Why is it important for a teenager to eat healthy foods?

           It is vital that teens do the best they can to properly fuel and nourish their bodies. During these teenage years, the food that teens are consuming not only affects their present day life, but also the future of their bodies and health.
        Healthy eating contributes to the physical and mental growth of teenagers. During this time in teens' lives, the body in undergoing many changes. Eating foods that will benefit the body and help it correctly grow, but it is important to not only eat healthy foods, but also eat different types of food in different proportions. A growing body needs balanced levels of different nutrients to help it grow. Also, at this age, many people are going through growth spurts. It is important that the body is fueled correctly, so a teen doesn't limit their maximum height.
        Not only does the decision to eat healthy affect the physical development and looks of a person, but it also has effect on the mental development of teens. The correct sources of food, nutrients, and sugars should be provided to the brain, so that it can develop correctly and maintain its healthy state. An example of affecting a person's brain and mental development (though a bit extreme) is consuming beverages that contain alcohol. It is illegal for teens to drink these substances because it destroys the brain and helps to ruin mental development.
        Eating healthy foods during the teenage years is also a time when teens can develop good eating habits for the future. Right now, our family and friends highly influence the way we eat, and there are many unhealthy options (like fast food) that are available for us to eat. It is vital that teens learn now how to make the correct decisions when regarding food because soon, we will be on our own and will have to make our own food choices. Every piece of food consumed can affect the energy level and focus of people. So teens need to learn make choices that will benefit them in school, sports, and other activities.
        It is especially important for athletic teens to carefully watch what foods they are consuming and make healthy choices. It is very necessary for athletes to make choices that will help them to perform to the best of their abilities. This blog will help to explain the importance of the different food choices and macronutrients that play a role in the lifestyles of athletic teens.

Sources:

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

http://www.childrenshospital.org/az/Site988/mainpageS988P0.html

How do you determine the recommended daily calorie requirement for a teenager?

So what is a calorie anyway? A calorie is actually a measurement of energy. It is defined as the energy needed to increase the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1°C.
On the other hand, caloric intake is basically the amount of calories consumed. The caloric intake for an average teen varies since it is based on the individual and their personal lifestyle. Teenagers in general need to intake more calories than any other age group (adolescence and adults). This is because this is the time of their life where teens are growing and maturing, causing their metabolism to rise.
But we're not talking about the average teen right now. These are teens that play sports, run, and are engaged in some kind of activity. See, teenagers who are active and get a lot of exercise, need to intake more calories than the "average teen". This is because they need a great amount of energy from calories in order to fuel their body and stimulate tissue growth.
Athletic teens need around 2,000-5,000 calories a day. You're probably thinking, "Why such a big range?" Well, most teens will actually have different calorie requirements. There are important key factors that affect caloric intake: it all depends on the athlete's height, weight, how active he/she is, and even gender.
Is there such thing as athletes not eating enough calories? Yes. If athletes don't eat enough food, their performance will drop in sports or any other physical activity. Rather than building muscle, they might even break down muscle. Without the correct amount of calories, athletes can't reach their highest potential. They wouldn't be able to run as fast as they could. They also wouldn't be as strong. Extreme cases of caloric restriction can actually cause teens’ growths to slow and can cause other health risks.

Sources:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/408916-the-recommended-calorie-intake-for-teenagers/

http://www.scientificpsychic.com/health/cron1.html

What is the importance of carbohydrate, protein and fat for an active teen?

Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are important nutrients for growth, metabolism, and other things for your body to run smoothly.  All of these are called macronutrients, which means that you need all of these nutrients in large amounts.

Carbohydrates:
        Carbohydrates are a large group of compounds, which are made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen and can be broken down to release energy in a body.  Out of all three of the nutrients you need carbohydrates in the largest amounts.  These are the main source of your body's fuel, which means your going to be very tired and not able to perform your best for whatever sport or activity a teen is in.  Carbohydrates are used very easily by bodies for energy.  Carbohydrates give you a short term amount of energy.  The tissues and cells of our bodies can use the glucose in it for energy.  The central nervous system, kidneys, lungs, and muscles need carbohydrates to function properly as well.  Athletes should try to take in as many carbohydrates as possible.  It is recommended for carbohydrates, that they should consist of about half of the daily calorie intake, which is about 45% to 65% of the total daily calorie intake.  Carbohydrates can be found in different types of foods: Whole grain breads, high-fiber cereals, pastas, rice, beans, fruits, and vegetables.

