A Teenager’s Nutritional Needs

Have you heard of the saying, “You are what you eat”? The body is in a rapid growth stage from puberty through early adulthood. As you age, you make more choices that affect your body and health. To support proper growth and development, teens need a nutritionally balanced diet, physical activity, and adequate sleep. A diet high in nutritious foods can benefit a teen’s overall health as well as:

Energy is used to help you grow. The calories consumed from foods and drinks measure the energy your body uses to function daily. Due to growth spurts, the body demands more calories during early adolescence than at any other time of life. How many calories you need each day depends on many factors, such as:

Each teen’s daily eating routine, or diet, should include various foods and drinks high in nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, lean protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Teens should try to limit the amount of saturated fats, added sugars, and sodium they consume daily. Listed below is advice for teens from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025, regarding making more nutritious choices.

Vegetables contribute many valuable nutrients like fiber, potassium, and vitamins, which can help you have a healthy heart, kidney, and eyes and may protect you from infections. It is important to vary the types of vegetables that you eat as each vegetable has different nutrients that can assist you in various ways. Teens ages 14 to 18 should try to consume about 2.5 to 4 cups of vegetables each day.

Some vegetable choices are:

Fruits, like vegetables, are filled with vitamins, minerals, water, and fiber. These nutrients help with brain function. For example, oranges and grapefruits are good sources of vitamin C. This