When you are a teenager it is very important to eat a healthy diet.
This will help you with skin infections like acne and help you develop strong healthy bones.
Of course you can have a little treat every now and then, but too much could cause serious problems for you later in life.
Too much sugar in fizzy drinks, or too much saturated fat in takeaway meals are the things to avoid.
It is very important to eat a healthy diet as our teenage years are a time for us to grow and develop.
Young people often have large appetites and a sweet tooth, but we need to keep our diets and food intake balanced between healthy and unhealthy foods .
By eating healthy in your childhood it will give you less chance of developing obesity, heart problems, diabetes and many other serious illnesses.
It is also the key to a healthy mind set as well as clear skin, strong bones and muscles to support our sport, and activities.
Healthy eating habits can reduce high blood pressure and increase our immune systems so we have better ability to fight sickness and disease.
Eating a well balanced diet with proteins, minerals, fats, carbohydrates, and vitamins is best.
Nutrients that are important for teenagers include:
Calcium found in dairy products like yoghurt, cheese and low fat milk.
It is also found in canned fish like salmon or sardines, nuts and chickpeas, lentils and whole grain bread and cereals, brown rice and Oatmeal porridge.
Iron is also important and teenage girls especially should eat more foods like lean meat, chicken, eggs, or baked beans to increase their iron intake.
Vitamins like vitamin C and B12 are also important, so foods like oranges, and greens are good.
Eating a healthy diet provides you with more energy to get through the day
Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day to give you a boost.
Start off with a bowl of oatmeal or weetbix to give you energy and protein.
You can include berries and fruit, some low fat milk and whole grain toast.
Lastly it is important to keep your fluid intake up by keeping hydrated throughout the day- plain water is good for this.
Read more about teens and nutrition
You don’t have to eat less, you just have to eat right!
© gentlelifehacks.com| Author| Maddie| age 13 years.