Proteins:
        Proteins are large molecules made up of one or more long chains of amino acids. Proteins are a necessity for teens doing high intensity workouts.  Teen bodies need proteins in order to grow, it is a very important time to be healthy as a teen because your body is still growing and developing.  This nutrient is essential for the growth and repair of skin, hair nails, bones, tendons, ligaments, and muscles.  Proteins also help to repair tissue in teen bodies.  They also help make teens immune function, which helps teens to fight off diseases because if a teen is sick they won't be able to do anything active.  The proteins in teen bodies also help to make hormones and enzymes.  Also proteins give you energy when a carbohydrate cannot. For protein it is recommended that 15% to 35% of the total daily calorie intake would be the appropriate amount of protein to eat. Teens can get protein from: Low fat milk, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, beans, lentils, and soy products.

Fats:
        Fats are made up of fatty acids and some are good for you while others can do harm to a teens body.  Having fats in small amounts is a valuable source of fuel for long duration of activities; especially for endurance sports such as cross-country, soccer, etc.  Fats are important after athletes have burnt up all of their body's energy from the carbohydrates.  This is because fats are good for energy over long periods of time.  Some bad fats are trans fats and saturated fats.  The good fats are unsaturated fats.  Trans fats can be found in processed foods like cookies, cakes, French fries, and donuts.  Trans fats can raise LDL, which is bad for cholesterol levels.  But it can also lower HDL, which is good for your cholesterol levels.  Saturated fats can be found in red meat, egg yolks, butter, coconut oils, and cream.  It can clog arteries, cause heart disease, diabetes, and other sicknesses.  Teens should have no more than 25%-35% of the total daily calorie intake.


Sources:

http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/food-nutrition/healthy-eating/macronutrients-in-sports-nutrition.htm
http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/sports-nutrition-course-fat.html
http://lowfatcooking.about.com/od/lowfatbasics/a/fats1004.htm

What specific foods should you limit or avoid?

What you eat highly affects how you preform. Highly salted foods, sugary foods, fatty and fired food, and caffeine my lower an athletes performance at some point in time.

Sugary foods and drinks will supply an athlete with energy. However, this energy won’t last long. Non-natural sugars will burn up quickly in one’s body, thus in turn fatiguing the athlete. Foods with natural sugars should be eaten, but not in extremely high quantities. Apples and grapes are good examples of naturally sugared foods that can be eaten. Foods such as cookies, and candies are all sugar foods that will burn extremely quickly and make the athlete burn out really fast.

Shoyu on rice, potato chips and ketchup! How does that sound? What do these foods all have in common? The answer is salt. An athlete should only have about 2,500 mg of salt per day. Keep in mind that one teaspoon of water in 2,325 mg. Salt is needed to help transmit nerve pulses through one’s body, and to help maintain the right balance of fluids. Too much salt can cause an athlete to be dehydrated due to the chemical compound of salt. Salt is chemically NaCl which is sodium chloride. This specific molecule is polar which means that it is attracted to water, thus taking it from one’s body. If an athlete has too much salt they may become dehydrated very quickly. Remember the water an athlete drinks during a practice is only a replacement for the water that has been used and should have been drank during the day. Salt is also used as a preservative in many canned and packaged foods. Try to buy fresh produce to avoid the salty preservatives.

Fats other wise known as lipids come in two types; they are saturated and unsaturated. All fats are connected to a three-carbon back bone called glycerol. Attached to the glycerol are carbon chains linked to hydrogen on the out side of every carbon connected to each other. Saturated fats contain the maximum number of hydrogen molecules that can connect will the carbon chains. Saturated fats are the types of fats that one finds in animal products and butter. Aside from saturated fats there are unsaturated fats in which have a “break” in the link of carbon chains because one carbon molecule does not have the maximum number of hydrogen molecules linked to it. Products of unsaturated fat include olive oil, corn oil, and vegetable oil. Based on this current information gathered, one can conclude that if an athlete needs to eat fat or ends up eating fats, they should avoid saturated fats that come with animal products. Yet, some fat is still needed for the body. Fat is used for insulation and as a last resort of energy. It’s found in the subcutaneous layer of the skin and keep the body warm and keeps fluids from leaking out of the internal body. When at the grocery store, think about buying meats with 93% fat free or more if available. The amount of protein an athlete needs should not be sacrificed for the amount off fat that comes with it. Protein is especially needed for muscle growth and endurance

Another type of food athletes should really try to avoid eating are fried foods. Overall fried foods are bad for everyone’s health. However, there are two ways to fry. There are deep fried foods and pan fried foods. When deep frying foods less oil is absorbed, thus being less fat in the food. This is because when the oil is hotter it doesn’t soak into foods as well as it does when it’s a little cooler when being pan fried.

Soda and coffee are the two main drinks known for caffeine. Caffeine caused people to be more energetic, but for others it becomes more difficult for them to concentrate. Even so, caffeine is a short lived source of energy that burns out quickly and may make an athlete feel fatigued when the caffeine wears off. This is why people drink coffee in the morning. To get them more energetic and awake in the morning. However, there are other side effects of caffeine including higher blood pressure, increase in cholesterol, and sleep disturbances.

