Why is it important for teenagers to eat healthy foods?

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheGhIffu9Tc5SN1Kn713FrgCvBNZu6rgQ4tubvfnjKmFxLhBU51an1qzefxY7Z4ltPvfuZdFmmGPdcOyzlAhNAjFIWhw3W9CUfOLxjqZFGR7W-ZH5y7LwJneDbeSVUwAFzvfSM6p7l8aKe/s1600/Healthy-Eating.jpg

When teens hear the word “healthy”, they automatically think about working out and exercising. Many teens don’t realize that how one eats is a big factor of how “healthy” you are. During your teenage years, it is especially critical to eat healthy. There is increased growth in teens both physically and mentally, leading to a sudden need for energy. This energy, of course, comes from the food you eat. And what you eat and where you get your energy can have a huge effect on how healthy you are. Here’s an example. You have a nice red apple in front of you. And a bag of salty, oily potato chips. Which one do you want? Mmmm… Those chips look delicious. You want to eat that. But what’s really more important? That happy five minutes of crunching on those chips? Or the detrimental effects that lies hidden inside that bag? The negative effects outweigh those few minutes of pleasure.

EFFECTS of EATING HEALTHY: Increased growth during your teenage years require many important nutrients including protein, calcium, iron, folate, and zinc, depending on which part of the teen’s body is growing at the moment.  Out of these nutrients, iron, protein, and calcium are crucial to a teen’s health and the stages of growth that they are going through.  For example, iron helps one’s brain function and circulatory and immune systems.  Iron is a particularly important nutrient in girls going through menstruation.  Protein helps with the muscle growth that a body needs while growing.  In order for a person to grow in the first place, however, a person will need to enlarge the frame of their body, or their skeleton, and to do this, they will need a lot of calcium.  During puberty, the body sends signals to absorb as much calcium as it can, as the need for skeletal growth is increased. Eating well improves performance. Supplying your body with the right nutrients helps it perform its best. You want to ace that math test? You have to feed your brain what it needs. You can’t do it if you snack on junk food and skip breakfast.  Also, eating healthy can give you better skin. No one likes those zits dotting their face, right? Fortunately, eating healthy can decrease acne breakouts. Eating unhealthy foods that are greasy and high in fat clog pores and causes acne to form. Long-term health effects are potentially more serious. Eating right builds a strong foundation for life later on. Last years millions of Americans were diagnosed with cardiovascular disease and countless numbers had strokes. These were caused by plaque buildup in the arteries, caused by unhealthy eating. Eating junk food basically puts a ticking time bomb in your body. How you eat as a teenager inevitably determines your health later on in life.

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

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

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/feeding-your-teenager

How do you determine the recommended daily caloric requirements?

Calories, calories, calories.  To many uninformed teens looking to lose weight and become “healthier,” calories seem to be all they care about.  But rather than trying to lessen the number of calories taken each day, consuming the right amount of calories for your body is a much healthier alternative practice.

What are Calories?

The term “calories” does not refer to a physical particle that your body consumes.  Calories are a unit of measurement measuring the amount of potential energy stored in food.  All macronutrients hold calories, and there is nothing inherently bad about them.  However, consuming more calories of food than is necessary for your body can cause weight gain in fat and this can lead to mobility, breathing and sleeping problems. Consuming less calories than needed can also lead to health problems such as malnutrition, and you may often feel fatigue and nausea.

How many calories should I eat per day?

http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/images/scale_caloric_balance.jpg

How many calories you should consume per day depends on many things, such as age, gender, activity and growth level, height, and weight.  However, the simple guideline of 2,400 to 2,800 calories per day for boys and 2,000 to 2,400 calories per day for girls works well for the average teen who walks or jogs about 1.5 to 3 miles per day.  Teens who exercise more than this should increase their caloric intake accordingly.  For more customized information, use this basic formula. Boys: 45-45 calories/weight in kg. Girls: 40-45 calories/weight in kg. For more accurate information on the number of calories you should be getting per day use these formulas: for boys, 1.6[(12.7 x height in inches) + (6.23 x weight in lbs) - (6.8 x age in years) + 66], and for girls, 1.6[(4.7 x height in inches) + (4.35 x weight in lbs) - (4.7 x age in years) + 655].

