General Healthy Eating For Teens

General Healthy Eating For Teens

The beginnings of a healthy life style includes exercise, mental exercise, good sleep, healthy relationships and more. But for any growing teenager, eating healthy is the first step to leading a healthy life style. First of all, eating healthy means consuming a well balanced diet of proteins, carbohydrates, dairies, fruits and vegetables with a limited amount of fat. (See macronutrients). So the big question; why eat healthy? Healthy food is the source of energy for carrying out every day tasks. The main source of carbohydrates will give you the fire power to workout, play sports and keep active without feeling sluggish. This is great because you'll feel better, and be able to exercise. Also, eating well stimulates your brain so that you can focus more in school. Eating enough efficient proteins with low fat, will aid to repair and build muscles and strengthen the fibers in your body. The vitamins and minerals from fruits and vegetables are essential for building cells to fight sickness and disease. The number one cause of death in the United States is heart attack and one of the best ways to prevent it is by having a healthy diet. Fruits and vegetables will also lower your blood pressure preventing more diseases like certain cancers. But more importantly for those out there who are reading this for yourself or a loved one with diabetes, healthy eating will help assist in managing it.

The benefits of eating healthy 

General Healthy Eating With Diabetes

As you should know, the insulin in your blood does not break down the glucose and a high build up of it is harmful to a patient with diabetes. The daily requirements for teens with diabetes is generally the same as a normal teen, but some small and gradual adjustments need to be made. Foods containing sums of sugar should be avoided like sodas and cake. Foods with whole wheat and 100% whole grain cereal are essential so that you can get your source of carbohydrates for energy. Eating healthy as a teen with diabetes is even more important than a normal teen because you have to eat the perfect balance so that you don't raise your glucose levels. That means that the intake of carbohydrates are limited but you can have as much of everything else as you want. (As long as it is a balanced diet.) Ask your dietician for help to get the right balance of glucose in your diet, or helpful websites like www.diabeteseducator.org. By starting with eating right, a teen with diabetes can live a healthy lifestyle as anyone. Eating right is the first step to living a long and healthy life.

Click here for more information

http://ndep.nih.gov/media/Youth_Tips_Eat.pdf

http://www.thelifeco.com/cok-okunanlar.aspx?id=478

http://www.pamf.org/preteen/mybody/nutrition/why.html

"Calories make me fat" Fact or Myth?

What is a calorie? Is it a fat? Is it energy? Is it edible? Well, yes and no. A calorie, by definition, is the measurement of potential energy in the food you eat. How many calories do I eat? The first step is to calculate your BMR. Your BMR, or basic metabolic rate, is the amount of calories you need a day without exercise or any activity. Your BMR is determined by factors like gender, weight and height. You can calculate your BMR by going to websites like, http://www.bmrcalculator.org/. Determining your BMR does not determine the total amount of calories you consume however. For example, If you have a BMR of 2,000 calories, and burn 500 calories a day of exercise, you should consume 2,500 calories a day. If you don't use enough of what you intake (say you only burn 50 calories) , you will gain weight and if you use more than you intake you will lose weight (say you burn 1,000 calories) and those are both unhealthy choices That is why there is not a set number of calories a certain person should eat? Truthfully, there is no one right answer. The thing is that different people burn calories at different rates. Also, the correct caloric intake varies from person to person, depending on several factors. Some major factors that determine caloric intake include gender, age, weight, height, activity level and metabolism. For example, a frail 80 year old women who sits at home petting her cat may only need 1,000 calories a day, but when she was a growing young teen soccer player, she needed to eat 3,000.

For teens with diabetes, determining your caloric intake is slightly different. Based on your activity and your BMR you will intake the correct amount of calories accordingly. Around 40-50% of your diet should be healthy carbs. However, you must ensure that you maintain your healthy weight.. Patients with type 1 diabetes should consume 35 calories per kilogram of body weight per day. Patients with type 2 diabetes usually consume around 1500 to 1800 calories a day. But diabetes patients should consult with a doctor to determine the appropriate calorie intake before starting a new diet.

http://www.fitday.com/webfit/calories/calories.html

http://stronglifts.com/how-many-calories-do-you-need-to-eat-per-day/

http://weightloss.about.com/od/eatsmart/a/blcalintake.htm

 

Macronutrients

3. Why is the importance of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats for an active teen?

CARBOHYDRATES: Carbohydrates are organic compounds made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. A monosaccharide, which are foods like sugar is a simple carbohydrate. Complex carbohydrates (which are made of polysaccharides) are foods like bread and cereal. The difference is that simple carbohydrates dissolve when put in water (or milk), while complex carbohydrates do not (it will get soggy though…). These foods are high in glucose, which we store in our body tissues as the form of Glycogen.