Lastly, three to four hours before engaging in activity, dairy products should not be consumed. This is because milk digest slowly and can cause an athlete to feel nausea, purge, or have cramping.


Sources:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sodium/NU00284

http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/treatments/healthy_living/nutrition/life_adolescence.shtml

http://www.iloveindia.com/nutrition/sports/foods-to-avoid.html

Three-day Meal Plan

*Throughout the day, it is important for athletes to constantly drink water*


Day 1:

Breakfast:

- 1 cup of orange juice

- 2 scrambled eggs

- 1 slice of whole wheat toast with 1 tablespoon of jelly

- 1 cup of yogurt with granola, and 1 chopped strawberry,  ½ chopped banana, and 3-7 blueberries

- 1 banana

Lunch:

- 1-2 peanut butter and banana sandwiches on whole wheat bread
- 2-3 cups of Grapes
- 1 cup of Guava Juice (preferably diluted)

Dinner:

- Taco salad - includes organic lettuce, tomatoes, chopped lean turkey meat cooked w/ garlic, onions, tomato sauce and chili powder, grapes, chopped carrots, cucumbers, cut up chedder cheese, with zesty Italian dressing (to proportion), and whole wheat taco chips

- 1 1/2 cup of skim or low-fat milk

- french bread (or whole wheat for healthier option) with small amount of margarine

- 1 chocolate chip cookie

Day 2:

Breakfast:

- Acai bowl: 2 cups Acai berry blend, 1 chopped banana, 3 cut strawberries, tablespoon of blueberries, 2 tablespoons granola, and 2 tablespoons of honey

- 1 blueberry scone

- 1 cup of apple juice

Lunch:

- 1 square of Lasagna
- 1 serving of garden salad with small amount of ranch dressing
- 1 cup of lemonade (preferably diluted)

Dinner:

- Ginger glazed salmon sprinkled with basil and garlic
- 2 scoops of ½ brown and ½ white rice
- 1 cup of Edamame beans lightly seasoned with salt and pepper
- 1 ½ cup of skim or low-fat milk
- 1 small piece of apple pie

Day 3:

Breakfast:

- 1 cup of apple juice
- Omelet with tomatoes, ham, spinach, and 1/4 cup of chedder cheese
- 2 Biscuits with small amount margarine
- 5 strawberries with pinch of brown sugar

Lunch:
- 1 Turkey Croissant Sandwich: 2 slices of turkey, 1 slice of cheese, 2 slices of tomato, 2 pieces of lettuce, tiny portion of mayonaise or butter

- 1 handful of carrot sticks or baby carrots
- 1 cup of Lilikoi juice (preferably diluted)


Dinner:
- Chicken Parmesan: 1-2 pieces lightly seasoned and grilled chicken breast, 1-2 servings of whole wheat spaghetti w/ marinara sauce, and ¼ a cup of melted cheese

- Caesar salad on the side: lettuce, a few croutons, light (healthier) caesar dressing

- 1 1/2 cup of skim or low-fat milk

- 1 scoop of vanilla ice cream with a tiny amount of low-fat chocolate syrup

Post Athletic Activity:

- 1/2 - 1 cup of chocolate milk (not too much, esp. between athletic events)

- 1 banana (or other fruits)

- Gatorade or other drinks are good after athletic activity to replenish sugars and electrolytes




Mid-day snack ideas:

-1 lightly salted and peppered avocado
-carrot sticks
-grapes/oranges/sliced apples/other fruits
-Whole wheat crackers w/ cheddar cheese

-1 or 2 healthy oatmeal cookies

Sources:

http://www.wheatfoods.org/AboutWheat-why-eat-whole-grains/Index.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/treatments/healthy_living/nutrition/life_adolescence.shtml
http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/sports/eatnrun.html#

Bibliography

http://www.livestrong.com/article/413268-importance-of-healthy-eating-for-teens/
http://www.childrenshospital.org/az/Site988/mainpageS988P0.html
http://www.scientificpsychic.com/health/cron1.html
http://www.livestrong.com/article/408916-the-recommended-calorie-intake-for-teenagers/
http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/food-nutrition/healthy-eating/macronutrients-in-sports-nutrition.htm
http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/sports-nutrition-course-fat.html
http://lowfatcooking.about.com/od/lowfatbasics/a/fats1004.htm
http://www.iloveindia.com/nutrition/sports/foods-to-avoid.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/treatments/healthy_living/nutrition/life_adolescence.shtml
http://www.wheatfoods.org/AboutWheat-why-eat-whole-grains/Index.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/treatments/healthy_living/nutrition/life_adolescence.shtml
http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/sports/eatnrun.html#