The Importance for Teens to Eat Healthy

Eating healthy is defined as consuming a balanced diet. A balanced diet consists of a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, etc from each of the food groups. These kinds of substances are full of vitamins and minerals that are crucial for a teen's well being. There are short-term and long-term benefits to eating healthy. 

Choosing well balanced meals helps one to get better sleep and improve mental conditions. Getting better sleep will then keep one's energy levels higher throughout the day with better focus. Without having eaten the right foods, a teenager may have a hard time taking tests and get easily distracted during classes. Healthy eating also keeps one in a good mood throughout the day. Not only does nutritional foods positively affect a teenager mentally, there are benefits physically. Consuming certain fruits and vegetables can improve the looks of skin, hair, nails, and teeth, therefore, boosting one's self esteem.

Eating healthy can result in a longer life. Foods that are high in vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats can prevent and lower the risk of diseases like cancers, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, dementia, macular degeneration, and obesity. It can also maintain good brain health.

Website Sources:

1. Davis, Michelle. Azcentral. Demand Media, n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2016. <http://healtahyliving.azcentral.com/longterm-benefits-proper-diet-16371.html>.

2. Schuna, Carly. Chron. Hearst Newspapers, LLC, n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2016. <http://livehealthy.chron.com/shortterm-longterm-effects-healthy-diet-10004.html>.

3. Hanly, Lau. LiveStrong.com. Demand Media, n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2016. <http://www.livestrong.com/article/289568-short-term-long-term-effects-of-a-healthy-diet/>.

Picture Sources: 

1. http://commonground.coop/cooperate/food-all

Factors that Determine Daily Caloric Intake

There are many factors that determine the recommended daily caloric requirement for a teenager. One factor is activity level. The more active you are, the more calories you burn, so you therefore need to consume more calories. If you play a lot of sports or other activities, you need to consume more calories to maintain your energy levels. If you are sedentary, you hardly burn any calories, so you therefore need to consume less calories.

Another factor is body size and body shape. If you have a higher lean body mass (LBM), you have a higher basal metabolic rate (BMR). Lean body mass is your total body weight minus body fat weight, so LBM includes your bones, ligaments, tendons, internal organs, and muscles. Basal metabolic rate is the amount of energy (calories) that your body needs to function while resting for 24 hours. Heavier, taller people have a higher basal metabolic rate than lighter, shorter people. If you have a larger body mass, then you need to consume more calories in order to do normal bodily functions. The more muscles you have in your body, the more calories you burn at rest, so if you don't have as much muscle, you don't burn as many calories at rest.

 Average daily caloric needs based on gender, age, and activeness

A third factor is gender. Body compositions (the ratios of lean muscle, bone and fat) are different for males and females. Males usually have more muscle mass than females, so they often need more calories than females. Because of this, a female's basal metabolic rate is usually around 5% to 10% lower than a male's.

A fourth factor is age. Your metabolic rate usually slows down with age, meaning that the older you get, the less calories you need to consume. However, if you develop more muscle by properly exercising, weight training, and eating healthy while young, you can prevent your metabolic rate from slowing down. You could possibly even reverse the slow-down, making your daily caloric intake go up, rather than down.

On average, boys between the ages of 11 and 13 (pre-teens/early teens) need 1,800 to 2,600 calories per day, while boys ages 14 to 18 (middle/late teens) need around 2,200 to 3,200 calories per day. On average, girls between the ages of 11 and 13 (pre-teens/early teens) need 1,800 to 2,200 calories per day, while girls ages 14 to 18 (middle/late teens) need around 1,800 to 2,400 calories per day. Exact daily caloric needs depend on the other factors listed (see table above).


Citations:
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  "Factors of Caloric Intake." Factors of Caloric Intake. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2016.

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  "The Definition of Lean Body Mass." LIVESTRONG.COM. LIVESTRONG.COM, 03 Mar. 2016. Web. 22 Apr. 2016.

Pictures:
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Macronutrients

Macronutrients are nutrients that are needed in large amounts in order for the body to function properly. The three macronutrients that the body needs are carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are macronutrients that are composed of sugars (like glucose, lactose, and fructose), starches (which are complex sugars), and fibers. Carbs provide short term energy and aid in digestion. For the average teenager, 45% - 65% of his or her daily intake should be carbohydrates. This macronutrient can be found in numerous types of food such as fruits, pasta, nuts, bread, and rice. The best types of carbs are the ones that contain the most fiber (fruits, vegetables, and whole grains). Carbohydrates that are considered as bad are the ones that have added sugars and less fiber. These kinds of bad carbs are in foods like cookies, cakes, and certain breads. Bad carbs take longer to break down leading to a higher usage of unnecessary energy. Carbohydrates are used to make glucose in the body, therefore, providing one's body with his or her main energy source.

