Nutrition at Every Life Stage: Teen Years

NUTRITION DURING THE TEEN YEARS.

This stage of life is the most difficult for the teenager as he/she is neither a child nor an adult. Added to this is the misunderstanding of society, which at times considers their behavior to be child-like and at other times, adult-like. 

A teenager’s diet should meet the following criteria:

Adolescence can be the last chance for a young person to develop nutritional habits that will promote a healthier adult life. The following recommendations must be kept in mind:

- At breakfast, at least one dairy product, one cereal and one fruit should be included.

- Vegetables, fish and cereals, as well as salads and vegetables according to their taste, should be favored during meals.

- Fast foods such as hamburgers and pizzas can be added as long as frequency and serving size are balanced with the rest of the food.

- Snacks like nuts and dried fruits such as Natural Break are a healthy option.

- Since most young people have one of their meals outside their home, dinner should have a complementary composition.

- Milk and dairy products should be found in 3-4 servings daily.

- Three servings of fruit, in the form of whole fruit or canned fruit portions and two servings of vegetables every day are essential.

- The most appropriate way to meet vitamin and mineral needs is with a varied and balanced diet that includes several servings from different food groups.