Foods That Active Teens Should Avoid

Soft Drinks
Soft drinks contain lactic acid which build up in the muscles of an active teen and can contribute to or cause soreness. They also dehydrate the body, which will really inhibit performance.

Foods with Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
This ingredient lowers your "good" or HDL cholesterol and increasse your "bad" or LDL cholesterol. This combination skyrockets your chances of getting heart disease. Non-homemade but store-bought baked goods often contain this.

Foods that Contain MSG
The real name for this ingredient is Monosodium Glutamate. It is most commonly found in canned soups, instant noodles, and fast food dishes. Research has been done to prove that MSG has a toxic effect on your brain - which won't make you play your best on the field.

Why is it Important for a Teen to Eat Healthy Foods?

Healthy diets are essential for teenagers, and especially active teenagers. Healthy eating helps teens to maintain healthy weights, attain the vitamins and minerals that the body needs, reach maximum height, and energize the body for sports and other activities. Healthy eating includes not only eating the right amounts of food from the different food groups, but also eating regularly and not overeating. Healthy eating as a teen can also help teens not to get diet-related diseases and health problems like heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, strokes, and diabetes.

How to Determine the Daily Caloric Intake for a Teen

Today, being a teenager in America, it's tough to know exactly when to eat, how much to eat, and what exactly you're allowing yourself to "oh so effortlessly" allow down your throat. How many calories a day do teens need you ask? Well unlike adults teens are still growing, meaning they require more calories per day than those of adults or older individuals. Differing variables such as gender, exercise/activity level, height, and weight determine an suggested/recommended daily calorie intake. Since your body needs a plentiful amount of nutrients to help the growing process, an active teen can find nutrients in the foods he/she eats that include calories, vitamins, protein, fats and minerals. If you ever wondered what the "Based on the daily recommended 2000 calorie diet" was on your soda nutritional fact label, it's talking about the daily caloric intake!

As you can see to the left is a chart that gives the average daily caloric intake for not only teens but also children. Since teenagers are in the vital stages of growth it is only natural for them to intake more calories to keep up with their ever changing bodies and energy levels!

Macronutrients

FATS
Fat is the macronutrient best for long term fueling. Fat stores the kind energy that will help you keep your endurance. Activities such as walking, jogging, or bicycling long distances need the kind of energy that fats supply. Fats are a type of compound called lipids and are made up of one molecule of glycerol and three fatty acids, giving them the name triglycerides. Vegetables with fats in them such as avocados and olives.

CARBOHYDRATES
What are Carbohydrates you ask? Carbohydrates or
"Carbs" provide fuel, or energy, for the human body. These organic compounds are an important part human life and the life we live. Carbohydrates are made up of three elements: carbon, hydrogen and oxygen—carbohydrates. Carbohydrates, along with proteins and fats, comprise the major components of living matter and are used for maintenance of cellular functional activities and as reserve and structural materials for cells. Because they are the primary source of energy for the individuals, carbohydrates are particularly important in active individuals (especially active teens!)

PROTEINS Proteins play an important role in the mending and growth of bones, tendons, muscles, hair, skin, nails, and ligaments. Proper protein intake is vital for active teens. Research has shown that athletes might need to incorporate more protein into their diets than non-athletes, aiming to make about 10-15% of their diet protein. Some sources of protein are fish, poultry, nuts, lean red meats, beans, and eggs. Meats high in fat, like pork, are not good sources of protein and contain a lot of saturated fats. Protein is used as an energy source after 45 minutes of exercise. Over intake of proteins is not a good strategy for active teenagers.

Three Day Meal Plan

Day 01).
BREAKFAST:
Fat free Milk/Orange Juice
1 slice Whole grain toast with 1 Tbsp. Peanut Butter
(May add sliced Banana on top for extra potassium and taste!)
SNACK:
1/4 cup almonds, 1/4 cup craisins, 1/2 cup lowfat granola!
LUNCH:
Toasted chicken and avocado and tomato sandwich
(Baked chicken breast, fat cut off, fresh avocados and tomatoes on a whole wheat bread!)
1 cup Caesar salad
(3/4 cup lettuce, pinch of salt, tablespoon Parmesan cheese, table spoon fat free Caesar dressing)
SNACK:
100 calorie Kettle Corn popcorn packet!
DINNER:
Italian Pasta!
(1 cup rotelli pasta, 1 cup low fat prego garlic sauce, 1 clove fresh garlic,
1/2 cup fresh mushrooms, red/green bell peppers, 1/2 cup lean pork, and a pinch of basil/parsley!)


Day 02).
BREAKFAST:
Granola Fruit Kabobs! (One granny apple and one apple banana sliced and pierced with a kabob stick, rolled in 1/2 cup yogurt and 1/2 cup of granola.

MID-MORNING SNACK:
One sliced apple to be dipped in a mixture of one spoonful of honey and one spoonful of peanut butter mixed together.

LUNCH:
Whole wheat bread sandwich (two slices of bread) with one slice of ham, two pieces of lettuce, and a teaspoon of mayonnaise.

AFTERNOON SNACK:
Five olives.

DINNER:
One instant miso soup, one cup of Tamaki Gold rice, and one grilled chicked breast with one spoonful of Teriyaki sauce.

Day 03).
BREAKFAST:
1 whole grain bagel with 2 tablespoons cream cheese, 1 cup orange juice, palmful of strawberries

MID-MORNING SNACK:
1 cup vanilla yogurt, 1/4 cup granola, 1 banana for topping

LUNCH:
1 seasoned grilled chicken breast (pinch salt, pinch pepper), 2 cups spring salad mix with 1 table spoon low fat rand dressing, 2 cup cooked brown rice

AFTERNOON SNACK:
(1) 100 calorie jello snack!

DINNER:

1 steak (about 4 o.z), 1 cup cooked brocolli, 1/2 cup mashed potatoes

Bibliography

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"Which Foods Commonly Contain MSG?" WiseGEEK: Clear Answers for Common Questions. Web. 05 Dec. 2010. <http://www.wisegeek.com/which-foods-commonly-contain-msg.htm>.