Nutrition
You may wonder why you should eat healthy at your age. What's wrong with burgers, fries, and soda?
The fact is that poor eating habits now can set the stage for health problems in the not too distant future. For instance, did you know that heart disease can start as early as childhood? You may not get heart disease symptoms until you get older. But if you're eating a lot of unhealthy fats (like in those burgers and fries), those fats could be starting to clog your arteries right now.
Besides heart disease, unhealthy eating can lead to diseases like:
1- High blood pressure
2- Diabetes
3- Stroke
4- Some cancers
5- Osteoporosis
So it's never too early to start eating healthy. These sections can show you how to make healthy food choices and explain:
The fact is that poor eating habits now can set the stage for health problems in the not too distant future. For instance, did you know that heart disease can start as early as childhood? You may not get heart disease symptoms until you get older. But if you're eating a lot of unhealthy fats (like in those burgers and fries), those fats could be starting to clog your arteries right now.
Besides heart disease, unhealthy eating can lead to diseases like:
1- High blood pressure
2- Diabetes
3- Stroke
4- Some cancers
5- Osteoporosis
So it's never too early to start eating healthy. These sections can show you how to make healthy food choices and explain:
What nutrition is and nutrients are?
Nutrition is the process by which your body gets energy and nutrients from the food you eat. So what are nutrients? There are six types of nutrients:
1- Proteins
2- Carbohydrates
3- Fats
4- Vitamins
5- Minerals
6- Water
1- Proteins
2- Carbohydrates
3- Fats
4- Vitamins
5- Minerals
6- Water
About Proteins
Proteins (PROH-teens) are important substances found in every cell in your body. There are many types of proteins. Some help your cells get energy from the food you eat. Other proteins build up or repair your body. Proteins also help make your bones strong and help your muscles flex. There's even a protein inside your red blood cells that carries oxygen to every part of your body.
You can think of each protein as being like a long necklace with differently shaped beads. Each "bead" is called an amino acid (uh-MEE-noh ASS-ihd). Inside your cells, amino acids are strung together to form proteins.
Your body can make some amino acids but not others. When you eat meat and other animal products (such as milk, cheese, and yogurt), you get all the amino acids your body needs. That includes both the amino acids your body can make and those it can't make. For this reason, protein from animals is called complete protein.
When you eat foods from plants (such as beans or nuts), you're getting incomplete protein. It's incomplete because you're not getting all the amino acids your body needs. But one type of plant food will have amino acids that another type of plant food is missing. So to get complete protein from plants, you need to eat a variety of plant foods. For instance, if you eat both beans and brown rice, you can get complete protein. Or you can get complete protein by eating peanut butter on whole-wheat bread.
Good sources of protein:
1- Fish and shellfish
2- Poultry
3- Red meat (beef, pork, lamb)
4- Eggs
5- Nuts
6- Peanut butter
7- Nut butters
8- Seeds
9- Beans
10- Peas
11- Lentils
12- Soy products (tofu, tempeh, vegetarian burgers)
13- Milk
14- Milk products (cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt)
You can think of each protein as being like a long necklace with differently shaped beads. Each "bead" is called an amino acid (uh-MEE-noh ASS-ihd). Inside your cells, amino acids are strung together to form proteins.
Your body can make some amino acids but not others. When you eat meat and other animal products (such as milk, cheese, and yogurt), you get all the amino acids your body needs. That includes both the amino acids your body can make and those it can't make. For this reason, protein from animals is called complete protein.
When you eat foods from plants (such as beans or nuts), you're getting incomplete protein. It's incomplete because you're not getting all the amino acids your body needs. But one type of plant food will have amino acids that another type of plant food is missing. So to get complete protein from plants, you need to eat a variety of plant foods. For instance, if you eat both beans and brown rice, you can get complete protein. Or you can get complete protein by eating peanut butter on whole-wheat bread.
