Adolescence stage or teen of human life is so important for healthy growth and this healthy growth defines later health of human life like adult and older age. Nutrition in this stage makes adolescent boys and girls so strong and healthy for the rest of the life. They need to learn this nutrition and foods for leading better, healthier and happier life. According to WHO ( World Health Organization ) , estimated 1.2 million adolescents died in 2015 due to different health complication which are totally preventable or treatable. Although the majority percentage is suicide, traffic accidents, respiratory infection, mental disorder and many more. Lack of nutrition is also a cause of death. So healthy diets for teens are so important to follow from this stage and this article is going to give some insights on nutrition for adolescent boys and girls.
Why Adolescent Boys and Girls Need to Know Nutrition
It is so common that adolescent boys and girls are careless to prepare healthy teenage diet plan and to consume nutrition according to the need of their body. They are found busy with school work or taking fast foods or processed foods which may have less health benefits. Foods define what we are and in the same way, foods for adolescent boys and girls also will define the future health condition. For girls, they may start menstruation and lose significant level of red blood which causes generalized weakness. Additionally, if this case is so severe, it might also affect the healthy condition during pregnancy. Still birth, miscarriage and baby birth injury may be common if girls don’t take required level of nutrition from their adolescent era.
Adolescent boys and girls need a lot of energy which should come from calories and according to health expert, adolescent boys need about 2600 to 3000 and adolescent girls need 2200. This calorie should be consumed and parents should observe it.
Weight gain is another big health concern for the adolescent boys and girls. Weight gain in this stage may be lifelong problem which may lead to more health complication due to obesity or weight gain. Adolescent boys and girls have a common problem like time management on taking foods and always they seek for fast process life fast foods, soft drinks full of soda, artificial sugary content for food consumption. So they need to avoid fast foods and go with natural ways not to miss required level of nutrition and should follow some foods which may be effective for teenage weight loss programs.
Adolescent boys and girls may be seen that they are very sluggish and don’t have stamina due to lack of healthy diets for teens. There are some boys and girls who want to stay at home and don’t go outside for taking part in sports. It is because of they don’t get stamina and they are not energetic. So they need to consume nutrition to make sure they are energetic.
Poor performance in the classroom is not expected by any parents. Adolescent boys and girls need to take omega 3 fatty acid and many other important nutrients to support their cognitive improvement to perform well in the class room. Most of the cases it may be seen that adolescent boys and girls don’t understand reading task or can’t develop IQ. In this case, nutrition can play very important role to improve brain development.
However, we are going to discuss some teenage nutrition facts which play very significant role for healthy growth.
Note: If you are teenage girl then you may like our another topic ” diets for teenage girls to live happily and beautifully ” .
Healthy Diets For Teens Important Requirement & Foods
Energy and protein requirement
All parents want their adolescent boys and girls grow and they manage to feed them different foods. Adolescence is so important stage for gaining height as well as weight. Protein and energy from calorie are most important for this stage and these components highly accelerate the growth pattern of adolescent. Cognitive development which means a good judgment and acceleration brain function also requires high amount of protein and energy. Dietary protein makes sure synthesis of new tissue and tissue repair in case of damage by free radicals. According to clinical study it has been found that shortage of required level of protein has life time health complication like prolonged weakness, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, cancer and lots of problems during pregnancy. So this adolescent age should consume those foods which are source of protein as well as energy requirement.
Minerals Requirement
Bone health and overall human body structural growth highly needs minerals and micro nutrients. Minerals help growth process highly in the area of skeletal mass, body size and body density. So these minerals and micro nutrients have crucial role for the adolescent boy and girls.
Iron Requirement
Some adolescent boys or girls may have slow growth or weak structure of body. It is because of lack of iron intake and most of the parents are so worried for their adolescent boys and girls. Rapid growth for lean body mass, increase of blood volume with red cell mass needs required level of iron. For boys, a sharp increase is common and they need approximately 10 to 15 mg iron per day. This intake can help form growth spurt, sexual maturation that inhibits sexual complication in the adult life.
For girls, Menstruation starts and girls lose high amount of blood which may weaken the overall health. They need surely 15mg iron to replace iron loss during menstruation. Health experts often recommend that boys and girls in this stage should seek for iron from dietary source or some foods which are good source of iron. According to study and research, it has been shown that high intake of iron for adolescent boys and girls improve cognitive function which accelerates a good academic performance lifetime. However, this iron may be lost due to infectious disease and parasitic infection which are common among adolescent.
