Best Teen Diets Nutrition Blog: Junk Food

Teens Health - MyPlate Food Guide

9:23 AM

Teen Nutrition Tips

9:48 AM

(tips for the girls and tips for the guys)

As a teenager, you have special diet requirements due to the sudden growth spurt and changes in your body. Now is the time to exchange the junk food for healthier alternatives. It’ll make you more attractive now and healthier later on.

Tips for the girls

Balance your energy levels. It's important to stay active when you hit your teens. Although your energy needs are high at this age due to all the changes in your body, adolescence can also be a time of weight gain if you’re not careful. Take part in sport and replenish your energy levels by eating moderate amounts of complex carbohydrates. These include starches rich in fiber, such as whole-wheat bread, fruit and vegetables.
Keep strong with calcium. Because of speedy muscular, skeletal, and hormonal development, your calcium needs have risen tremendously. Interestingly, 45% of your bone mass is added during your teens. So stock up on the milk, yogurt and cheese – but choose the low-fat or fat-free alternatives if you're concerned about your weight.

Bring on the fruit and veggies. Eating too little of nature’s own medicine can lead to cancer and other diseases later in life. At least five portions of fruits and vegetables are recommended per day.
Iron it up, baby. Due to the onset of your periods, a large amount of iron is lost every month. Iron deficiency can lead to anemia, which may impair your immune response and decrease your body’s resistance to infection. Anemia is also associated with a lack of energy and concentration ability – not a good thing if you want to keep up those good marks. Try to include iron-rich foods in your diet, such as liver, beans, potatoes, oats, raisins and dried peaches.
The skinny on fat If you're concerned about gaining weight, the answer is not to cut out all the fat in your diet. Some fats are actually good for you. Fish like tuna, sardines and salmon contain beneficial fats and should be consumed on a regular basis (at least twice a week). You should, however, try to cut back on pastries, baked products, junk food and sweets.
Start the day the right way. Stop that mid-morning doughnut craving dead in its tracks by eating breakfast – this way, you won’t gain those extra kilos. Plus, there’s no denying it: skipping breakfast has a definite effect on concentration and school performance levels. A generous helping of fruit, high-fiber cereal or oats, and milk or yoghurt will kick-start your day.
A to prevent acne. Vitamin A has been proven to be effective in the treatment of acne. It reduces the production of sebum – the white fatty substance found in the body’s pores. Find all the vitamin A you need in orange and red fruits and vegetables such as carrots, melons and tomatoes. Large amounts of vitamin A can, however, be toxic. So don’t overdo it.

Tips for guys
Cut the fast food. Your mom’s been telling you this for years. Fast foods tend to contain lower amounts of the right stuff: iron, calcium and vitamins A, B and C. These foods are usually sky-high in fats as well. If you eat out, try to settle for a healthier option such as pasta or a whole-wheat sandwich.
Hold back on the proteins. While protein is absolutely necessary for normal growth and development, you should be wary of overdoing it. Excessive intakes of protein can interfere with calcium metabolism, which can lead to osteoporosis later in life. Too much protein can also increase your fluid needs and this may put you at risk for dehydration while exercising.

Iron, man. Due to the build-up of muscle mass during your teens, the blood volume of your body expands. An increase in blood volume calls for an increase in dietary iron intake. It's possible to boost your diet with iron without including unnecessary amounts of protein. Try to include alternatives to meat such as potatoes, dried fruit, dark green vegetables and beans.
Zinc it up. This mineral is crucial to your body’s normal development, especially your sexual maturation. There is also some evidence that zinc can help in the prevention of acne. Work this mineral into your diet by eating moderate amounts of fish and shellfish on a weekly basis.
Fluid, fluid, fluid. It's very important to maintain a fluid balance at all times. If you're active, even more so. Exercise produces heat, and fluid is important for maintaining a body temperature that maximizes performance. A good sports drink contains all the right stuff to replace lost electrolytes. Drink at least a cup of fluid every 15-20 minutes during exercise and two cups afterwards.

Complete article at http://bit.ly/JLQjBU Additional information http://bit.ly/1beWhRk

Best Teen Diets believes the best nutrients are found in lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts; fruits and vegetables; whole grains; and low-fat or fat-free dairy products. Crafting a diet that addresses your individualized nutritional needs will establish the foundation for a lifetime of healthy eating habits.

Health

Ten Tips for Healthy Holiday Eating

8:37 PM

Food

How much sugar is okay for me?