Good sources of protein:
1- Fish and shellfish
2- Poultry
3- Red meat (beef, pork, lamb)
4- Eggs
5- Nuts
6- Peanut butter
7- Nut butters
8- Seeds
9- Beans
10- Peas
11- Lentils
12- Soy products (tofu, tempeh, vegetarian burgers)
13- Milk
14- Milk products (cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt)
About Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates (kar-boh-HEYE-drayts) are a type of substance found in food. Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for your body.
You're probably already familiar with one type of carbohydrate — table sugar. But there are also other types of sugars. They're found naturally in fruits, vegetables, and milk. Your cells can change all of these sugars into glucose (GLOO-kohss), or blood sugar. Your cells "burn" glucose for energy.
Another type of carbohydrate is starch. Starches are made up of a lot of sugars strung together. Starches are found in vegetables such as potatoes, peas, and corn. They are also found in breads, cereals, and pasta. Your body breaks starches down into sugars.
Dietary fiber is also a type of carbohydrate. Unlike starch, your body cannot break fiber down into sugars. But you still need to eat fiber to keep your digestive system working well. Foods high in fiber include fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, and seeds. Whole-grain foods (such as whole-wheat bread, oatmeal, and brown rice) are also high in fiber.
Healthy and unhealthy carbohydrates:
Healthy carbohydrates include:
1- Natural sugars in fruits, vegetables, and milk
2- Starches in whole-grain foods, beans, peas, and corn
3- Dietary fiber
Unhealthy carbohydrates are those that raise your blood sugar level too much. The problem with having high blood sugar is that it can, over time, cause you to develop diabetes. Eating too much table sugar can do that. So can eating too much of other sugars that are added to foods. You can tell if something has added sugars by looking at the ingredients list on the package or soda can. Look for terms such as:
1- Corn sweetener
2- Corn syrup
3- Fructose (FRUHK-tohss)
4- High-fructose corn syrup
5- Dextrose (DEK-strohss)
6- Glucose
7- Lactose (LAK-tohss)
8- Maltose (MAHL-tohss)
9- Sucrose (SOO-krohss)
10- Honey
11- Sugar
12- Brown sugar
13- Invert sugar
14- Molasses
15- Malt syrup
16- Syrup
You're probably already familiar with one type of carbohydrate — table sugar. But there are also other types of sugars. They're found naturally in fruits, vegetables, and milk. Your cells can change all of these sugars into glucose (GLOO-kohss), or blood sugar. Your cells "burn" glucose for energy.
Another type of carbohydrate is starch. Starches are made up of a lot of sugars strung together. Starches are found in vegetables such as potatoes, peas, and corn. They are also found in breads, cereals, and pasta. Your body breaks starches down into sugars.
Dietary fiber is also a type of carbohydrate. Unlike starch, your body cannot break fiber down into sugars. But you still need to eat fiber to keep your digestive system working well. Foods high in fiber include fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, and seeds. Whole-grain foods (such as whole-wheat bread, oatmeal, and brown rice) are also high in fiber.
Healthy and unhealthy carbohydrates:
Healthy carbohydrates include:
1- Natural sugars in fruits, vegetables, and milk
2- Starches in whole-grain foods, beans, peas, and corn
3- Dietary fiber
Unhealthy carbohydrates are those that raise your blood sugar level too much. The problem with having high blood sugar is that it can, over time, cause you to develop diabetes. Eating too much table sugar can do that. So can eating too much of other sugars that are added to foods. You can tell if something has added sugars by looking at the ingredients list on the package or soda can. Look for terms such as:
1- Corn sweetener
2- Corn syrup
3- Fructose (FRUHK-tohss)
4- High-fructose corn syrup
5- Dextrose (DEK-strohss)
6- Glucose
7- Lactose (LAK-tohss)
8- Maltose (MAHL-tohss)
9- Sucrose (SOO-krohss)
10- Honey
11- Sugar
12- Brown sugar
13- Invert sugar
14- Molasses
15- Malt syrup
16- Syrup
About Fats
Fat sounds like something that you shouldn't eat. But your body needs some fat to grow and work well. Your body uses fats to make substances that it needs. Also, like carbohydrates, fat is a source of energy.
