in large amounts. Teens are very active and have unique nutritional needs and need more of everything they eat. Teenage years are the primary time for growth and it is important to get the appropriate nutrition so teens may grow to their full potential. Macronutrients are not necessarily more important than micronutrients but rather they require a higher percentage of your diet.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates produce fast burning energy, which is a reliable source of energy for the human body. Carbohydrates should occupy about 45-65% of you daily calories. Carbohydrates provide energy in the form of glucose (sugar). Having the appropriate intake of carbohydrates allows for a healthy digestive system as well as health blood sugar. Healthy sources of carbohydrates include whole grain bread, pasta, brown rice, corn, and grains.

Proteins

Proteins are the second key macronutrient. Proteins are made up of amino acids and contribute to muscle growth and muscle rebuilding. Protein should occupy 10-35% of your caloric intake depending on your activity level. Proteins are an essential for healthy growth during teenage years. Some healthy sources of protein include seafood, white meat, dairy products, nuts and certain seeds. For vegetarians soy products are a good substitute for dairy.

Fats

Fats are the final essential macronutrient.

Fat is needed for normal healthy growth in teens. However certain fats such as trans fats and saturated fats should be avoided. Unhealthy fats can be found in most fast foods and having too much of these fats could lead to unhealthy cholesterol later on in life. A better alternative is unsaturated fats. Fats should contain about 25-35% of a teen's daily diet. Some health sources of unsaturated fats can be found in olive oil, nuts, avocados and fish.

Sources

http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/teenagers-need-carbs-7230.html

http://www.livestrong.com/article/431401-should-teens-have-protein/

http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/symptoms-little-fat-teens-diet-2140.html

http://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/teen/nutrition/Pages/A-Teenagers-Nutritional-Needs.aspx

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=specialneed&dbid=6

http://christopherbean.com/blog/healthy-living/5-reasons-why-you-should-choose-wheat-bread

http://www.atasteofkoko.com/baked-herbed-salmon/ 

http://crucafe.com/need-know-olive-oil/

Micronutrients

Micronutrients

Vitamins

Vitamins and minerals are the 2 key micronutrients. These are just as important as macronutrients but humans require less of them. There are many types of vitamins some of which include Vitamin A, C, D, E, K, and B. Although vitamins don't provide the body with energy, they are extremely helpful for other things. For example vitamin A helps with vision while vitamin E helps with healthy skin. Some good foods to get these vitamins from include Sweet potato, fish, and citrus fruits.

Minerals

Minerals help build strong bones so you can do simple things such as standing up straight and walking. Minerals also help with strong healthy teeth. Some types of minerals include Calcium, iron, potassium, and zinc. Bones are made of calcium and calcium helps with muscle contraction transmitting messages through nerves. If you are not getting enough calcium the body will take calcium from the bones which leads to weakened bones. Iron is found in red blood cells that carry oxygen from you lungs. Potassium also contributes to muscle contraction and also allows for healthy digestive system. Zinc helps with cell division and helps with the immune system as well. Some healthy sources of minerals include Dairy products such as milk and cheese. Fruits and vegetables are also a great source of these vitamins and minerals.

Sources

-http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/good-food-teens-micro-macro-nutrients-2190.html

-http://lf2012summer10002.blogspot.com/2012/07/what-key-micronutrients-are-important.html

-http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/nutrition/vitamins_minerals.html

-http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/vitamins-minerals/micronutrients-what-they-are-and-why-theyre-essential.html

-http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/micronutrients/en/

http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/nutrition/calcium.html

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/138063544802089733/

http://wordpress-01.exnet.iastate.edu/iamincontrol/seasonal-eating-citrus-fruits/

http://dreamatico.com/milk.html

Foods to Eat vs. Not Eat

This entry will outline what foods you should and should not eat and why they are good/bad.

