Live Healthy.

Why Should Teenagers Eat Healthy Foods?

Healthy eating is a great way to:
- Stay focused during the day
- Get vitamins and minerals your body needs
- Stay strong for physical activities
- Be able to perform daily activities
- Reach your maximum height (if still growing)
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Prevent unhealthy eating habits



Bibliography: "http://www.youngwomenshealth.org/healthyeating.html"

by Helen

Foods to Include in Your Diet

Your body needs a daily intake of proteins, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats to maintain a healthy life.

Protein:
Protein is needed for growth. Foods that include protein are ggs, cheese, soy products (soymilk, tofu, miso, tempeh), fish, beans, nuts, seeds, chicken, turkey, beef, and pork. If you are a vegetarian you can choose soy products, beans, and nuts to satisfy your protein needs.


Carbohydrates:
Carbohydrates are our main source of energy and play an important role in the functioning of our nervous system, muscles, and internal organs. Foods that include carbohydrates include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans.

Fats:
Fats are a form of energy that can be stored in your body. It can be burned to form energy when your body doesn't have enough from your diet. Foods that include "good" fats are flax oil, ground flaxseed, cold water fish like salmon and fresh tuna, canola oil, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, olive oil, avocados, and grapeseed oil.

Calcium:
Calcium is needed for strong bones and healthy teeth. The best source of calcium is milk. Other ways you can get calcium into your diet is by eating cheese, yogurt or tofu.



Grain:
Grain food helps give you energy. The best grains are whole-grain foods like whole-wheat bread, brown rice, and oatmeal because they usually have more nutrients than refined grain products. They give you a feeling of fullness.


Overall your daily diet should include:
- fruits and vegetables
- fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products
- lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts
- whole grains

by Helen & Liz

Foods to Avoid

Foods you should avoid are ones that contain sugar, such as packaged cookies, cakes, soda-these sugars are called simple carbohydrates; they have a negative effect on your blood sugar levels and your moods as well.

A healthy diet is low in saturated and trans fat, cholesterol, salt and added sugar.

Limit saturated fat, which can clog your arteries and raise your risk for heart disease. Saturated fat is found mainly in:
* butter
* full-fat cheese
* whole milk
* fatty meats
* coconut, palm, and palm kernel oils


Limit trans fat, which is also bad for your heart. Trans fat is often found in:
* baked goods like cookies, muffins, and doughnuts
* snack foods like crackers and chips
* vegetable shortening
* stick margarine
* fried foods

You should also avoid eating fish with high levels of mercury, like shark, swordfish, and marlin, because the mercury could affect the development of your nervous system.

by Helen & Liz

3-Day Diet Plan

Day 1:
Breakfast -
-A bowl of oatmeal with chopped nuts and raisins
-sliced banana, or strawberries
-soymilk (orange, apple) juice or water
Lunch -
-Lean turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread w/ 1 slice low-fat American Cheese, lettuce and 2 slices of tomato
-1 cup of fruits (fresh or dried)
-soymilk, or water
Snack-
-veggies w/ low-fat dip
Dinner -
-Pasta with pesto sauce, tomato sauce
-1 cup vegetables (mixed veggies:broccoli, peas, carrots)
-2 cups soy milk


Day 2:
Breakfast-
-Whole grain toast or bagel
-1 egg (scrambled, poached or boiled)
-1 cup soy milk
Lunch-
-Tuna sandwich on whole grain bread or roll w/ lettuce
-1 apple, bananaor orange
-(orange, apple) juice, water
Snack-
-baked potato chips or tortilla chips w/ salsa
Dinner-
-Stir fry vegetables w/ tofu
-1/2 cup shrimp or chicken (topping)
-1 cup soymilk


Day 3:
Breakfast-
-1 cup fresh fruit (orange, banana, strawberry, blueberry)
-1 container yogurt
-1/4 cup granola (for topping)
-1 cup soymilk or water
Lunch-
-Tacos w/ lettuce, 2 slice tomato, low-fat cheese
-(orange, apple) juice or water
Snack-
-Peanut butter on rice cakes or whole wheat crackers
Dinner-
-Broiled Salmon
-1 cup brown rice
-2 cups lettuce w/ low-fat dressing
-1 cup soymilk


By Liz & Helen