8:00 PM

Food

Super Bowl Sunday might mean consuming almost as many calories as at Thanksgiving

10:00 PM

Exercise

"Unjunk Yourself"

12:00 PM

Exercise

The "Work It Out Calculator"

8:00 PM

Holiday Eating

The trick is to put candy in its place

3:30 PM

Highlights:

Allow candy as part of regular meal and snack times vs. eating everything in one night
The sugar from candy does not beat out the sugar consumed from sodas, sports, and energy drinks!
You don't have to be the one giving or taking an apple, but see if you can hunt down these other options (see below)

Pistachios Pistachio Halloween packs

What about Halloween candy?" a woman asked recently. Is it all bad for kids? How much is too much?

As scary as those bags of goodies look this time of year, experts say that the sugar kids typically ingest from candy is small compared to the amount they take in from sweetened beverages each year. Surprisingly, the sugar kids get from candy accounts for only 6 percent of the added sugars in their diets. Most of the sugar kids ingest comes in the form of sweetened beverages such as sodas, sports drinks and energy drinks.

Which brings up a scary word: SoFAS — Solid Fats and Added Sugars. These are the main contributors to the extra calories that make us fat and sick, say nutrition and health experts who compiled the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

So what's a caring parent to do with little trick-or-treaters and their bags of candy? Child nutrition expert Ellyn Satter reminds parents to "treat candy the same way you do other sweets. Your child needs to learn to manage sweets and to keep sweets in proportion to the other foods he or she eats."

We need to remember, too, that over-restricting goodies may be just as harmful as over-indulging our kids with sweets, according to some research. At least one study found that kids who were "treat-deprived" loaded up on forbidden foods even when they were not hungry.

So what are the tricks for treating special occasions? Keep treats in their place, says Satter. Relegate candy to regular meal and snack times. "With that kind of structure, candy won't spoil a child's diet or make him too fat."

That said, is there any guidance on "how much" sugar and spice is still nice? According to the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans, once we have our daily nutrient needs met, most of us (including children) have about 5 to 15 percent of our calories to spend on SoFAS. That leaves room for the occasional birthday cake, ice cream, trick or treating and other holiday treats that arise.

Angie's Kettle Corn snack packs

For example, a young child who typically eats about 1,200 to 1,400 calories a day might be allowed to have one or two pieces of Halloween candy a day without breaking down their nutritional status. And older, active child might have 3 or 4 small pieces of candy with no detrimental effects. (Remember too, we're talking mini-sized candy, not full-sized bars.)
And there are some treats that can please kiddos without breaking their sugar and fat bank. Popcorn is a good example. One that caught my attention: "Angie's Kettle Corn" in "Halloween Snack Packs." No solid fats, low sodium, 70 calories and 4 grams (less than a teaspoon) of sugar per serving. Those are treats we can all live with.

Original Source: "The trick is to put candy in its place" by Barbara Quinn, RD, CDE

Best Teen Diets recommends healthy well balanced eating that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein and low-fat or fat-free dairy. We offer nutrition information for teens, parents and educators that emphasizes the importance of healthy eating for peak performance. For more information regarding healthy eating for teens visit www.bestteendiets.org

Food

Eating Well While Eating Out

10:54 AM

Can I Splurge When I Eat Out?

A slice of pizza once in a while won't do you any harm. What's important is a person's average food intake over a few days, not just in a single meal. So if you eat a less-than-healthy meal once in a while, try to balance it with healthier foods the rest of that day and week.

But if pizza (or any fast food) is all you eat, that can lead to problems. The most obvious health threat of eating too much fast food is weight gain — or even obesity.

But weight gain isn't the only problem. Too much fast food can drag a person's body down in other ways. Because the food we eat affects all aspects of how the body functions, eating the right (or wrong) foods can influence any number of things, including:

· mental functioning

· emotional well-being

· energy

· strength

· weight

· future health

Eating on the Go

It's actually easier than you think to make good choices at a fast-food restaurant, the mall, or even the school cafeteria. Most cafeterias and fast-food places offer healthy choices that are also tasty, like grilled chicken or salads. Be mindful of portion sizes and high fat add-ons, like dressings, sauces or cheese.

Here are some pointers to remember that can help you make wise choices when eating out:

· Go for balance. Choose meals that contain a balance of lean proteins (like fish, chicken, or beans if you're a vegetarian), fruits and vegetables (fries and potato chips don't qualify as veggies!), and whole grains (like whole-wheat bread and brown rice). That's why a turkey sandwich on whole wheat with lettuce and tomato is a better choice than a cheeseburger on a white bun.

· Watch portion sizes. The portion sizes of American foods have increased over the past few decades so that we are now eating way more than we need. The average size of a hamburger in the 1950s was just 1.5 ounces, compared with today's hamburgers, which weigh in at 8 ounces or more.