Proteins

Proteins are macronutrients that are composed of amino acids, which are attached together in long chains to create the proteins. There are 20 different amino acids that can be combined in numerous ways to create different proteins. There are many different proteins, and they have many different functions. One function of proteins is to provide structure and support for a cell. A second function of proteins is antibodies, which bind to viruses and bacteria to help protect the body. A third function is enzymes, which carry out chemical reactions in cells. Another function is transport proteins, which carry small molecules within the cell, like the protein hemoglobin, which transports oxygen throughout the body. The recommended intake of protein is about 10% to 35% of one's daily caloric intake. Protein can be found in many different foods. Two of the more valuable sources of protein are meat (including chicken breast, lean beef, and turkey breast) and eggs, because they offer more muscle-building amino acids than other protein sources. Eggs are an especially good source of protein because they contain all 20 amino acids. Fish, nuts, milk, and beans are other good sources of protein.

Fats
Fats or "lipids" are one of the macronutrients made up of a glycerol molecule with three fatty acid molecules attached to it. There are different types of fats which include saturated, unsaturated, and trans fat. The recommended daily caloric intake of fats for an average teen are 20-35%. Eating foods that contain saturated fats can raise the level of cholesterol in your blood. If a person's LDL cholesterol is very high, its puts the person in risk of heart disease and stroke. Some foods that contain saturated fat are Fatty beef, lamb, pork, poultry with skin, butter, etc. Saturated fats are the more unhealthy fats. Unsaturated fats can lower cholesterol and reduce chances of heart disease. Unsaturated fats come in two different forms, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Monounsaturated fats include food such as, peanut oil, olive oil, canola oil, avocados, and nuts. Switching saturated fats with monounsaturated fats can lower cholesterol. Polyunsaturated fats can be divided into two groups, omega-3 fats and omega-6 fats. Omega-3 fats have been known to lower LDL cholesterol and increases protection towards heart disease. Omega-3 can be found in foods like lean meat, eggs, oily fish (salmon, sardines, blue eye travella), linseed/flaxseed, walnuts, soybeans, canola oil. Omega-6 are known to decrease chances of heart disease as well. You can find omega-6 fats in margarine spread, sunflower, soybeans, sesame oil, and nuts. There are two different types of trans fat. There is natural occurring trans fat and artificial trans fat. Natural occurring trans fats come from guts of some animals and foods that contain the animals that may contain small quantities of those fats. Artificial trans fat is created in industries and adds hydrogen to vegetable oil to make a more solid outcome. Trans fat can increase your chances of heart disease and stroke. It can also raise your likely hood of getting type 2 diabetes. It can raise your LDL cholesterol level and decreasing your good (HDL) cholesterol level. You can find trans fats in foods such as baked good like cakes, pie crust, frozen pizza, etc. and fried foods such as doughnuts and french fries.

Citations:
https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/primer/howgeneswork/protein
http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/6-primary-functions-proteins-5372.html
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/best-sources-protein

"Unsaturated Fats." Dietitians Association of Australia. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May

    2016. <http://daa.asn.au/for-the-public/smart-eating-for-you/

    nutrition-a-z/unsaturated-fats/>.

"Trans Fat." American Heart Association. N.p., 7 Oct. 2015. Web. 1 May 2016.

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Pictures:
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Micronutrients

In micronutrients, there are two types: Vitamins and minerals. Micronutrients helps with regulation of metabolism, heartbeat, cellular pH, and bone density. Without micronutrients, a child 's growth can be stunted, and they can be more at risk of getting diseases when they're adults.

Vitamins

Vitamins are organic compounds that can be broken down by heat, acid, and air. In vitamins, there are three key types. There's vitamin C, and vitamin A, B vitamins. C vitamins boost your immune system, make collagen, and also strengthens blood vessels, tissue and bone. There are many foods that contains vitamin C such as dark leafy greens, citrus fruits, kiwi, tomatoes, peas, and papayas. A vitamins also help your immune system, but also helps in growth and development, including healthy eyes, teeth and skin. Foods such as sweet potato, carrots, dark leafy greens, winter squashes, lettuce, etc. all are high in vitamin A. And lastly B vitamins. B vitamins help with energy production, immune function, and iron absorption.  But it also helps with maintaining metabolism releasing energy and building protein and cells. You can find B vitamins in liver, mackerel, sardines, soy, milk, red meat, fortified cereals, and salmon.

Minerals
Minerals are inorganic compounds that keep their structure and is easy to get  in you body. Some key minerals would be calcium, iron, iodine, and zinc. Calcium helps to get strong teeth and bones. Calcium can be found in foods such as milk, nuts, fish, dark leafy greens, etc. If there isn't enough calcium in your body, one risk factor would be getting osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is the thinning of bones, and puts the person in a high risk of bone fractures. Iron is critical to the production of energy, it helps to build muscles and to maintain a healthy blood and immune system. Some foods that contain iron would be organ meat such as livers, beans, and seeds. When there is a lack of iron in a person body, they are more likely to get anemia. Anemia is a a lack of healthy red blood cells or Hemoglobin. If you Hemoglobin (healthy red blood cells) is abnormally low the cells will not get enough oxygen. Next, iodine. Iodine is very important to the fetus, iodines is what helps the development of the brain and cognitive systems. Foods that are high in iodine would be seaweed, cod, baked potato, and dairy products. the last key mineral would be zinc. Zinc supports reproductive health and the immune system, but also builds protein. Zinc can be found in foods such as red meat, nuts, beans, seafood, whole grains, fortified breakfast cereals, and dairy products.