Calcium Requirement
Formation of strong bone or skeletal ensures the whole life’s strong physical structure. There are different kinds of risk like osteoporosis or fracture in joint just due to lack of calcium intake in early life like adolescent. Calcium is highly so important for forming strong skeletal or bone health. Calcium is highly required for the development of accelerated muscular, skeletal and endocrine which signifies lifelong bone health. Parents should keep foods which are a good source of calcium to make sure your adolescent boy or girls are not going to be affected by bone fracture or osteoporosis.
Additionally, study and research are finding that the people who are suffering from this king of osteoporosis in older life had very lower amount of calcium intake. In the same way, In spite of being very old, a stick to support the body is not needed for the people who had required level of calcium.
Zinc Requirement
Adolescent is a very important state for overall body growth and sexual maturation. This increasingly growth needs effective minerals like zinc. Zinc is as important for bone health as it inhibits bone loss. Due to lack of zinc in this state, the growth factor may be slow and there are some adolescent who are short in size just because of food intake which don’t contain high amount of vitamins and minerals. Anyway, lack of zinc also may affect the overall physical health and development of sexual maturation that can be health complications in adult life.
Iodine requirement
Iodine significantly very important for adolescent boys and girls as it accelerates the high growth velocity and as well as it is most important during pregnancy. Most importantly, teenage girl needs proper amount of iodine to make sure the healthy growth of fetus. According to study and research, it has been found that iodine supplement during teenage era has powerful role in developing baby’s cognitive function. Most of the kids have very excellent IQ level while mothers have taken iodine during their adolescent time. This intake accelerates IQ level, excellent performance in the class in the classroom and mental development in adult age. Even, it also has been found that severe iodine deficiency is the leading cause of miscarriage, still births, learning disability and poor performance in the class room.
Additionally, adolescent boys also need to consume iodine to make sure their cognitive development. In this stage, proper intake of iodine has tremendous role in the healthy growth and prevents early health complication of the adolescent boys. If they don’t take this mineral, they can physically be sloth and their growth gets very slow.
Vitamins
The requirement of different vitamins has high demand for adolescent stage. Adolescent stage is the time when boys and girls grow very fast and this growth needs high level of vitamins to supply needed level of energy. Vitamins like thiamine, riboflavin and niacin have been recommended as most important vitamins for the release of energy from carbohydrates. Adolescent boys and girls grow their physical and sexual maturation that needs increased requirement of folic acid that is so important for teenage girls to prevent birth defects. The center for disease control recommends to consume 400ig of folate for all teenage girls.
In addition, in this stage, there is rapid growth of skeletal area that needs more vitamin D, Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin E for the overall growth that indicates healthy maturity in the physical condition. So parents should encourage to feed their adolescent boys and girls so that they are not going to face early health complications and can lead a healthy life for lifetime. This intake of vitamins is so important for their life because shortage of these vitamins may make them suffer from different health complication in older age.
There are some teenage food ideas which provide above nutrition and you as parents or adolescent boys or girls should be acquainted with these foods.
Dairy
It is common to see that parents are rushing after their kids with a glass of dairy milk. It is really true that milk has wonderful benefits for growth factor. Milk is also so important for teenage girls to gain high amount of iron and calcium. Teenage girls may drink dairy milk to support their growing body and growing body needs increased amount of vitamins and minerals. Luckily, milk can be best option to take those important minerals. Anyway, parents should focus on fat free or low fat dairy milk for their kids to make sure they are not getting fat content from this food.
Eggs
To make sure healthy growth of human body, there is no alternative way but taking nutrients. Effective nutrition plays very significant role in maintaining good health. Eggs are best choice for its varied role in health. It is a good source of zinc, lutein, choline and omega 3 which have powerful role in keeping us healthy. Adolescent boys and girls should consume egg for taking those nutrition and make sure they are going to lead a healthier and happier life for the whole life. So parents should also arrange egg for their kids and feed them for gaining longer health benefits.
Oatmeal
Adolescent boys and girls need to take protein to build muscle mass and figure out healthy body structure. Protein plays very important role for building muscle as well as weight management. Oatmeal is really a good source of protein and fiber. Fiber is also effective for digestion process and managing weight as healthy diet plan for teenage girl to lose weight. So it should be a good choice for adolescent boys and girls to go with oatmeal.
Fruits
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that works as tissue repair, immunization, acceleration of growth in the human body, a natural treatment of different disease. Fruits and vegetables are always great choice for the growing health because adolescent boys and girls grow and need high level of vitamins and miners. Luckily fruits can play very important role for growth of adolescent boys and girls. So you need to feed your adolescent boys and girls fruits like apples, banana, mango and seasonal fruits as much as possible. Seasonal fruits in the farmers market are available and when you are in the market, you should buy them as organic fruits. Anyway, fruits should be consumed as raw to gain high amount of vitamins and minerals.