There are three major types of fat in food:
Unsaturated (uhn-SACH-uh-ray-tid) fats are found in olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil, nuts, and avocados. "Fatty" fish — such as salmon, herring, and mackerel — are also a source of unsaturated fats.
Saturated fats are found in red meats (such as beef, pork, and lamb) and animal products (such as butter, cheese, and all milk except skim). Saturated fats are also in palm and coconut oils. These oils are often used in ready-made cakes and cookies, as well as crackers.
Tran's fats are found in stick margarine and in fried foods, such as doughnuts and French fries. Like saturated fats, Tran's fats are often found in ready-made cakes and cookies, as well as crackers. When you see the words "hydrogenated" (heye-DROJ-uh-nay-tid) or "partially hydrogenated" in the ingredients list on the package, it means that the food contains Tran's fats.
Saturated and Trans fats increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, and perhaps other diseases. To help prevent these diseases, most of the fats you eat should be unsaturated. But even with unsaturated fats, you should only eat them in moderate amounts. Eating too much of any type of fat can cause you to gain too much weight. And being overweight or obese can also cause health problems.
There are three major types of fat in food:
Unsaturated (uhn-SACH-uh-ray-tid) fats are found in olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil, nuts, and avocados. "Fatty" fish — such as salmon, herring, and mackerel — are also a source of unsaturated fats.
Saturated fats are found in red meats (such as beef, pork, and lamb) and animal products (such as butter, cheese, and all milk except skim). Saturated fats are also in palm and coconut oils. These oils are often used in ready-made cakes and cookies, as well as crackers.
Tran's fats are found in stick margarine and in fried foods, such as doughnuts and French fries. Like saturated fats, Tran's fats are often found in ready-made cakes and cookies, as well as crackers. When you see the words "hydrogenated" (heye-DROJ-uh-nay-tid) or "partially hydrogenated" in the ingredients list on the package, it means that the food contains Tran's fats.
Saturated and Trans fats increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, and perhaps other diseases. To help prevent these diseases, most of the fats you eat should be unsaturated. But even with unsaturated fats, you should only eat them in moderate amounts. Eating too much of any type of fat can cause you to gain too much weight. And being overweight or obese can also cause health problems.
About Vitamins
You have probably heard of vitamins. Your mother may have told you to drink your orange juice so that you get your vitamin C or to drink your milk so that you get your vitamin D.
But what are vitamins anyway? Vitamins are substances found in the foods we eat. They all have special jobs. Our bodies cannot make vitamins, so we need to get them by eating healthy foods or by taking vitamin pills. Most kids should be able to get all the vitamins they need by eating healthy foods. Vitamin pills cannot replace eating healthy foods.
There are 13 vitamins your body needs. Below is a list of the vitamins, some of what they do, and good food sources.
A
Needed for vision
Helps your body fight germs
Helps keep your skin healthy
Cereals fortified with vitamin A
Mango, cantaloupe, apricot
Green vegetables like spinach, kale, turnip greens
Broccoli
Carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, squash
Liver
Eggs
Milk fortified with vitamin A
B vitamins — B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, folic acid (FOH-lik ASS-ihd) or folate (FOH-layt), biotin (BEYE-uh-tin)
Help break down food to give you energy
Good for your nervous system
Help your body make red blood cells
Folic acid or folate prevents a type of birth defect
Whole grains, such as whole wheat and oats
Fish and seafood
Poultry and lean red meats
Eggs
Dairy products, like milk and yogurt
Leafy green vegetables
Beans and peas
C
Needed for healthy bones, blood vessels, gums, and skin
Citrus fruits, like oranges and grapefruit
Cantaloupe
Strawberries
Tomatoes
Broccoli
Cabbage
Kiwi fruit
Papaya
Sweet red peppers
D
Needed for healthy bones and teeth
Milk fortified with vitamin D
Fish
Egg yolks
Liver
Cereal fortified with vitamin D
Note: Your body can make enough vitamin D if you are in sunlight for about 10-15 minutes twice a week.