Sources: http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/estimated-calorie-requirement

http://www.wikihow.com/Calculate-Your-Total-Daily-Calorie-Needs

What is the importance of carbohydrates, protein, and fat?

Macronutrients in our body are nutrients that provide calories and energy for daily bodily function. There are three macronutrients: carbs, fat, and protein.

http://proshapefitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/carbs.jpg

           Carbohydrates, or carbs, provide 4  calories per gram. They are the macronutrient   we need most of, but not necessarily the most important one. Structurally, they are made of carbon and water (oxygen, hydrogen), hence the name.  This vital nutrient is needed in large amounts in order to properly fuel our body.  45%-65% of our daily caloric intake should be from carbohydrates. Suggested intake is at least 250 grams per day.  Due to this, carbohydrates are our body’s main source of fuel and energy, which are easily used.  In fact, carbohydrates   are needed for the central nervous system, the kidneys, the brain, and the muscles in order to work properly.  In addition, all of the tissues and cells in our body uses carbohydrates for energy.  When carbohydrates are stored in the muscles and liver for later use, it is called glucose: this allows the energy to be stored for later use.  In addition, carbohydrates are important for intestinal health and waste elimination. There are two types of carbs: simple and complex. Simple carbs include fructose (sugar found in fruits), and glucose (sugar found in our blood). These are all made of monosaccharides (the most basic unit of carbs). Carbs with two monosaccharides are called polysaccharides. These include sucrose, which is found in different types of plants. Hundreds of monosaccharides put together are called polysaccharides, and make up the complex carbs. These include glycogen (main energy storage in our bodies). Polysaccharides take a longer time to fully digest, therefore providing energy for an extended period of time (in comparison to simple carbs). Carbs are found in breads, pasta, rice, potatoes, and fruits. 

http://www.functionalfitmag.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/High-Protein-Foods.jpg

            Protein provides 4 calories per gram. Protein is made of amino acids, which is chemically made of hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon. It is suggested for you to consume around 50 grams of protein everyday. 10%-35% of your daily caloric intake should come from protein, which is found in foods such as meat, poultry, and fish.  The main function of protein and the most well known is for healthy growth and development - especially in children in their young ages.  Protein also serves as tissue repair for the body, and for healthy immune system function.  Among the more important purposes include making essential hormones and enzymes and serving as a source of backup energy.  Finally, protein preserves lean muscle mass in our bodies. Foods high in protein include eggs, fish, beans, nuts, and lean meat.

http://www.dennisreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Healthy-Fats.jpg

           Fat provides 9 calories per gram consumed. Fats are made of lipids, which are similar chemically to carbs. Even though fats are often portrayed as being bad and unhealthy, a certain amount is actually needed for the body. Your total fat intake should be around 75 grams, preferably ≤25 grams of it should come from saturated fat. 20%-35% of daily caloric intake should come from fats.  This macronutrient is also needed to supply energy to the body and for natural growth and development.  In addition, fat helps to absorb fat-soluble vitamins for the body such as vitamin A, D, E, and K.  Fats also provide necessary cushioning for the organs, while maintaining cell membranes in the body. Triglycerides, which is the fat that we get from foods, produces high-energy for your cells. Fats in general are used as long-term energy storage. Lastly, fat provides taste, consistency, and stability to food. Healthy sources of fat come from all kinds of nuts (including walnuts, macadamia nuts, almonds and peanuts), fish, avocado, tofu, and olive oil. 
          All three macronutrients are equally important in our bodies for daily function and activity.  In order to maintain a healthy lifestyle, it is important to consume the right amount of nutrients, while limiting the consumption of others.  As you can see, carbohydrates, fat, and protein serve multiple purposes which enable us to thrive.