Fresh Vegetables
It is needless to say that iron deficiency may lead to severe and long term health complication for the adolescent boys and girls. Dark leafy green vegetables are great source of iron, vitamin C and some important vitamins which work for fast growth of human being. It can be good way to gain high amount of iron if these fresh vegetables are consumed on daily basis. The most favorite choice of fresh vegetables may be carrots, cauliflower, tomato, broccoli and many vegetables which are dark green in color. Adolescent boys and girls should make a healthy and good habit by going with these fresh vegetables as this habit will define older health in later life.
In this case of consuming green and fresh vegetables, most of the adolescent boys and girls are not interested to consume this type of foods. They are more habituated of fast or processed foods. You as parents should teach the nutrition factor of these foods and make them aware for healthy growth. If this type of vegetables is not taken, some severe and long term health complications are common among teenage girls and boys. It is good to consume these vegetables as raw and green for gaining high amount of nutrients.
Peanut Butter
Peanut butter is another option for your adolescent boys and girls because peanut butter is also full of vitamins and nutrients. Iron is a great source from peanut butter. As adolescent boys and girls need high amount of iron as a component of hemoglobin in the blood which enhances energy in the body. Additionally, it is as important for teenage girls as they lose significant amount of blood due to menstruation. So parents should keep and feed it to their adolescent boys and girls. It is really one of the natural ways to make your adolescent boys and girls as healthy human in the future life.
Popcorn
Popcorn is obviously great choice for the adolescent boys and girls as well as it is full of nutrient that helps physical growth for them. It contains fiber and more important nutrition. This type of foods like whole grain, light butter and other form of foods can be so effective for gaining higher amount fiber. Popcorn is convenient and affordable for the parents and they can feed their adolescent boys and girls in order to physical development and proper weight management with its high amount of fiber content.
Tuna
You are parents and you can see that your kids can’t perform well in the classroom and it has been your major concern because their cognitive function is not excellent. According to research, omega 3 fatty acid intake for the kids or adolescent boys and girls can accelerate heavy brain power. Omega 3 fatty acid is available in tuna. You as parents can make best decision to keep this fish in your adolescent boys’ and girls’ diet on regular basis. Fish like tuna or salmon generally good for the healthy growth of brain and cognitive function as it contains omega 3 fatty acid which is considered as one of the helpful component for brain development. Before choosing this food, you need to make sure that you are not feeding mercury which is from fish that is cultivated in the water body where industrial wastage is disposed.
Spaghetti
Spaghetti is one of the popular foods for kids and adolescent boys and girls. Luckily this food is very affordable and parents can feed this food for their kids. Most of the kids love to take pasta and spaghetti can be used as pasta as homemade tomato sauce for their adolescent girls and boys. Anyway, health expert recommend that this kind of food play very important role in the physical and cognitive development. They can perform well in the classroom and become very energetic by taking this kind of foods. So adolescent boys and girls can take this food after school or as pre dinner meal on daily basis.
Cereal
Cereal plays an important role in adolescent growth and this can be parents’ good choice to feed the adolescent. Cereal is a source of plenty of vitamins and minerals which are so important for adolescent growth factor. Proteins, fiber and lower amount of sugar are available from cereal. These components are highly significant for adolescent growth in cognitive function and oval physical growth. Most of the adolescent boys and girls look so thin and are not energetic and can’t perform well in the classroom and it is because of the shortage of those components in early age of the adolescent.
Exercise and Nutrition
In modern age, it is common to see that kids are not going outside for taking part in sports and exercise. They are playing games on computer, watching TV, or doing something being confined in the room. Parents should be as careful in this matter as sitting at home without study or exercise is a reason of early obesity. Additionally, adolescent boys and girls are not fond of taking foods that contain nutrition. They always try to take foods which are tasty. Tasty foods are fast foods or processed foods which have less nutrition and health benefits.
So the parents also encourage their kids or adolescent boys and girls to take part in sports and games for enough physical movement as part of teenage weight loss program as well as healthy diet plan for teenage athletes. They also need to teach them nutrition requirement at this stage to make sure they are eagerly taking foods which have much nutrition to form healthy body. The stage of adolescence needs nutrition as well as physical movement as much as possible to be fit for the later life.
Conclusion
it can be said that healthy diets for teens on proper time can be effective and natural treatment to beat any kind of health complication. Adolescent boys and girls cross over vital stage of health as this stage signifies growth. The growth of the adolescent boys and girls also needs effective nutrition which can be gained from natural ways like foods discussed above.