School's in Session: Nutrition for Growing Teens

Hi All,

What follows is from www.myfoodmyhealth.com.  I have written about my friend Caroline Nation's online meal planning site before.  There is a great deal of good information there.  It's certainly worth a look, particularly if you or a family member has food allergies or other issues (diabetes, etc.). 

Cheers,
Peter

We all know the teen years are a time of rapid physical, emotional and intellectual growth. But did you know teens have a special set of nutrition needs to grow, develop and learn? They do. With the start of the school year, it's the perfect time to load your shelves and stock your fridge with healthy and delicious foods that will give teens the nutrients they need as they change and grow.

 Calories that matter. Teens with their growing bodies need more calories for growth and energy. Many experts say this is around 2200 calories for girls and between 2500 - 2900 for boys a day. However, not all calories are alike. Swap out empty calories from soda, chips, candy and processed foods with powerhouse calories from whole grains, dairy, lean proteins and fruits and vegetables.

 Calcium to grow strong bones. Almost half of skeletal growth happens during adolescence. To support this growth, large amounts of calcium are important. Yogurt, cheese, greens, kale and spinach are all great sources of calcium. See your teen reaching for the potato chips or a high calorie "energy drink"? Steer them to some homemade kale chips or a yogurt and fruit smoothie instead. These will help build strong bones.

Protein builds muscle. Skip the protein drinks and supplements and go to whole natural foods for the best sources of protein. Fish and poultry provide lots of protein without the levels of saturated fat as red meat. Eating vegetarian? Try dried beans, peas, lentils, nuts and seeds, asparagus, greens, spinach, summer squash, coconut and tofu.

Iron for brain development. Iron is essential for brain development, carrying oxygen through the body and creating energy. An iron deficiency can lead to anemia, fatigue and weakness. Lean meat, poultry and fish are good animal sources of iron. Tofu, soy milk, chickpeas, lentils and white beans are other good sources of iron.

 Zinc. Zinc is essential for growth as well as immune and nerve function. A wide variety of foods contain zinc. Some teen favorites include spinach, asparagus, scallops, lamb, beef, maple syrup (yes maple syrup), shrimp, green peas, yogurt, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and turkey.

 B vitamins to give energy a boost. Teens need a lot of energy. To meet their energy requirements they need large amounts of B vitamins. Lean meats, sardines and salmon are all high in B vitamins. Looking for veggies high in vitamin B? Try dark green leafy veggies like spinach and kale.