Eating Healthy for Life

We all need around 2,000-2,400 calories each day. Depending on their size, a teenage girl often needs more milk than the rest of us (between 3-4 servings each day).  In this article we will look at how to plan healthy eating for teens in order that their body is being supplied with the right nutrients, vitamins, minerals and fiber each day to help it grow.

Unfortunately many teenagers do tend to eat lots of junk food and they often do not fulfill their daily nutrient requirements.  For most teenage girls you will find that they don’t eat enough foods in the meat and alternatives food group. Many will try to skip meals in order to stay thin, not realizing that this often has the opposite effect. 

Many teenage boys are addicted to fast food and they will often have competitions to see who can eat the most hamburgers in one sitting.  In fact eating has become a social activity for many teenagers around the world and both they and their peers will have an influence on them and what their friends eat. Is it no wonder that it is difficult to set up a plan for healthy eating for teens - and make it stick? 

Try to insure that your teenager eats at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables each day, as this drops the risk of them getting cancer by 20%. You may want to remind them that 1/2 million people would not have cancer each year if they had better diets.

Have your teens eat such foods as carrots, broccoli, tomatoes, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, garlic, onions, cabbage, beets, apricots, high fiber bread, tofu, soy beans and fruit as part of their diet.  This will help to provide some of the minerals, vitamins and nutrients that they need while they are still growing.

Here are some nutrients which are vital and should be included in any healthy eating for teens diet plan:

Zinc -  Zinc supports a healthy immune system, normal growth and development in adolescense, helps heal wounds, and is important to your sense of taste and smell.

Iron - Especially important to girls and can be found in red meats and iron fortified cereals.

Iodine - If you do not have enough of this in your diet you could develop goiters. Iodine supports the thyroid.

Vitamin D and Calcium - This will help make your bones strong and prevent you from getting osteoporosis in later life.

Vitamin A - Helps the immune system and will improve vision.

Vitamin E - Also very important for improving the immune system.

Fish Oil - An important nutrient to make the heart healthier.

Folic Acid - Especially important to girls as it helps your heart to stay healthy and also aids in giving birth to healthier children.

As you can see there are many reasons for ensuring that you have set up a healthy eating for teens diet plan as it will help them to develop without problems into their adult years.