Citations:

http://www.helpguide.org/harvard/vitamins-and-minerals.htm

"Vitamins and Minerals." Vitamins & Minerals: Are You Getting What You Need? N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2016.

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Foods You Should Limit

Limiting certain foods is important for a teenager because it affects their future.  One way to eat healthy is to consume foods that have the most nutrients and are beneficial. Each day a person needs a certain amount of carbohydrates to provide the body with energy. Fats are also important because they absorbs fat soluble vitamins, though too much of them will create problems in the future. 

Being aware of what you eat is crucial for your body to stay healthy and in good condition. Foods that are necessary to remember and avoid are starches, oils, butters, sugars, saturated fats, deep fried and processed foods. Some of the starches to be cautious of are white rice, white bread, donuts, and cookies, because these foods will all turn into fat. Oils to avoid are vegetable oil and canola oil because they are able to clog the arteries. Butters to stay away from are Imitation and Margarin butters because they can result in more chances of high blood pressure. Deep fried foods to stay away from are fried chicken and lumpia because they higher the chances of getting a heart-attack or stroke. Processed foods include meat (bacon), microwaved meals, breakfast cereals and cheese, which can lead to high risks of blood pressure because of the additives that preserve the food (not natural). Certain saturated fats such as those in Twinkies/Ho Hos, mayonnaise and candy bars should be limited because they raise levels of cholesterol in a person's blood.

Teenagers should limit the intake of certain foods to decrease the harmful risks and help to prevent long term diseases. All these foods that seem "great" do not provide the nutrients the body needs. These kinds of foods are the ones to avoid, but if they must be eaten, they should be eaten in limited amounts.

Website Sources:
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https://authoritynutrition.com/9-ways-that-processed-foods-are-killing-people/

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http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,20676415_2,00.html

Picture Sources:

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Three Day Meal Plan

Day 1
     Breakfast:

          1 banana

          1 cup of strawberries and blueberries (good source of vitamins B and C)

          1 cup of oatmeal (contains iron, protein, and fiber)

          1 cup of soy milk (calcium, iron, and protein)

     Lunch:
          Salad - lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, beets, sliced almonds, cucumbers, olives, and avocado (good source of vitamin K)
          1/2 tuna sandwich (contains protein and omega 3 fatty acids)
          1 cup of 2% milk (contains calcium, protein, and potassium)

     Dinner:
          1 filet of salmon (good source of vitamin B)
          1/2 cup of cooked brown rice (high in fiber and manganese)
          1 cup of brussel sprouts (low in saturated fat and cholesterol, high in vitamin K and C)
          1 cup of water

Day 2
     Breakfast:
          Green smoothie - kale, lettuce, strawberries, bananas, kiwis, apple juice (good source of vitamins A, B, and C)
          1 hard boiled egg (contains protein and amino acids like phenylalanine and methionine)
          1 cup of greek yogurt (good source of protein, vitamin B, calcium, and potassium)

     Lunch:
          Turkey Spinach Wrap - turkey, lettuce, cucumber, tomato, low fat cheddar cheese (high in protein, iron, zinc, vitamin B, and phosphorus)
          1 apple (contains vitamin C and fiber)
          1 cup of soy milk (contains calcium, protein, and fiber)

     Dinner:
          Spinach pasta - tomato sauce and cooked free range chicken (high in vitamin K, manganese, and protein)
          1 cup of steamed carrots (good source of beta carotene and vitamin A)
          1 cup of streamed broccoli (contains vitamin D, A, and K)

Day 3
     Breakfast:
          Acai bowl - granola, strawberries, bananas, coconut shavings, and acai berries (high in vitamin C and potassium)
          1/2 papaya (contains vitamin A, E, B, K, potassium, and calcium)
          1 cup of cranberry juice (good source of vitamin C)

     Lunch:
          Quinoa salad - tofu, cucumber, kale, bell pepper, kidney beans, quinoa (contains plant antioxidants, fiber, potassium, magnesium, zinc, and iron)
          1/2 cup of hummus and 1 stalk of celery (good source of fiber, vitamin B12, and copper)
          1 cup of water

     Dinner:
          1 filet of grass fed, no antibiotic beef (contains protein, omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin A, and E)
          1 serving of tortilla chips (low in cholesterol) and guacamole (potassium and fiber)
          1 cup of steamed string beans (Fiber, potassium, calcium, and protein)
          1 cup of almond milk (calcium and vitamin D

Picture Sources:
http://www.thegourmetgourmand.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Close-Up-Acai-Bowl.jpg
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