We then use the glycogen as a form of first hand energy, so when you go out to run, your body uses the carbohydrates you eat and turn it into energy. Carbohydrates can also lower your cholesterol and prevent constipation.

        Be aware that there can be "too much of a good thing" and that the daily recommended intake of carbohydrates is 300 grams.

       If you eat whole grains like wheat bread, and whole-wheat cereals, fruits, and vegetables then you are eating good carbohydrates.

The Good Carbs 

PROTEINS: Proteins are made of many chains of amino acids, the building blocks of enzymes. Enzymes are very important because they allow us to carry out our bodily functions without problems. A diabetic needs insulin (an enzyme) to make food available as fuel for muscles, nerves, and your brain. Without it, the blood pressure can become severely high. That is why protein is especially important for a teen with diabetes.

       There are some amino acids in proteins that can't be processed artificially, and can only be obtained by organic foods. These are called Essential amino acids. This includes (but is not limited to) phenylalanine, valine, methionine, and cysteine.

       Proteins have more functions in our bodies than carbohydrates and fats combined. Proteins make enzymes, produce hormones, heal weak or damaged bones and muscle, allow the growth of bones and muscle, fight off disease with antibodies, carry nutrients throughout our bodies, and are a source of energy. But again, there can be too much of a good thing and ingesting too much protein causes it to turn into fat. Some fat can be good for you though (as you will read about below)

       50 grams of protein is the daily-recommended intake. You can get a healthy source of protein from dairy and meats like milk, eggs, fish, lean meats, and beans. You would want foods that contain complete proteins because they contain all of the amino acids your body requires in good, equal proportion. If not, eating more than one food with incomplete proteins is fine too.

The Good Meat 

FATS: Fats, also known as lipids are made of fatty acids. Depending on the temperature, fats can either be solid (fat) or liquid (oils). An actual fat molecule is called a triglyceride, or 3 fatty acid chains held together by Glycerol.

       There are THREE different types of fats out there: saturated fats, unsaturated fats, and trans fats.

Saturated Fats are fats found in animal products (ham, cocoanut oil, butter) and are solid at room temperature. The recommended consumption for saturated fats is no more than 10% of your daily caloric intake because, unfortunately, eating these fats in excess they can lead to heart diseases like Atherosclerosis. Why it does this is because saturated fats increase LDL, the BAD cholesterol.   

Unsaturated Fats are found in plants (olive oil, soybeans, avocado) and are liquid at room temperature. The recommended consumption for unsaturated fats is no more than 30% or your daily caloric intake. They are considered the GOOD fats because they reduce LDL (bad cholesterol) and increase HDL (good cholesterol). Nutritionists say that unsaturated fats are good to eat if you are watching your cholesterol.

Trans Fats were used when people found out unsaturated fats were healthier and started selling them more. Since unsaturated fats go bad quickly, they began to "hydrogenate" them, which made the fats longer lasting. Today we call it "partially hydrogenated oil." Using hydrogenated vegetable oils this way, trans fats cause the total and LDL cholesterol levels to increase and they can even reduce HDL cholesterol levels. That's worse than saturated fats! French fries, doughnuts, and any deep fried food have this.

       The daily recommended intake for the total amount of fat you eat is 65 grams, 20 of which should be saturated.

       You can find foods high in unsaturated fat (the good fat) in Avocado, soybean oil, canola oil, and olive oil.

 What are Fats?