E
Protects cells in the body
Help your body make red blood cells
Whole grains, such as whole wheat and oats
Wheat germ
Leafy green vegetables
Egg yolks
Nuts and seeds
K
Helps your blood clot
Helps keep your bones strong
Leafy green vegetables
Dairy products, like milk and yogurt
Broccoli
Soybean oil
Note: Your body usually makes all the vitamin K you need.
But what are vitamins anyway? Vitamins are substances found in the foods we eat. They all have special jobs. Our bodies cannot make vitamins, so we need to get them by eating healthy foods or by taking vitamin pills. Most kids should be able to get all the vitamins they need by eating healthy foods. Vitamin pills cannot replace eating healthy foods.
There are 13 vitamins your body needs. Below is a list of the vitamins, some of what they do, and good food sources.
A
Needed for vision
Helps your body fight germs
Helps keep your skin healthy
Cereals fortified with vitamin A
Mango, cantaloupe, apricot
Green vegetables like spinach, kale, turnip greens
Broccoli
Carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, squash
Liver
Eggs
Milk fortified with vitamin A
B vitamins — B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, folic acid (FOH-lik ASS-ihd) or folate (FOH-layt), biotin (BEYE-uh-tin)
Help break down food to give you energy
Good for your nervous system
Help your body make red blood cells
Folic acid or folate prevents a type of birth defect
Whole grains, such as whole wheat and oats
Fish and seafood
Poultry and lean red meats
Eggs
Dairy products, like milk and yogurt
Leafy green vegetables
Beans and peas
C
Needed for healthy bones, blood vessels, gums, and skin
Citrus fruits, like oranges and grapefruit
Cantaloupe
Strawberries
Tomatoes
Broccoli
Cabbage
Kiwi fruit
Papaya
Sweet red peppers
D
Needed for healthy bones and teeth
Milk fortified with vitamin D
Fish
Egg yolks
Liver
Cereal fortified with vitamin D
Note: Your body can make enough vitamin D if you are in sunlight for about 10-15 minutes twice a week.
E
Protects cells in the body
Help your body make red blood cells
Whole grains, such as whole wheat and oats
Wheat germ
Leafy green vegetables
Egg yolks
Nuts and seeds
K
Helps your blood clot
Helps keep your bones strong
Leafy green vegetables
Dairy products, like milk and yogurt
Broccoli
Soybean oil
Note: Your body usually makes all the vitamin K you need.
Folic acid
Folic acid, or foliate, is one of the B vitamins. It gets special attention because getting enough folic acid during pregnancy before and during pregnancy lessens the chance a woman will have a baby with a type of birth defect called spina bifida.
It's never too early to start thinking about getting enough folic acid. All women who are at an age where they can become pregnant should get 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid daily. The best food source of folic acid is breakfast cereals fortified with folic acid. Other foods rich in folic acid include:
1- Oranges, orange juice
2- Green leafy vegetables, like spinach and mustard greens
3- Yeast
4- Cooked dry beans
5- Peas
6- Peanuts
You can also take a folic acid pill or a multivitamin that contains at least 400 mcg of folic acid.
It's never too early to start thinking about getting enough folic acid. All women who are at an age where they can become pregnant should get 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid daily. The best food source of folic acid is breakfast cereals fortified with folic acid. Other foods rich in folic acid include:
1- Oranges, orange juice
2- Green leafy vegetables, like spinach and mustard greens
3- Yeast
4- Cooked dry beans
5- Peas
6- Peanuts
You can also take a folic acid pill or a multivitamin that contains at least 400 mcg of folic acid.