- Carbs

There are basically two types of carbs, good and bad carbs. Good carbs are carbs that have not been refined in any way, the reason why refined carbs are bad is because when the carb is refined all of its nutritional value is pulled right out. Carbs that have been refined when ingested into the body get turned into glucose almost instantly which means that the pancreas cannot create insulin fast enough meaning the glucose has to get stored as fat. On the other hand carbs that have not been refined when ingested into the body takes a longer time to turn into glucose meaning you body can use it more and less of the glucose becomes fat.

-Fat

Their are three types of fat, trans, saturated and unsaturated. The only fat that is good for you in the unsaturated fat. unsaturated fat stays a liquid at room temperature meaning that you will have less artery clogs meaning less disease. Saturated fat is a fat that at room temperature is a solid, this means that if you eat it there is a likely chance that this fat will get stuck in you arteries and create clogs. Trans fat is like saturated fat except that it has gone through a presses called hydrogenation this makes the fat hard at room temperature and is the worst fat of all three because it turns the fat not just solid but hard.

-Protein

Proteins are used in your body to repair tissue, repair bones make blood but proteins also have a high amount of calories. Proteins that come from red meats especially have a lot of calories you want to stay away from red meat because of this. If you have too many calories that can start to build up in you veins and eventually clog leading to strokes and heart attacks. meats like chicken and turkey should be eaten because they have a lower amount of calories.

Sources

http://www.personaltrainingsf.com/8-foods-every-teen-should-avoid

http://lf2011a1130spring8.blogspot.com/2011/05/foods-that-active-teens-should-avoid.html

http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/healthy-eating-for-teenagers

http://www.drugs.com/cg/healthy-diet-for-adolescents-12-to-18-years-of-age.html

http://lf2011b83013.blogspot.com/2011/12/what-foods-should-teenagers-avoid.html

3 Day Meal Plan

This entry outlines what foods you should eat and breakfast, lunch and dinner if you are constructing a healthy three day meal plan for the average teen.

-Breakfast

The foods you should be eating during breakfast should be foods with a high amount of unrefined carbs like oatmeal,whole grain toast, quinoa, etc. Not refined carbs like pastries, cereal, white bread etc. Fats should be eaten but only foods with unsaturated fat like nuts, certain vegetables, etc. You should avoid eating saturated fats like butter, oil (canola), etc. Only a small amount of protein and sugar should be eaten, foods like eggs, fruits, vegetables, nuts, etc. should be eaten and not foods like sausage, bacon or sugar cereal. These foods will help you start the day with a lot of energy to perform the needed tasks for the day ahead. An example of a good breakfast would be oatmeal with apples in it, a scrambled egg and some sort of nuts.

-Lunch

Lunch should be relatively the same as breakfast except that you should have more vegetables. You should still have some carbs but not as much as breakfast. Your protein should also be lower than breakfast. The main food in your lunch should be vegetables to give you vitamins and minerals. An example of a good lunch would be a salad with chicken in it and a little bit of dressing or a turkey sandwich with lettuce and tomato inside and fruits fruits for a side.

-Dinner

Your dinner should be different then both lunch and breakfast. You want to cut back on the carbs because you do not need that extra energy during sleep. You want to increase vegetables and limit fat but still keep some protein. You want the vitamins and minerals that vegetables before you go to sleep so that you'll have a better time sleeping and feel better in the morning. A good dinner would be chicken with a salad/ mixed vegetables with some nuts.

-Snack and Beverages

Your snack should consist of either fruits, nuts or carbs. A snack should be used as a boost if your ever hungry or need energy. Carbs, fruits and nuts will help you fulfill those needs. Some good snacks would be crackers, fruits like apples/oranges or nuts like almonds of cashews. Your beverages should consist of either milk or water. Other drinks give no nutritional value because of their high sugar content. milk and water are good because milk gives you calcium which a growing teen needs and water quenches your thirsty without the added sugar.

Sources
http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20676415,00.html
http://www.cookinglight.com/eating-smart/smart-choices/healthy-lunch-ideas
http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20576053,00.html
http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/9-healthy-predinner-snacks