Importance of Healthy Eating for Teen Athletes

During the teenage years, our bodies are undergoing major changes because we are turning from a kid into an adult. To support these changes, our bodies need to be well nourished, which starts with healthy eating. Eating good foods has some short term and some long term affects on our bodies. Some of the short term effects include acne prevention. Acne is something that many teens have to face at some point in their life, but, believe it or not, the food teens eat can determine whether they get acne or what degree they get it too. Another short term affect that eating healthy has on the body is that when one constantly eats good foods, it can actually help their immune system fight off diseases and sickness. Lastly, for short term health, it is crucial that teenagers get the correct amount of calcium and iron so they must consume plenty of calcium rich things like milk. Getting enough calcium is not just a short term effect, but also a long term one. Adults naturally cannot absorb calcium the way children can, so it is important for teens to drink milk so they have strong bones throughout their lives. Another long term effect of eating well is that it can help to prevent obesity as an adult and the problems that it comes with (including heart problems). Overall, healthy eating while young helps an individual to develop good habits that they can take with them into adulthood. It overall, leads to a longer and happier life. This is especially true for athletes who eat healthy, providing them with enough energy and improving their performance.

Sources:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/treatments/healthy_living/nutrition/life_adolescence.shtml

http://www.nutrition.com.sg/he/heteens.asp

Daily Caloric Needs

Some factors include your age, sex, metabolism, activity level, and body size affect your personal caloric needs. To get an idea of the total calories you should consume in your daily diet, multiply your current weight by 15 if you’re moderately active or by 13 if you aren’t. At about age 25 there is a decline in your caloric needs of about 2 percent for every 10 years. An adult guy has less body fat and about 10 to 20% more muscle than a woman of the same size and age. Because muscle burns more calories than fat does, a man’s calorie needs are generally about 5 - 10%  higher than a woman’s. A living body needs a minimum amount of calories to keep vital functions. Like breathing and keeping its heart beating.The metabolic rate(the amount of energy expended in a give period) that you inherit from your family in part determines the number of calories that your body needs to function. You cannot change this. Inherited metabolic diseases, specifically those that affect your thyroid, can cause you to burn calories very quickly or very slowly. So your genes are a huge factor. A malfunctioning thyroid gland can sabotage your best weight-loss efforts. When you are active, you burn calories, and if you burn more calories than you eat you will lose weight. The kind of exercise you choose, how long, and how intensely you do it determines exactly how many calories you burn.

Macronutrients

Macronutrients are very important in the diet of a teenage athlete. A Macronutrient is a food that people need a big intake of everyday. Macronutrients include protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Consuming foods that contain protein is crucial when dealing with an athlete because protein is what helps basically  all of our different body systems function. Each protein within our bodies are made up of a chain of about twenty amino acids. Depending on the amino acid chain and what order they are in, each protein performs a different function. Foods that are high in protein include eggs, meat, poultry, seafood, processed soy products, nuts, and many other foods. It is recommended that about 12-15% of a teenage athlete's everyday diet is protein.
     A teen needs, however, a lot more carbohydrates than protein. The recommended intake of carbs per day for teen athletes is 60-70% of their diet. Carbohydrates break up into three main groups: sugar, starch, and fiber. These sugars include monosaccharides (glucose, fructose and ribose), polysaccharides (cellulose), and disaccharides (Sucrose and Lactose). Monosaccarides are basically the simplest form of sugar, which means that it can not be broken down any further. A polysaccharide is a complex sugar that is made up of a chain of monosaccharides and disaccarides are sugars made up of only two monosaccharides. In general, the role of Carbohydrates is that it provides the body's primary energy and that it helps aid a healthy digestive system. Some healthy examples of foods that are carbohydrates are sweet potatoes, oats, and brown rice. Carbs are especially important to athletes because it provides them with the energy that they need to perform well. That is why the daily intake of Carbohydrates is significantly higher than those of an un-active person.
     The last of the macronutrients is fats (lipids). There are three different types of fats: saturated fat, unsaturated fat, and trans fat. Saturated fats are typically the fat that people should stay away from because it raises cholesterol and puts an individual at higher risk for disease. Saturated fats usually come from animal products. Unsaturated fats, on the other hand, are not particularly bad for you. It is natural oil that comes from things like nuts. Lastly, trans fat is hydrogenated oil, meaning that it is turned into a saturated fat like substance that is bad for the body. It is usually found in processed foods. The main role of fats, in general, is long term energy for the body and insulation. The recommended intake per day of fat is 20-30% of our daily food.

Sources:
http://www.fao.org/docrep/W8079E/w8079e0h.htm
http://www.achd.net/chrond/pubs/pdf/nutrteen.pdf

Key Micronutrients and their Functions

For an active teen, getting enough of the right micronutrients is very important in healthy eating.  Micronutrients include minerals and vitamins, nutrients that are needed in small amounts.  Some micronutrients vital for teens and active teens are calcium, iron and potassium.