About Minerals
When you think of minerals, you might think first of things like silver and gold. Those are minerals, but some types of minerals are also found in food. Just like your body needs vitamins, your body needs minerals for growth and health.
There are two kinds of minerals in food: macro minerals and trace minerals. Macro minerals are minerals your body needs in larger amounts. Below is a list of the macro minerals, some of what they do, and good food sources.
MACROMINERALS
Macro mineral
Actions
Sources
Calcium (KAL-see-uhm)
Needed for making bones and teeth
Helps nerves and muscles function
Dairy products, such as milk, cheese, and yogurt
Canned salmon
Leafy green vegetables, such as Chinese cabbage, bok choy, kale, collard greens, turnip greens, mustard greens
Broccoli
Calcium-fortified foods — from orange juice to cereals and crackers
Chloride (KLOR-eyed)
Needed for keeping the right amounts of water in the different parts of your body
Salt
Rye
Tomatoes
Lettuce
Celery
Olives
Beef and pork
Cheese
Magnesium (mag-NEE-zee-uhm)
Needed for making bones and teeth
Helps nerves and muscles function
Leafy green vegetables
Nuts
Bran cereal
Seafood
Dairy products, such as milk, cheese, and yogurt
Phosphorus (FOSS-fer-uhs)
Needed for making bones and teeth
Needed for storing energy from food
Dairy products, such as milk, cheese, and yogurt
Red meat (beef, pork, and lamb)
Poultry
Fish
Eggs
Nuts
Peas
Potassium (puh-TASS-ee-uhm)
Helps nerves and muscles function
Needed for keeping the right amounts of water in the different parts of your body
Bananas
Broccoli
Tomatoes
Potatoes with skins
Leafy green vegetables, like spinach, turnip greens, collard greens, and kale
Citrus fruits, like oranges
Dried fruits
Legumes
Sodium (SOH-dee-uhm)
Helps nerves and muscles function
Needed for keeping the right amounts of water in the different parts of your body
Salt
Milk and cheese
Beets
Celery
Beef and pork
Green olives
Note: Many people get too much sodium.
Your body needs just small amounts of trace minerals. Below is a list of the trace minerals, some of what they do, and good food sources.
TRACE MINERALS
Trace mineral
Actions
Sources
Copper (KOP-er)
Helps protect cells from damage
Needed for making bone and red blood cells
Shellfish (especially oysters)
Chocolate
Mushrooms
Nuts
Beans
Whole-grain cereals
Fluoride (FLOOR-eyed)
Needed for making bones and teeth
Saltwater fish
Tea
Fluoridated water (water that has had fluoride added to it)
Iodine (EYE-uh-dyn)
Needed for your thyroid gland to function properly
Seafood
Iodized salt (salt that has had iodine added to it)
Drinking water (in regions with iodine-rich soil, which are usually near an ocean)
Iron (EYE-ern)
Helps red blood cells deliver oxygen to body tissues (If you don't get enough iron, you could get iron deficiency anemia.)
Helps muscles function
Red meat, such as beef
Tuna and salmon
Eggs
Beans
Baked potato with skins
Dried fruit, like apricots, prunes, and raisins
Leafy green vegetables, such as spinach and turnip greens
Whole grains, like whole wheat or oats
Breakfast cereals fortified with iron
Selenium (sih-LEE-nee-uhm)
Helps protect cells from damage
Needed for your thyroid gland to function properly
Brazil nuts
Fish and shellfish
Red meat
Enriched breads
Eggs
Chicken
Wheat germ
Zinc (zingk)
Needed for healthy skin
Needed for healing wounds, such as cuts
Helps your body fight off illnesses and infections
Red meat (beef, pork, and lamb)
Legumes
There are two kinds of minerals in food: macro minerals and trace minerals. Macro minerals are minerals your body needs in larger amounts. Below is a list of the macro minerals, some of what they do, and good food sources.