· Drink water or low-fat milk. Regular sodas, juices, and energy drinks usually contain "empty" calories that you don't need — not to mention other stuff, like caffeine.

Tips for Eating at a Restaurant

Most restaurant portions are way larger than the average serving of food at home. Ask for half portions, share an entrée with a friend, or take half of your dish home.

Here are some other restaurant survival tips:

· Ask for sauces and salad dressings on the side and use them sparingly.

· Use salsa and mustard instead of mayonnaise or oil.

· Ask for olive or canola oil instead of butter, margarine, or shortening.

· Use nonfat or low-fat milk instead of whole milk or cream.

· Order baked, broiled, or grilled (not fried) lean meats including turkey, chicken, seafood, or sirloin steak.

· Salads and vegetables make healthier side dishes than french fries. Use a small amount of sour cream instead of butter if you order a baked potato.

· Choose fresh fruit instead of sugary, high-fat desserts.

Tips for Eating at the Mall or Fast-Food Place

It's tempting to pig out while shopping, but with a little planning, it's easy to eat healthy foods at the mall. Here are some choices:

· a single slice of veggie pizza

· grilled, not fried, sandwiches (for example, a grilled chicken breast sandwich)

· deli sandwiches on whole-grain bread

· a small hamburger

· a bean burrito

· a baked potato

· a side salad

· frozen yogurt

Choose the smaller sizes, especially when it comes to drinks and snacks. If you have a craving for something unhealthy, try sharing the food you crave with a friend.

Tips for Eating in the School Cafeteria

The suggestions for eating in a restaurant and at the mall apply to cafeteria food as well. Add vegetables and fruit whenever possible, and opt for leaner, lighter items. Choose sandwiches on whole-grain bread or a plain hamburger over fried foods or pizza. Go easy on the high-fat, low-nutrition items, such as mayonnaise and heavy salad dressings.

You might want to consider packing your own lunch occasionally. Here are some lunch items that pack a healthy punch:

· sandwiches with lean meats or fish, like turkey, chicken, tuna (made with low-fat mayo), lean ham, or lean roast beef. For variety, try other sources of protein, like peanut butter, hummus, or meatless chili. If you don't like your bread dry, choose mustard or a small amount of lite mayo.

· low-fat or nonfat milk, yogurt, or cheese

· any fruit that's in season

· raw baby carrots, green and red pepper strips, tomatoes, or cucumbers

· whole-grain breads, pita, bagels, or crackers

It can be easy to eat well, even on the run. If you develop the skills to make healthy choices now, your body will thank you later. And the good news is you don't have to eat perfectly all the time. It's OK to splurge every once in a while, as long as your food choices are generally good.

“Eating Well While Eating Out” reviewed by Mary L. Gavin, MD with TeensHealth. Read more at http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/nutrition/eating_out.html#

Best Teen Diets recommends healthy well balanced eating that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein and low-fat or fat-free dairy. We offer nutrition information for teens, parents and educators that emphasize the importance of healthy eating for teens. For more information regarding teen nutrition and health visit www.bestteendiets.org

Exercise

Diabetes and Weight Management

12:52 PM

It's hard to flip through a magazine or surf a health website without getting the lowdown on weight. The general idea: Being active and eating healthy are the best ways to manage weight.

This advice works for everybody, but it can be particularly helpful for people with diabetes. That's because weight can influence diabetes, and diabetes can influence weight. This relationship may be different for both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, but the end advice is the same: Managing weight can really make a difference in a person's diabetes management plan.

Weight and Type 1 Diabetes

If a person has type 1 diabetes but hasn't been treated yet, he or she often loses weight. In type 1 diabetes, the body can't use glucose (pronounced: gloo-kose) properly because the pancreas no longer produces insulin that's needed to get glucose into the cells.

Then the body flushes the unusable glucose (and the calories) out of the body in urine, or pee. As a result, the person can lose weight. After treatment for type 1 diabetes, though, a person usually returns to a healthy weight.

Sometimes, though, people with type 1 diabetes can be overweight, too. They may be overweight when they find out they have diabetes or they may become overweight after they start treatment. Being overweight can make it harder for people with type 1 diabetes to keep their blood sugar levels under control.

Weight and Type 2 Diabetes

Most people are overweight when they're diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Being overweight or obese increases a person's risk for developing type 2 diabetes. People with type 2 diabetes have a condition called insulin resistance in which their bodies are able to make insulin, but can't use it properly to move glucose into the cells. As a result, the amount of glucose in the blood rises. The pancreas then makes more insulin to try to overcome the problem.

Eventually, the pancreas can wear out from working overtime and may no longer be able to produce enough insulin to keep blood glucose levels within a normal range. At this point, a person has type 2 diabetes.