 Sources: www.extension.iastate.edu/humansciences/content.carbohydrates
                 http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/protein 
                 food-management.com/archive/fats-role-heathfuldiet

What key micronutrients are important for teen health?

http://www.research.nestle.com/asset-library/PublishingImages /images/Resources/vegetables.jpg

Micronutrients serve a big part in helping teens stay healthy. Micronutrients aren’t smaller or not as important as macronutrients, and are in fact just as important as them. They are just required in smaller quantities. These include minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and vitamins, including Vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B7, B9,  B12, B13 C, D, E, and K.

Minerals

There are many main minerals needed for a body to function, and these include calcium, phosphorus, potassium, iron and zinc. Trace minerals, such as copper and iodine, needed in tiny quantities.  However, the lack of any of these minerals can have a large impact on your health. Calcium, as stated before, is important in the development and growth of bone-structure.  However, calcium is used for and is a very important part of many other body functions, such as the contraction of muscles and blood vessels, and the release of various hormones. Calcium is also a major component for teeth and nail growth. Phosphorus works with the B vitamins and helps your kidney, muscle contractions, normal heartbeat, and nerve signals. Dairy products and leafy green vegetables are a big supplier of calcium in daily life. Iron is important for your body because it is needed to transport oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. It is especially critical for girls, as they lose a lot of this mineral during menstruation. Foods like meat, tuna, salmon, eggs, beans, baked potatoes, and leafy green vegetables are all rich in iron. Potassium is necessary to keep your muscles and nervous system working properly and makes sure the right amount of water is in your blood and body tissues. Potassium rich foods include bananas, tomatoes, oranges, and legumes. Zinc assists your immune system, as well as cell growth and healing of wounds. Beef, pork, lamb, and legumes are rich in zinc.

Vitamins

Each vitamin is vital for your well-being.  Vitamins are categorized into two groups: fat-soluble and water-soluble. Water-soluble vitamins include the B-complex vitamins, and vitamin C. B-complex vitamins are found in foods such as cereal grains, meat, poultry, eggs, fish and beans. Each of the many vitamin B’s have specific jobs, but overall, the B-complex vitamins assist in cell metabolism (keeping your cells alive) and breaking down macronutrients. Vitamin C helps to hold blood cells together, heals wounds, assists in bone growth [along with calcium], and maintains healthy blood vessels. Vitamin A helps maintain healthy vision, and makes sure your immune system (cells including the white blood cell) are healthy. It can be found in liver, carrots, and pumpkin. Vitamin D, found in salmon and tuna, helps the bone absorb calcium. Vitamin E is an antioxidant,  meaning it removes oxidizing particles [chemicals that destroy your cell structure]), which can be found in spinach and chard. Vitamin K assists with preventing blood from clotting, and can be found in foods such as broccoli, spinach, and kale.

Sources: http://www.takerx.com/vitamins.html

                 http://www.keymicronutrients.com
                http://kidshealth.org/kid/stay_healthy/food/minerals.html

What specific foods should you limit/avoid and why?

Ice cream, bacon, potato chips, candy - all of these foods are guilty pleasures.  Yes, they definitely taste good, but what they’re made out of isn’t so great.  The truth is that such foods are unhealthy for us, and it is in our best interest to limit or ultimately avoid these tempting treats. Your parents or doctor may have already warned you about the main devil in food terms: sweets.  Many things we enjoy to eat and drink such as frosted donuts and sweetened beverages are just a few of many.  However, now the deeper question becomes why?  Why can’t we eat these foods?