MACROMINERALS
Macro mineral
Actions
Sources
Calcium (KAL-see-uhm)
Needed for making bones and teeth
Helps nerves and muscles function
Dairy products, such as milk, cheese, and yogurt
Canned salmon
Leafy green vegetables, such as Chinese cabbage, bok choy, kale, collard greens, turnip greens, mustard greens
Broccoli
Calcium-fortified foods — from orange juice to cereals and crackers
Chloride (KLOR-eyed)
Needed for keeping the right amounts of water in the different parts of your body
Salt
Rye
Tomatoes
Lettuce
Celery
Olives
Beef and pork
Cheese
Magnesium (mag-NEE-zee-uhm)
Needed for making bones and teeth
Helps nerves and muscles function
Leafy green vegetables
Nuts
Bran cereal
Seafood
Dairy products, such as milk, cheese, and yogurt
Phosphorus (FOSS-fer-uhs)
Needed for making bones and teeth
Needed for storing energy from food
Dairy products, such as milk, cheese, and yogurt
Red meat (beef, pork, and lamb)
Poultry
Fish
Eggs
Nuts
Peas
Potassium (puh-TASS-ee-uhm)
Helps nerves and muscles function
Needed for keeping the right amounts of water in the different parts of your body
Bananas
Broccoli
Tomatoes
Potatoes with skins
Leafy green vegetables, like spinach, turnip greens, collard greens, and kale
Citrus fruits, like oranges
Dried fruits
Legumes
Sodium (SOH-dee-uhm)
Helps nerves and muscles function
Needed for keeping the right amounts of water in the different parts of your body
Salt
Milk and cheese
Beets
Celery
Beef and pork
Green olives
Note: Many people get too much sodium.
Your body needs just small amounts of trace minerals. Below is a list of the trace minerals, some of what they do, and good food sources.
TRACE MINERALS
Trace mineral
Actions
Sources
Copper (KOP-er)
Helps protect cells from damage
Needed for making bone and red blood cells
Shellfish (especially oysters)
Chocolate
Mushrooms
Nuts
Beans
Whole-grain cereals
Fluoride (FLOOR-eyed)
Needed for making bones and teeth
Saltwater fish
Tea
Fluoridated water (water that has had fluoride added to it)
Iodine (EYE-uh-dyn)
Needed for your thyroid gland to function properly
Seafood
Iodized salt (salt that has had iodine added to it)
Drinking water (in regions with iodine-rich soil, which are usually near an ocean)
Iron (EYE-ern)
Helps red blood cells deliver oxygen to body tissues (If you don't get enough iron, you could get iron deficiency anemia.)
Helps muscles function
Red meat, such as beef
Tuna and salmon
Eggs
Beans
Baked potato with skins
Dried fruit, like apricots, prunes, and raisins
Leafy green vegetables, such as spinach and turnip greens
Whole grains, like whole wheat or oats
Breakfast cereals fortified with iron
Selenium (sih-LEE-nee-uhm)
Helps protect cells from damage
Needed for your thyroid gland to function properly
Brazil nuts
Fish and shellfish
Red meat
Enriched breads
Eggs
Chicken
Wheat germ
Zinc (zingk)
Needed for healthy skin
Needed for healing wounds, such as cuts
Helps your body fight off illnesses and infections
Red meat (beef, pork, and lamb)
Legumes
About Water
Water plays lots of important roles in your body. For instance, the water in:
1- Blood helps red blood cells carry oxygen to all parts of your body
2- Your stomach and intestines helps digest your food
3- Urine helps your body get rid of waste products
4- Sweat helps keep your body cool
In fact, water makes up more than half your body weight. So it's important that you get enough water. But how much water is enough? There's no magic amount of water that teens need to drink each day. You should always drink when you're thirsty. And you need to drink more when it's hot or you're being physically active. A good rule of thumb is to look at the color of your urine. If it's light yellow, your body probably has enough water. If it's a dark yellow, you probably need more water.
