Top 5 Critical Nutritional Requirements For Teenagers (13 Years & Onwards)
Teenagers donât always eat well-balanced nutritional meals. Teens need extra nutrients to support bone growth, hormonal changes and organ and tissue development, including the brain. Parents are having some serious concerns when it comes to nutritional requirements for teenagers (13 years & onwards).
Are you worried that your teen is not eating properly and may not be getting the required nutrition? Do you want to plan out a meal chart that your teen will find interesting enough to eat? Does your teen love eating junk food and you want to encourage the benefits of eating at home?
If you are facing any of these issues with your teenâs food habits, read on to more about the nutritional needs for teenagers and what you can do about it.
Young people experience many changes during their tween and teen years. Building healthy food and physical activity habits will help them now and as they enter adulthood.
Nutritional Requirements For Teenagers
The teenage years are a time of rapid growth and development, so a healthy balanced diet is particularly important. Healthy, active young people can have large appetites.
If youâre a parent of a teenager, itâs important to make sure to include an equal proportion of nutritional requirements in their meals; rather than loading it with too many snacks that are high in fat, sugar or salt.
The teenager should be eating a healthy balanced diet that matches their energy needs. This should be made up of the 4 main food groups which comprises of:
Fruit and vegetables
Beans, pulses, fish, eggs and other proteins
Fruit and Dry fruits
Potatoes, bread, rice, etc.
Dairy and alternatives
Letâs have a look at the must eat nutrients that your teen needs during these crucial years:
1. Eating Enough Iron
Iron is important nutritional requirements for teenagers which helps boost in making red blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body so it is important for teenagers to get enough iron, especially teenage girls who are at increased risk of iron deficiency anaemia.
The good sources of iron include:
Wholegrain cereals
Leafy green vegetables such as spinach and watercress
Pulses
Dried apricots or figs
2. Protein â Important Nutritional Requirement
Protein is extremely important for your teenâs growth and development. It helps to build, repair and maintain the tissues in your teenâs body (1). In order for the body to grow and maintain muscle strength, it is very important to consume proteins. On an average, around 45-60 gm of protein is required. Consuming non-vegetarian food can easily make your teen obtain protein from meat and fish. Whereas, vegetarian food supplies protein from pulses, beans, soya, etc.
Some very good sources of protein for your teen are:
Beans
Soya
Meat, eggs, fish
Yogurt
Other foods that are rich in protein are peanut butter, almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, tofu, and kidney beans.
3. Carbohydrates â Important Source Of Energy
Carbohydrates are a very essential nutritional requirements for teenagers.
Simple carbohydrates are the ones that are naturally available in fruits, vegetables, milk, and milk products and are a good source of energy.
Complex carbohydrates are also a good source of fiber and continuously provide energy. You should ensure your teen eats more of complex carbohydrates and less of simple carbohydrates
The rich resource of carbohydrates include food items like:
Simple carbohydrates â milk, milk products, fruits, vegetables.
Complex carbohydrates â whole grain food items, legumes, starchy vegetables, and cereals.
4. Vitamins & Minerals
If your teen has a balanced diet, he will get his requisite dose of all the essential nutrients. Vitamins and minerals increase your teenâs immunity and protect him from various health conditions like anemia, night blindness, weakness and so on.
Some of the rich source of Vitamins & Minerals are:
Milk
Yogurt & Cheese
Eggs
Leafy veggies
Seasonal fruits
You can also add nuts, green leafy vegetables, whole grains, avocados, bananas, beans, and peas to your teenâs diet....................Read More
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