Healthy-Stealthy

// Healthy Eating for Teens // By Dong An  “Where are you going for lunch today?” It’s a question most students at Deer Park or any other school would ask when their tummies start to get hungry. The common reply is: “McDonalds”, “Wendy’s”, “Pizza Pizza” or some other fast food place around school.

Many of you may know this and not care, but fast food is junk. They are high in fat and calories, while low in minerals and nutrients. Why do we eat it then: simple, because it tastes good. But just think about the food, for example, fries are usually potatoes fried in animal fat and grease. Do you really want to eat that stuff? It doesn’t help your body at all.

For teens, this is a time of puberty and change and your body needs extra nutrients to support bone growth, hormonal changes and, organ and tissue development. Unfortunately, most teens are not eating a balanced diet and getting enough of the nutrients needed. The major 2 are calcium and iron.

Calcium is incredibly important for bone growth. During puberty, bones can still absorb calcium. When you get older, you stop absorbing and start to lose calcium. Strong bones prevent bone damage in future life. While males are meeting the standards for 1300 mg/day, girls are only averaging 1000 mg/day. This is due to low intake of dairy products. Girls (and guys), to boost calcium intake, eat: Salmon Almonds Broccoli Figs And lots of dairy products

Iron is also crucial for your developing bodies. For females, iron is needed for menstruation. For males, it’s needed for lean body mass development. Here are some foods that are high in iron: Eggs Nuts Tofu Soy Products Beef Chicken Potatoes Apricots Beans