Diets for teenagers

Developing Healthy habits

Teens are at a critical stage in growth and development, and eating a healthy diet will confer physical benefits. Healthy Habits Teens will soon be going out into the world on their own. They also smoke and drink less than other kids, and girls who have regular family meals have less incidence of eating disorders. That sounds like a lot, but teens are growing. In fact, prohibiting junk food may lead to greater consumption. According to World's Healthiest Foods, calcium and iron are especially important because they are necessary for the growth and development occurring at this stage of life.

Be a roll model

If your child is home alone after school, make a list of suggested healthy snacks to hang on the fridge.Tips for Healthy Eating for Teens Consider the following healthy eating tips: Always eat breakfast. Eat moderate portions yourself, as well, to set the example. By doing so, you can help them understand the components of a healthy diet and provide a foundation to make beneficial food choices. While it's probably unrealistic to think that teens will choose healthy foods all the time, there are some sensible rules you can put in place to encourage healthy eating in teens.

Work as a family

Make fast foods and dining out a sometimes treat rather than a regular part of family meals. Institute a nightly walk as a family or some kind of physical activity that gets everyone in the house feeling better about themselves. It can help to understand the basics of what teens require in their diets. It also increases the opportunity for family socialisation if everyone eats slowly and enjoys their meal. A supportive family environment and a house full of people who are also making healthy choices should help everyone get to their goal weight. Chewing slowly helps improve satiation, causes you to eat fewer calories, and improves nutrient absorption. Make sure to include some kind of protein for continued energy. 

If you have teenagers in your house, feeding them a healthy diet is essential. Remember to make supper healthy dinners as well. Even vegetarians sometimes eat junk food. It may be the only meal you have any control over, so make it count with good lean protein (remember the vegetable sources of protein as well), whole grains, a couple of vegetables and, if you want dessert, something fruit-based. Eat supper together as a family as often as possible.

Losing Weight as a Teen

If your child is overweight going into the teenage years and starting to feel self-conscious about it, you can help them lose by modelling healthy behaviour and making it impossible to make unhealthy choices when they are at home. These foods tend to be high in preservatives, sugar, and artificial ingredients. Teenagers still have a lot of growing to do, and they need proper nutrients to get them through their busy and active lives, set the example by eating healthy foods yourself and limiting the junk food available in your house. 

This may be difficult when everyone´s schedule is crazy, but research has shown that teens who eat with their families tend to have healthier diets when they're older. On, average a teenage girl needs between 1,800 and 2,200 calories a day, and  Boys need between 2,200 and 2,700 calories daily.  Teach teens which foods should be eaten in moderation and which make up a regular part of a healthy diet.

Caloric Requirements

Calorie requirements for teens vary just like they do for adults. Nutrients Teens should eat adequate calories and nutrient-dense foods that supply the vitamins and minerals they need. Encourage healthy eating at lunch by talking with your kids about the healthy choices available at school or in the fast food restaurants around school. By teaching them now how to make healthy food choices, you will be setting them up to become healthy adults in the years to come.

When there's no junk available, both kids and grownups make healthier choices. Teach your teens how to moderate portion size. Minimize sugar in the diet. Ban non-diet soda (you might want to cut diet soda as well) and fruit juice if your teen drinks a lot of it. Offer a varied diet with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Their bodies need a lot of fuel to support healthy growth and to get them through their crazy schedules. Eating the same foods repeatedly can lead to nutritional deficiency.

Healthy Diet Guidelines for teens 

There's probably not a teen alive who always makes healthy choices.  The key is not to nag a child or teen who needs to lose weight, because he or she will just end up rebelling, sneaking junk food or doing other things to sabotage personal health. Teaching teens how to eat right is not about telling them never to eat fast food with their friends. It would be even better to include some complex carbohydrates and a piece of fruit or fruit juice. Encourage attentive eating.

If your teen takes his or her own lunch, load it up with fruit, veggies, complex carbs and lean protein. Minimize processed foods that come in cans, boxes, bags, jars, and packages. Teens tend to gulp down their meals quickly. Make sure there are plenty of healthy snacks in the house for after-school munchies.