What diet should an adolescent follow so that his development is complete thanks to his diet? We discover which foods are the most useful and appropriate.
Adolescence is that stage in life in which we leave childhood behind and gradually transform ourselves into adults. It involves both physical and emotional changes and involves several phases or stages and occurs earlier in girls than in boys.
The first phase is puberty or adolescence and begins between 10 years and reaches 14 years in girls, and in boys between 11 and 15 years. The second phase is the middle adolescence that includes up to 19 years. The third phase is when youth is reached, which is between 20 and 24 years old.
As we have said before, it is a time of changes, physical changes, sexual changes, psychological changes, social changes. In these periods of change it is important to pay attention to the diet of our adolescents, not to neglect it to complete this process and that their growth and development is adequate.
In addition to a healthy and balanced diet, physical activity, avoiding a sedentary lifestyle, we must increase your energy level through food and thus help you keep your brain active, and face these changes with strength.
Essential foods for the adolescent
The following foods should not be missing in your diet:
- Maintain good hydration, drinking between 2 liters and 2 and a half liters of water.
- Natural juices without added sugar. The best ones are freshly made at home, no packaged fruit juices (which by the way only have sugars).
- Vegetables, vegetables and fruits, in divided portions, between lunch, snack, dinner.
- Foods rich in vitamin A and D that will help you absorb calcium: milk, blue fish, 3 servings of milk a day and blue fish 3 times a week.
- Foods rich in Omega 3 fatty acids, like all oily fish.
- Red meat: once a week.
- White meat: 3 or 5 times a week.
- Nuts: walnuts are rich in vitamin B6, folic acid, Omega 3, tryptophan, it is advisable to eat 2 or 3 walnuts a day. Also peanuts, rich in protein, which helps them to have energy and increase the physical and intellectual level, as well as to promote the development of bones and muscles in adolescents. Sprinkle peanuts over pasta, salad, rice, and chicken or turkey batter with peanut sprinkles.
- Foods rich in minerals such as iron, zinc, phosphorus, iodine, vitamin B12:
- Other essential foods such as: lentils, spinach, oatmeal, whole wheat bread, red meat, chickpeas, pumpkin, sesame seeds, fish, whole grains, seaweed, shellfish, sea salt, eggs, chicken meat, liver, lamb meat, yeast of beer.
- Whole grains and legumes 3 times a week.
- Bars of oatmeal, raisins or with dried fruits such as walnuts or hazelnuts in the middle of the morning, will provide you with magnesium, carbohydrates, which will provide you with long-term energy.
- Avoid sweets or very sugary foods, they produce energy quickly and then produce a feeling of hunger.
In addition to promoting the good development of the adolescent with food, it is also important to encourage him to also practice some sport or physical activity that he likes the most and to avoid a sedentary lifestyle.
It is a very important stage in life in which the child leaves childhood to become an adult, and in many cases they become irritable.
Parents must be attentive, encourage dialogue with them, pay attention to them and generate a climate of trust and affection so that they come to us and tell us if they have or are going through a problem that they tell us about their fearful fears, about his doubts, of sexuality.
Also warn them of the danger of alcohol and drug abuse and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, or early pregnancies.