People who don't have diabetes also can have insulin resistance. People with insulin resistance are at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes if they don't already have it.

People with insulin resistance are often overweight and don't exercise very much. But weight loss, eating healthier foods and portion sizes, and getting exercise can actually reverse insulin resistance.

For people with type 2 diabetes, reversing insulin resistance makes it easier to get blood sugar levels into a healthier range. For those who have insulin resistance but not diabetes, reversing insulin resistance can reduce the risk that they'll develop diabetes.

Managing Your Weight

Getting to and staying at a healthy weight helps you feel better and have more energy, and being at a healthy weight also reduces the risk of heart disease and other health problems. Reaching and maintaining a healthy weight may also help you reduce diabetes symptoms and control your blood sugar levels.

Your doctor will let you know if you should lose weight to control your diabetes. Doctors usually use your weight and height to calculate your body mass index (BMI), which helps them judge whether your weight is healthy.

Your doctor can talk to you about the weight range that is right for you and help you create a meal and exercise plan to stay within that range. Even if your weight is healthy, eating right and exercising regularly can make your diabetes easier to control and prevent problems down the road.

If you're overweight, don't feel bad about it or guilty about your diabetes (lots of people who don't have diabetes need to lose weight, too!). Instead, take action. Use your meal plan, exercise, and medications to reach and maintain a healthier weight. It won't happen overnight.

Weight management offers special challenges for people with diabetes. Here are some tips:

· Forget fad diets. The latest fad in losing pounds — whether it involves starving yourself or cutting out food groups — can cause major problems when it comes to controlling your blood sugar. Instead, follow your meal plan — it's tailored just for you and your unique needs.

· Stick to the insulin schedule. It's very important that people with diabetes don't skip insulin injections to lose weight. Putting off or skipping injections can lead to very high blood sugar levels and even a dangerous condition called diabetic ketoacidosis (pronounced: keh-toe-as-ih-doe-sis), which can lead to coma.

· Watch the snacking. Some people may eat too many snacks because they're afraid that their blood sugar levels will get too low. This can lead to weight gain. Follow your diabetes plan and take your medications at the right times to avoid these problems.

· Turn the table on cravings. Everyone has cravings now and then. But when people with diabetes sneak extra candy or sweets, it can push blood sugar levels up. Then when you take more insulin to bring your sugar back down, it can lead to gaining extra body fat. Talk to your doctor or a parent if you feel like you don't get to eat sweets or other foods as much as you like. And try some tricks for managing cravings, such as taking a walk or brushing your teeth.

If you need more info about diabetes and how it affects your weight, or if you're worried about it, talk to a member of your diabetes health care team. Your team can help you learn healthy ways to make it easier to manage your weight, so don't hesitate to take advantage of their knowledge and expertise.

Excerpts taken from “Weight and Diabetes” Reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MD. Read more at http://teenshealth.org/teen/diabetes_center/basics/weight_diabetes.html#

Best Teen Diets recommends healthy well balanced that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein and low-fat or fat-free dairy. We offer nutrition information for teens, parents and educators that emphasizes the importance of healthy eating for teens. For more information visit www.bestteendiets.org

Teens Health - MyPlate Food Guide

How MyPlate Works

Teen Nutrition Tips

(tips for the girls and tips for the guys)

As a teenager, you have special diet requirements due to the sudden growth spurt and changes in your body. Now is the time to exchange the junk food for healthier alternatives. It’ll make you more attractive now and healthier later on.

Tips for the girls

Ten Tips for Healthy Holiday Eating

How much sugar is okay for me?

Super Bowl Sunday might mean consuming almost as many calories as at Thanksgiving

"Unjunk Yourself"

The "Work It Out Calculator"

The trick is to put candy in its place

Eating Well While Eating Out

Diabetes and Weight Management

Weight and Type 1 Diabetes

Weight and Type 2 Diabetes

Managing Your Weight

About me

Follow Us

recent posts

Blog Archive

Popular Posts

Follow Us

How MyPlate Works

(tips for the girls and tips for the guys)As a teenager, you have special diet requirements due to the sudden growth spurt and changes in your body. Now is the time to exchange the junk food for healthier alternatives. It’ll make you more attractive now and healthier later on.

Tips for the girls

Weight and Type 1 Diabetes

Weight and Type 2 Diabetes

Managing Your Weight

About me

Follow Us

recent posts

Blog Archive

Popular Posts

Follow Us

(tips for the girls and tips for the guys)

As a teenager, you have special diet requirements due to the sudden growth spurt and changes in your body. Now is the time to exchange the junk food for healthier alternatives. It’ll make you more attractive now and healthier later on.