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Why is it so difficult for so many of America's youth to maintain a proper diet? We're always hearing about the crimes of Mr. Average Teenager, a persona equated to that of an untidy, pizza gut drenched in the irresistable sea of carbonated sodas and floating in it, a general dislike for anything green--in the never ending quest to satisfy that bottomless black hole of a stomach. We're not really like that, are we? We know that stuff that will only equate itself to cellulite, heart failure, and overall bad habits. But what about the other extreme? How about that emaciated waste of a ribcage, subsisting entirely on celery, carrots, and ultra low fat skim milk cheese cubes? An eating disorder can go either way, but in every case it's always a life threatening issue. What's required is a stable balance. So here we are, a simple blog that aims to inform you all just a tad bit further on what a nutritious, balanced diet should look like for the average teen, and what you can do to attain that on an every day basis.

Your Daily Caloric Intake

First of all, what is a calorie? A calorie is a unit of energy. It measures the potential energy in foods. For example, 1 gram of fat contains 9 calories, 1 gram of protein contains 4 calories, and one gram of carbohydrate also contains 4 calories.

 It is important for people of all ages to stay within their recommended daily calorie intake. When people are consistently too low in calorie intake, they lose weight. On the other hand, when calorie intake is substantially higher than the recommended number, weight gain will occur. Because a calorie essentially is a vehicle to store energy, if you do not use all the calories you consume, these will ultimately be stored away in the form of fats. It's essential that all people have a general sense of their recommended calorie intake in order to maintain a healthy weight and stable energy level. There are a number of factors that help decide how many calories you will need. Amongst the determining factors is how active you are, especially how many times and how long you typically practice cardiovascular per week. Obviously someone whose body does more "work" needs more calories. Another factor in this calculation is age and general health, as metabolism varies throughout life stages.

A female's, age 13-18, recommended calorie intake ranges from 1,800-2,600 caloires per day, depending on their amount of daily physical activity.

A male's, age 13-18, recommended daily calorie intake is 1,800 to 3,200 calories, also depending on their daily physical activity. The more active the person, the more calories needed to sustain their energy.

It's important to remember that calories aren't everything. A teenager might get all the calories they need for a day (or more) from foods like chips, pizza, and other junk food. Although their calorie intake is fulfilled, other important components of a nutritious diet such as micro (vitamins & minerals) and macromolecules (fats, protein, carbs) are probably not.

All You Ever Wanted to Know About Macromolecules

What is a macromolecule? A macromolecule is a very large, complex molecule. They are derived from plants and animals only. In terms of nutrition, there are three necessary in every diet: Carbohydrates, Proteins, and Fats.

Carbohydrate:

-225-325 grams a day

- 45-65% of daily calories should come from carbs

-Serves as body's main energy source and include 

complex (take longer to use) and simple (immediate use) carbs

-Complex sources include potatoes, peas, and corn. 

-Simple sources include fruit, milk, sugars, sweets. 

Protein: 

-50-175 grams a day

-10-35% of total daily calories should come from protein

-Essential for skin, bone, muscle, blood, and organ tissue production and health. Serves as a hormone and enzyme

 stabilizer.

-Sources of protein include beans, vegetables, meat, dairy, nuts, seeds.

Fats:

-44 to 78 grams a day

-20 to 35 % of daily calories should be from fats

-Help absorb essential vitamins, maintain structure/function of cell membranes, keep immune system working. Limit saturated and trans fats which clog arteries and lead to other health problems. 

-Good fat sources include nuts, olives, and avocados.

Foods to Avoid or Limit

Here are some foods you should avoid or limit your intake of. That's not to say that all of these will kill you!- once in a while is ok, but it's best to try to avoid eating these things on a daily basis for the sake of your lifelong health.

Oils such as palm kernel oil, butter, coconut oil, vegetable shortening, and hard margarine should be avoided or limited. These contain high amounts of trans and saturated fats. Coconut oil, for example contains even more saturated fat than animal products! These potentially dangerous fats are linked directly to clogging arteries, which can cause heart attacks and heart disease. Foods that are especially high in these oils include popcorn, french fries, and most packaged foods. Oils such as virgin olive oil, flax and fish oil are healthy in moderation. These monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are actually linked to lowering "bad" cholesterol (LDL) and increasing "good" cholesterol (HDL). These fats can be found in sources like nuts, avocados, and fish.

Other things to be limited include processed sugars and flours. These are commonly known as "white" flour or sugar and are present in baked goods, sweets, and processed breads. Processed foods and ingredients are considered the simplest carbohydrates and cause blood sugar levels to rise suddenly, and plummet just as quickly. When consistently consumed, unsteady fluctuations in blood sugar can lead to low energy, and even more serious problems down the road such as obesity and diabetes. Instead of eating processed foods such as white rice and white bread, choose complex carbohydrates such as brown rice and whole grain bread.

*Also, while many breads are advertised as "whole wheat," this does not mean that they are "whole grain." Even completely processed white wonderbread can be considered whole wheat. Whole grain means that the wheat in the flour contains the whole head of grain, and was not processed. Whole grain is always the better choice because it is a complex carbohydrate. Watch out for this common scam.

How to Start

Convinced and motivated, but just don't know where to start? Try checking out the "Getting Started" tab at the top of the page for a jump start and a bit of instant meal planning.