Saturated Vs. Unsaturated 

How much should I eat? 

http://www.diffen.com/difference/Saturated_Fats_vs_Unsaturated_Fats

http://www.scribd.com/doc/323318/Macromolecules-Chart

http://www.netrition.com/rdi_page.html

http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/obesity/obesity_molecular/09.html

 

Good Foods Bad Foods

For a normal growing teen, you should limit or altogether avoid these foods:

·      Foods you have a hard time digesting

·      Cooked Foods

·      Foods with excess salt, sugar, processed carbohydrates, and protein

·      Foods with preservatives

·      Artificial sweeteners

·      Deep Fried Fat Foods

Foods you have a hard time digesting are not necessarily "bad" for you, for instance, if you are lactose intolerant, then you'll have a hard time digesting milk even though milk is a great source of protein.

       Cooked and processed foods like BBQ, red meats, and processed wheat are stripped of most of their nutrients, so you'll be getting a lot less from that than say oatmeal and fish.

       Anything in excess will usually end up in your body turning it into fat, so no foods in excess salt (chips, fries, etc…) or sugar (candy, soda, etc…).

       Don't even try artificial sweeteners because it has the exact same effect only it tastes worse…

       Deep Fried food is the worst because it can increase LDL (bad cholesterol) and decrease HDL (good cholesterol)

      

         A healthy teen should limit their intake of protein (meat, fish, dairy) because

1.   eating too much can cause acid reflux in your system

2.   too much of it turns into fat

3.   tuna and some other fish have mercury, and that's like using thermometers as a condiment.

Watch your food 

More information 

People with diabetes, no matter what the degree of the condition is, should avoid these foods no matter what.

·      Sugar and artificial sweeteners (except for stevia) because they could raise your blood pressure

·      Limit or avoid chocolate and "sugar-free candy". Dark Chocolate with 70% or more cocoa solids is fine though

·      Any food that contains a large amount of ingredients that end in –OL, or –OSE

·      Carbohydrates including:

Grains (wheat, rye, corn, rice, cake, cereals), and veggies (potatoes, parsnips, peas, carrots)

·      Beans (except runner beans…you can have runner beans)

·      Limit milk to SMALL amounts

·      Sweetened, fruit, and low-fat yogurts

·      Stay away from TV dinners, fast food, and snack foods

·      Fruit Juices

(Don't worry diabetics, for there are plenty of other great foods you can still eat!)

 Eat this, don't eat that...

http://www.sageera.com/articles/comments/what_foods_to_eat/

http://www.second-opinions.co.uk/foods.html

http://www.msgtruth.org/avoid.htm

3-Day Meal Plan

Day 1

Breakfast- A ham and cheese omelet (use one egg) and half of a papaya. To drink you could have a glass of orange juice and as much water as you please.

Lunch- A Creaser Salad with chicken and some Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. Make sure the dressing isn’t low fat.  To drink you should have around 2 glasses of water.

Dinner- Beef Broccoli on top of a bed of hapa rice (brown rice mixed with white rice). To drink you should have around 2 glasses of water.

Snack- A plain full-fat yogurt with strawberries and blueberries mixed in. Make sure to be drinking water regularly to insure you are hydrated throughout the day.

Day 2

Breakfast- small bowl of oatmeal with a tiny bit of sugar and half a bagel with cream cheese, A banana would go along with your food to provide some potassium for your day. To drink you should have a cup of orange juice and as much water as you please.

Lunch- a turkey, lettuce, cheese, and tomato sandwich. The bread must be whole wheat. A fruit cup on the side with cut up oranges, apples, grapes, and some strawberries. To drink you should have around two cups of water.

Dinner- A grilled Mahi Mahi filet on top of a hapa rice bed, with steamed carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower. Around two glasses of water would be good.

Snack- A bag of dried cereal would be a good snack. Make sure the cereal is low on sugar and is made of whole wheat. Make sure to be drinking water regularly to insure you are hydrated throughout the day.

Day 3

Breakfast- a piece of toast with scrambled eggs and continental sausage. Orange juice on the side would be good along with water.

Lunch- three tacos with shredded American cheese, lettuce strips, and cubes of tomatoes. The meat should lean ground beef. 2 cups of water will go along well with this.

Dinner- shake and bake chicken with the skin still on. Some asperagus on the side would be good and a scoop of hapa rice on the side.

Snack- a bag of trail mix with raisins, various nuts ( peanuts, chestnuts, almonds, macadamia ) with some pretzels and a low count of M&M's on the side. Make sure to be drinking water regularly to insure you are hydrated throughout th