Your body doesn't get water just from drinking water. Milk, juice, and soda all have water. It's better to drink milk or juice because soda has lots of added sugars and no other nutrients. You can also get water by eating fruits and vegetables. For instance, watermelon is loaded with water. So are peaches, plums, peas, lettuce, and tomatoes.
1- Blood helps red blood cells carry oxygen to all parts of your body
2- Your stomach and intestines helps digest your food
3- Urine helps your body get rid of waste products
4- Sweat helps keep your body cool
In fact, water makes up more than half your body weight. So it's important that you get enough water. But how much water is enough? There's no magic amount of water that teens need to drink each day. You should always drink when you're thirsty. And you need to drink more when it's hot or you're being physically active. A good rule of thumb is to look at the color of your urine. If it's light yellow, your body probably has enough water. If it's a dark yellow, you probably need more water.
Your body doesn't get water just from drinking water. Milk, juice, and soda all have water. It's better to drink milk or juice because soda has lots of added sugars and no other nutrients. You can also get water by eating fruits and vegetables. For instance, watermelon is loaded with water. So are peaches, plums, peas, lettuce, and tomatoes.
What do you do if you are a vegetarian??
There are three main types of vegetarians:
1- Vegans: eat only plant-based foods. They do not eat any meat or animal products, including dairy products or eggs.
2- Lacto-vegetarians: eat dairy products along with plant-based foods. They do not eat eggs.
3- Lacto-ovo vegetarians: eat eggs and dairy products, in addition to plant-based foods.
You can get all the nutrients you need from a vegetarian eating plan. But dairy products are good sources of calcium, vitamin D, and complete protein. And eggs are a good source of vitamin B12 and complete protein. So if you don't eat milk or eggs, you need to look elsewhere for these nutrients. Vegetarians also need to make sure that they get enough iron and zinc.
A registered dietitian can help you come up with a vegetarian eating plan that provides you with the nutrients you need for growth and development during your teen years. Here are some no animal sources of nutrients that vegetarians may not get enough of:
1- Vitamin B12 –fortified soy beverages and cereals, brewer’s yeast, seaweed.
2- Vitamin D – fortified soy beverages and sunshine (vitamin D is made in your skin with the help of sunlight).
3- Calcium – tofu (if made with calcium sulfate); soy-based beverages with added calcium; breakfast cereals with added calcium; fruit juice with added calcium; dark-green leafy vegetables, such as Chinese cabbage, bok choy, kale, collard greens, turnip greens, and mustard greens. (Keep in mind that veggies are not as good a source of calcium as milk. You will have to eat many more veggies than you would have to drink milk to get enough calcium.) .
4- Iron – breakfast cereals with added iron; green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and turnip greens; cooked dry beans, such as kidney beans and pinto beans; peas, such as black-eyed peas; lentils; dried fruit, like apricots, prunes, and raisins; enriched and whole-grain breads.
5- Zinc – whole grain bread, legumes, nuts, oatmeal, and tofu.
6- Protein – tofu and other soy-based products, beans, peas, lentils, peanuts, seeds, nuts, and grains. (Keep in mind that plants provide incomplete protein. In order to get all the amino acids your body needs, you have to eat a variety of plant foods. So, for instance, eating beans with brown rice will give you complete protein because each food contains the amino acids that the other food lacks.)
1- Vegans: eat only plant-based foods. They do not eat any meat or animal products, including dairy products or eggs.
2- Lacto-vegetarians: eat dairy products along with plant-based foods. They do not eat eggs.
3- Lacto-ovo vegetarians: eat eggs and dairy products, in addition to plant-based foods.
