Introduction

In our blog, we will cover the recommended average teen diet. We will show what our body needs and why we need what we need. We will give a suggested 3-day meal plan, and we will show what can happen if a healthy diet is not maintained. Also, we will be discussing body image and how it affects what we eat, how much we eat, why we think about how we look, and how the affects of poor body image can hurt us in the future.

Importance of Teen Diet

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

• Lack of macro-nutrients in teen diet can lead to diseases later in life. Example: Lack of Calcium = osteoporosis.
• Healthy eating patterns early in teen years can lead to good healthy eating later in life and less chance of being obese.
• Helps you to control your body weight, so that you are not underweight or overweight
• Give you more energy to enjoy all kinds of physical activity, like surfing, football, and dancing
• support your body while you are growing and developing so that you reach your full physical potential
• Some studies suggest that what you eat affects your mood . A good balanced dit will make sure you have all the essential nutrients needed for your brain to function.

A healthy diet can help you avoid diet-related diseases. Examples are

1. heart disease
2. high cholesterol
3. high blood pressure
4. strokes
5. Adult-onset diabetes
6. many other cancers

Simple Carbohydrates like candy, bars and soda keeps the energy level going and avoid weight gain. Complex carbohydrates like whole-grain breads and cereals and combine them with protein-rich snakcs such as peanut butter.

"All-Natural Juices" or sodas can be filled with sugar. Sugar is technically a natural ingredient but having too much sugar in your body high amounts of calories

http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/nutrition/healthy_snacks.html#

http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetails.aspx?p=243&id=2162&np=292

The Recommended Teenage Daily Caloric Requirement

Each country has a different caloric requirement for teens. For example the U.S.' recommended caloric requirement for teenagers is higher than the European Union's teenage caloric requirement. However, many pediatric nutritionists and dietitians believe that it does not depend on the amount of calories you intake, it is more about creating a balances diet that will provide your body enough energy to function and grow.

Your calorie intake needs and nutrient needs will vary based on age, activity level, current weight and your growing needs. Between the ages of 12 to 18, many boys will experience several growing spurts during this time. A good amount of these growth spurts are in areas you cannot see such as: muscle tissue, organs, etc. So even if you think you are done growing, the fact is your body is still developing and growing somewhere. Therefore it is important to understand your teen calorie intake needs and overall nutritional needs. The best person to help you determine the proper teen calorie intake is your doctor.

Just as an approximate outline, here are some basic teenage calorie requirements.

Sources:

http://www.exercise4weightloss.com/teen-calorie-intake.html

http://www.weight-loss-center.net/calorie-needs-teens.htm

http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/nutrition/fat_calories.html