1. Don't skip breakfast.
Over 20% of teenagers skip breakfast, a trend typically blamed on oversleeping or the desire to shed unwanted pounds. Generally, skipping breakfast deprives the body of much-needed nutrients, and fuels intense 'hunger pangs' that leads to pigging-out later on. Having a healthy breakfast is essential for jump-starting metabolism.
2. Increase calcium intake.
The recommended daily dose of calcium is 1,200 milligrams, but many pre-teens and teens fall short of that amount due to poor eating habits. You can get calcium rich foods from yogurt, low-fat cheese, soymilk, fortified orange juice, and almonds. Sufficient calcium intake helps strengthens bones and teeth in growing teens.
3. Make healthier choices at fast food restaurants.
Substitute high-caloric Big Whoppers and bacon-double-cheeseburgers with better alternatives like veggie burgers. Omit cheeses, mayo, and sauces from other burgers to reduce the amount of fat and sodium you eat. Remove the skin from fried chicken and you've lowered calories by 120, and sodium by 510 milligrams.
4. Choose healthy snacks.
Potato chips are now healthier than ever. Although many brands offer 'baked', 'low sodium', and 'fat-free' options, chips are still junk food, so eat them in moderation.
Perhaps the healthiest snacks for teens is fruit. Add fruits to yogurt then top with nuts or granola and you've created an instant treat. Fruits can be frozen then pureed to make slushies, popsicles, and sorbets.
5. Count your vegetables.
Another healthy eating tip for teens involves increasing the servings of vegetables. Fill 'half' of your plate with a colourful selection of vegetables. Divide the remaining section equally. Use one portion for lean meats, fish, or eggs - that leaves the remainder to include brown rice, pasta, potatoes, or whole grain bread.
6. Become a vegetarian.
A growing number of teenagers are choosing to become strict vegetarians. Vegetarian diets are healthy and provide substantial nutritional needs for young adults. However, the absence of meat products can trigger deficiencies of iron (an essential mineral for teen girls), Vitamins C and D, and B12. Balance any deficiencies by incorporating more fruits, vegetables, and non-meat sources like fortified tofu.
7. Make your own food.
This is the surest and healthiest way for teens to develop good eating habits. Fast food may be convenient and tasty, but even with healthier menu choices, fast foods still contain high salt and fat content. By making their own food, teens accept responsibility to control portion size and ingredients.
8. Eat, don't diet.
To achieve optimal well-being, eat three balanced meals daily (or preferably four smaller meals). Try to incorporate low-fat snacks between meals to fill in gaps.
Dieting unfortunately doesn't work and is not recommended for anyone age thirteen to eighteen. Dieting also affects your ability to excel in sports, and contributes to poor academic performance in the classroom.
9. Drink plenty of liquids.
Teens should drink plenty of water - an amount based on their age, weight, and height. Drinking water is essential for hydration and also for removing toxins from the body. Filtered water, sugar -reduced drinks, green tea, and rice milk counts towards your liquid intake, as does watery fruits like watermelon and pears.
10. Eat a wide variety of foods.
Food variety motivates teens to quash boredom caused by eating the same foods every day. Get creative with sampling foods from other cultures or become adventurous trying grocery items you don't normally eat. Variety also means increasing nutrient intake by selecting foods from the major food groups:
* Fruit
* Vegetables, legumes
* Lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts
* Bread, cereals, pasta rice
* Dairy