You can get all the nutrients you need from a vegetarian eating plan. But dairy products are good sources of calcium, vitamin D, and complete protein. And eggs are a good source of vitamin B12 and complete protein. So if you don't eat milk or eggs, you need to look elsewhere for these nutrients. Vegetarians also need to make sure that they get enough iron and zinc.
A registered dietitian can help you come up with a vegetarian eating plan that provides you with the nutrients you need for growth and development during your teen years. Here are some no animal sources of nutrients that vegetarians may not get enough of:
1- Vitamin B12 –fortified soy beverages and cereals, brewer’s yeast, seaweed.
2- Vitamin D – fortified soy beverages and sunshine (vitamin D is made in your skin with the help of sunlight).
3- Calcium – tofu (if made with calcium sulfate); soy-based beverages with added calcium; breakfast cereals with added calcium; fruit juice with added calcium; dark-green leafy vegetables, such as Chinese cabbage, bok choy, kale, collard greens, turnip greens, and mustard greens. (Keep in mind that veggies are not as good a source of calcium as milk. You will have to eat many more veggies than you would have to drink milk to get enough calcium.) .
4- Iron – breakfast cereals with added iron; green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and turnip greens; cooked dry beans, such as kidney beans and pinto beans; peas, such as black-eyed peas; lentils; dried fruit, like apricots, prunes, and raisins; enriched and whole-grain breads.
5- Zinc – whole grain bread, legumes, nuts, oatmeal, and tofu.
6- Protein – tofu and other soy-based products, beans, peas, lentils, peanuts, seeds, nuts, and grains. (Keep in mind that plants provide incomplete protein. In order to get all the amino acids your body needs, you have to eat a variety of plant foods. So, for instance, eating beans with brown rice will give you complete protein because each food contains the amino acids that the other food lacks.)
How to deal with Lactose Intolerance??
Lactose intolerance means that you have trouble digesting lactose, which is the sugar in dairy foods. This can cause stomach problems such as pain and diarrhea for some people. While many people with these stomach problems think they need to stay away from dairy, the truth is that a lot of people actually can make dairy foods a healthy part of their diets. There are ways for many people to eat dairy without suffering!
Does milk bother your stomach? Try these tips:
1- Start slowly. Make dairy a part of your diet again by starting with small amounts at first and slowly adding more.
2- Have milk along with a meal or other foods, such as cereal, rather than alone.
3- Have small amounts of dairy foods and drinks throughout the day.
4- Try dairy foods that have less lactose than milk, as they may not bother your stomach as much. Hard cheeses, such as cheddar and Romano, and yogurt are examples.
5- Drink lactose-reduced and lactose-free milk, which can be found in most grocery stores.
6-Talk to your doctor about pills and drops that may make it easier for you to digest milk and dairy products.
7-Try calcium and vitamin D fortified soy milk if you find you can’t tolerate milk at all.
For teen girls, getting enough calcium is VERY important. If dairy bothers your stomach, try the tips above and also make sure to eat other sources of calcium such as leafy vegetables and foods with added calcium (For example: orange juice and cereals with added calcium).
Does milk bother your stomach? Try these tips:
1- Start slowly. Make dairy a part of your diet again by starting with small amounts at first and slowly adding more.
2- Have milk along with a meal or other foods, such as cereal, rather than alone.
3- Have small amounts of dairy foods and drinks throughout the day.
4- Try dairy foods that have less lactose than milk, as they may not bother your stomach as much. Hard cheeses, such as cheddar and Romano, and yogurt are examples.
5- Drink lactose-reduced and lactose-free milk, which can be found in most grocery stores.
6-Talk to your doctor about pills and drops that may make it easier for you to digest milk and dairy products.
7-Try calcium and vitamin D fortified soy milk if you find you can’t tolerate milk at all.
For teen girls, getting enough calcium is VERY important. If dairy bothers your stomach, try the tips above and also make sure to eat other sources of calcium such as leafy vegetables and foods with added calcium (For example: orange juice and cereals with added calcium).