The simple answer is that these types of foods have high levels of unhealthy sugar which may lead to or cause other problems.  Research proves that consuming sweets causes weak bones, obesity, tooth decay, and high caffeine levels.  Some specific sweets you should limit or avoid are soda, sugar, and artificial sweeteners.

http://nakedlaw.avvo.com/files/2012/03/food1.jpg

http://alcachofahealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/ldl-vs-hdl-cholesterol.jpg

Another unhealthy culprit are foods that consist of high levels of trans fat and free radicals, such as fast foods.  These foods may not be sweet, but they lead to inflammation and weight gain.  The vegetable oils used in the process of making these types of food are extremely unhealthy.  Vegetable oils may sound healthy, but in actuality are worse than many other types of oils, because of the procedure in which they are made; the rapeseeds they are made from are overheated and treated with many chemicals. Additionally, the processed meats used in fast foods are high in calories, fat, and sodium levels.  In addition, some of these processed meats have preservatives which can change into toxic chemicals for your body. The free radicals found in these foods are basically abnormal atoms that causes oxidation. Free radicals contribute to heart attacks, stroke and cancers. Lastly, it is best to stay away from salty foods.  Foods with high salt levels may increase the risk of a stroke and cardiac failure, while draining calcium from your bones.  Even though you need some sodium to survive, the organic form is the best for you. 
          Another important thing to note is that there are two types of cholesterol: good and bad. Contrary to popular belief that cholesterol is bad for you, you actually need the good, healthy type of cholesterol to survive. The good type is HDL, or high-density lipids, and the unhealthy type is LDL, or low-density lipids. HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol both have basically the same thing; it’s just that HDL has everything compacted while LDL is a looser blob of everything. Both have chemicals that help cells grow and creates hormones, but the difference between them is huge. HDL’s are able to float freely in the blood, reaching wherever they need to go to do their job (usually the liver). On the other hand, LDL’s are blotchier and mover more clumsily. This causes them to clump up on the sides of blood vessels. This is minor at first, but slowly accumulates and puts your blood vessels at risk of getting clogged up completely. This leads to heart attacks and strokes. The only problem is that junk, unhealthy foods are filled with LDL cholesterol and barely have any good cholesterol, leading to heart disease and strokes.

The next time you pick up a sugary donut or a handful of chips, remember how it affects you on the inside.  It is okay to eat unhealthy once in awhile, but not all the time.  It is important to limit yourself and to know how to do so.

Source: www.healthassist.net/conditions/food-avoid.shtml
http://health.howstuffworks.com/diseases-conditions/cardiovascular/cholesterol/difference-between-ldl-and-hdl-cholesterol1.htm

Three Day Meal Plan

* Remember: in addition to eating these foods, be sure to drink adequate water throughout the day. Use the eight-eight rule. Eight 8-oz. cups of water everyday :) *

DAY I

Breakfast: Whole wheat bread spread with peanut butter; one scrambled, organic egg, one 8 oz. glass of low-fat milk, one banana

Lunch: One cup of brown rice; grilled 4 oz. skinless chicken breast with grated parmesan cheese, two cups romaine salad with spinach, tomatoes, avocados, and onions with cranberry vinaigrette

Snack: One cup of nonfat, plain Greek yogurt with fresh blueberries and granola

Dinner: One baked potato with low-fat sour cream and green onions; 5 oz. fillet baked wild Atlantic salmon; steamed broccoli, carrots, and green peas

DAY II

http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/food-my-plate-breakfast-portions-19800936.jpg

Breakfast: Whole wheat waffles with blueberries, strawberries, and pecans; one glass (8 oz.) calcium-enriched 100% orange juice

Lunch: Turkey and ham sandwich on whole wheat bread with mozzarella cheese, romaine lettuce, and sliced tomato, bottle (500 mL) of water

Snack: One apple sliced with peanut butter dip

Dinner: Plate of romaine salad with grilled shrimp, spinach, kale, onions, cherry tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, feta cheese, two slices garlic french bread, bowl of chicken noodle soup

DAY III

Breakfast: Whole wheat bagel with low-fat cream cheese, smoked salmon, bowl of steel-cut oatmeal with one cup of fresh strawberries

Lunch: Whole wheat pita bread filled with grilled chicken, zucchini, black bean, diced tomatoes, cottage cheese, bottle (500 mL) of water

Snack: Small cup of edamame, couple carrot sticks with hummus

Dinner: Roasted rack of lamb (fatty sections removed) with rosemary, garlic, and black pepper, brown rice, grilled tomatoes, asparagus, and artichoke