        Calcium is one of the most important micronutrients for an active teen.  Teens need calcium because their bones are growing rapidly during adolescence.  The teenage years are the years in which people grow the most.  It's vital for a teen to get enough calcium because it's also needed later in life, not just for growing bones.  Calcium prevents bone loss later in life.  If someone doesn't get enough calcium while they are young, their bones will be weak later in life.  The body will start to take calcium from its bones, weakening them.  It is especially important for an active teen to get enough calcium because it is used in muscle contractions, something active teens have to do frequently.  Muscle contraction is sending and receiving messages through nerves.  Another function of calcium is the release of hormones, something teens are known for.  An active teen would need more calcium than the average teen in order to prevent injuries in sports or dance.  The active teen needs 1,300 mg of calcium per day.  In order to take in enough calcium, it is recommended that teens eat 3-4 servings of high-calcium foods.  Some high-calcium foods are dairy products, leafy greens, soy foods, beans and leafy green vegetables.

        Iron is a micronutrient necessary for proper development.  Iron aids in red blood cell formation.  If a teen doesn't get enough iron, it can lead to mental and motor problems.  An active teen needs more iron than the average teen in order to maintain healthy levels.  Active teen boys need 11 mg of iron per day and active teen girls need 15 mg of iron per day.  Someone can get iron from beef, pork, poultry, fish, leafy greens and beans.

        Another important micronutrient for a teen to get is potassium.  Potassium is important for active teens because it prevents sports related injuries and prevents muscle cramps.  Potassium also helps with heart and muscle health.  Along with taking in potassium, it is important to drink a lot of water daily in order to balance out sodium and potassium levels.  Water helps to keep sodium and potassium at healthy balances.  Active teens need to take in potassium before or after practices/games.  Some foods rich in potassium are bananas, avocados and citrus fruits.

        For active teens, it is vital that the right amount of micronutrients is taken daily.

Sources: 

http://www.livestrong.com/article/471953-the-nutritional-needs-of-an-active-teenage-athlete/

http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/nutrition/calcium.html#

Foods to Avoid

Foods that are high in saturated fats, trans fats, and simple carbs should be avoided. Trans fat and saturated fat should be avoided because eating a lot of them can raise LDL cholesterol. If that is raised than the there is a greater risk of getting heart disease. For the most part, simple carbs should be avoided because the body breaks them down very quickly and gives you a sudden surge of energy. This energy wears off quickly. Athletes, though, should eat simple carbs if they are in need of quick energy. Being an active teen, you need to be able to keep a balanced diet. You shouldn’t eat too much oil and high in sodium foods. Also you shouldn’t eat much of high processed foods, such as chicken nuggets, hot dogs, twinkies and soda.

Sources:
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/HeartDiseaseRisks/story?id=4218520#.UYKc9CsadEg
http://diet.lovetoknow.com/wiki/List_of_Good_Carbs_and_Bad_Carbs

3 Day Meal Plan

 Day 1:

Breakfast:

yogurt & Granola(ex: yoplait fat free vanilla yogurt has 5g of protein, no trans fats, and 10% of your daily value of protein)(Ex: Bear Naked Fit Vanilla Almond Crunch 4g protein, 2g fiber, and 3g sugar. Most natural health food granola products are better then name brands and contain less sugar, and better nutrients)

Lunch:

-salad with grilled chicken (with vegetables like cucumber, tomato, avocado, and baby corn. Try to limit the amount of dressing, or choose one like fat free italian) (Chicken provides a source of protein, and vegetables are high in iron and other nutrients like vitamin A)

 Dinner:

Grilled Chicken breast with pesto, brown rice, and grilled yellow squash (Chicken is high in protein, and a lean meat. Brown rice contains fiber, selenium, and other nutrients that help to reduce illnesses and help your over all health. Yellow squash is high in vitamin A, and has some fiber and protein too).

Snack:
-banana and pretzels(potassium, carbs, and protein)

Day 2

Breakfast:

- Fruits (unsweetened)(black berries are rich in vitamin E and and are a good source of fiber) with cottage cheese (it is high in protein and calcium, use one with 1 or 2% milk)

Lunch:

Peanut butter sandwich (with whole wheat/grain bread, and nanatural peanut butter with no hydrogenated oil) Fruit / vegetables (grapes, strawberries, carrots, etc.), and a granola bar(preferably one low in sugar)

Dinner:

 - Pasta with red sauce(containing: ground chicken, bell peppers, and mushrooms), grilled garlic bread, salad.(chicken provides a source of protein, and the vegetables
are high in iron and other nutrients like vitamin A)(Bread is a good source of carbs, and helps to make you feel more full)

Snack:

 -Apples with peanut butter (Good source of fiber, energy, and healthy fats. Try using natural peanut butter with no hydrogenated oil).

Day 3:
Breakfast: 

-Unsweetened/plain oatmeal (it is high in protein and helps to lower cholesterol) with
fruits like berries (unsweetened, good source of nutrients like fiber and vitamin E)

Lunch:

- Ham and cheese sandwich(whole grain bread for more grains, cheese and ham provide protein), mixed fruits(banana for potassium, or apples and pears which are a good source of fiber) , and Wheat thins(provide carbohydrates, and protein)

Dinner:

- Grilled teriyaki tofu, farro salad (green beans, red bell pepper, and Parmesan cheese), sauteed asparagus. (Tofu is high in protein, calcium, and iron. Farro is a great grain full of protein, fiber, and antioxidants plus much more. The vegetables and cheese add an extra boots of vitamins and protein. Asparagus is low in saturated fats, but high in vitamins, protein, and fiber)

Snacks:

- Carrots with dressing(carrots are a good source of fiber, and vitamins. Try using a dressing lower in fats, like a yogurt based dressing witch adds bonus nutrients like calcium)

Source: 
http://nutritiondata.self.com/