Teens nutrition and lunch in backpacks

The importance of Teens Nutrition and what is in their Backpack, may be a pointer to possible behavioural issues.

Some conditions can go uncontrolled thru not being regulated by a basic healthy diet!! A diet that should have started in early in life. Teens diets are generally not summed up in the three words, Mum then Dad. Generally speaking, by the time children are getting ready for; or are already at High school, lunch can be missed from the backpack as the teenager hurtles off to school, too late to prepare some good tucker.

Although the home environment is where a child’s dietary habits start and where the lunchbox should become the blueprint for the rest of a child’s life, try imprinting that into an adolescent brain space. Some adjustments are needed here, as the decision and choices are rightfully their own to make at this stage of the game. But just some fruit, natural mueslie bars and a clipseal of dried fruit and nuts are a good backstop for the afternoon “Munchies”.

It is still true that the child’s food and diet memory is implanted, Good or Bad thru these years, so it is important to eat nutritionally correctly when possible? Good eating habits are memories which remains deep within us and so will stay in the back of the mind forever, making teens nutrition an absolute must!!

Teens nutrition vs junk food problems

Put bluntly, junk food supplies junk nutrition and therefore no lasting nutrients are supplied throughout the day after the first sugar hit. However Dried fruit and nuts, a piece of fruit, a multigrain salad roll or natural juices work on thru the day to convert to the Essential Natural sugars, so needed by a young growing mind and body.

These Natural sugars are so important for sustaining stable blood sugar levels in a Teens raging and fast growing metabolism. Their body and mind can gain the maximum support to replenish Neuro-muscular acivity and healthy internal organs.

Healthy nutrients are the main source of the power to help keep the minds concentration on study, the tasks at hand or the new Girl down the block. Lol, chuckle

Teens, cooking and the Munchies

Most caring mum and dad’s are likely to see that even the Teens are still helping when possible in the kitchen with the prepping of the evening or weekend meals for the endless Summers that lie ahead. Simple things, such as how to make a filth tasting Mexican stew in 45 minutes over a bed of noodles with some grated carrot, chopped celery and tomatoes with some grated Parmesan cheese melt and wolfed down with corn chips, that will feed 4 or 5 mates.

The good part, only one big pot and a couple of spoons and bowls to wash. Too easy, Campes’e !! Don’t forget, don’t add salt to a meal, add it if needed when sitting at the table!! Excessive salt in the formative years can be a danger to the arteries and organs in the young body and can cause lifelong problems.

Sugar is not a necessity for life and can be gained from fruits and wholegrain foods by the breaking down of carbohydrates in the diet. Artificially manufactured sugar and chemical sweeteners are just as damaging as nicotine and alcohol to the body’s well-being and are now responsible for a large proportion of the death, disease and illness in the world.

This is a direct result of the fast food greasy refined Western diet, with all the preservatives, additives and colourings that come with it.

Leaving the nest and being house work prepared

Teenagers that are encouraged to cook by helping out in the kitchen and who are learning to use healthy ingredients because they are much better than fast food alternatives, are bettering themselves in more ways than one.

Firstly, good eating becomes a habit as they learn what ingredients go with what to make something yummy and also they quickly figure, what goes into their mouths is going to create the healthy lifestyle that they may be able to lead forever.

Secondly and more importantly, when Teens are away on vacations or school camps, family holidays or when they are taking the first steps out to living away from home; they are naturally equipped to cook and provide for themselves and to be prepared as an efficient urbanised survivor.

In the following chapters we will talk about different foods, different ingredients and more specifically; the best foods that supply the best nutrients. All with antioxidant rich foods full of vitamins and minerals, essential for a younghealthy lifestyle. Young people taking the time to learn these easy simple lessons about correct nutrition, will soon come to understand that:

“YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT!!”

Click here for healthy meals and ideas

SOUPS & STOCKS
EASY EATING
DRINKS & SNACKS
LIGHT MEALS
MAIN MEALS
DESSERTS

More info on the 5 Main Food Groups. Courtesy of the Aust Gov’t:

https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/five-food-groups

How much should I be eating

Plate and portion sizes seem to have grown over the years and it is not only Australians who are eating more at each meal time as well as in between snacks, it seems a worldwide trend. Obesity levels are rising on the one hand the world over and so much food is wasted in Western societies while Third World countries suffer from overpopulation and starvation.

Eating the correct foods is important to maintain a healthy weight, but it is just as important to eat the correct amount; coupled with adequate exercise to burn off any excess fats and to invigorate the metabolism.

Most excess fats are visible under the skin, but it’s what you can’t see that is the most damaging; where it is coating the insides of your body and your heart, liver, pancreas and kidneys. This fat in turn, forms as cholesterol within the bloodstream and is basically tiny balls of fat which are clogging up arteries and the digestive system.

Scientists have proven that this fat releases hormones and dangerous chemicals throughout the body, potentially leading to type II diabetes, heart disease, blood pressure and premature aging.

Good and bad Fats

It should be noted that not all fats are harmful and a healthy body needs a certain amount of fats. The body produces over 80% of the cholesterol needed for all cells in the body to function correctly. Healthy fat would be what we call saturated fats.

Some examples are dairy foods such as milk, cheeses, yoghurts. There are the monounsaturated fats gained from nuts, lean meats, olive oils, butter, grape seed oil and several vegetables oils such as canola and sunflower seed. It is important to maintain a correct intake of these important saturated fats and monounsaturated fats, while at the same time mostly eliminating consumption of trans fats, especially the types which are in most takeaway foods and margarine type spreads.

Keeping a Healthy Weight

So staying within the healthy weight range or body mass index of around 28 t0 34 is necessary for long time health and well being. Combining healthy eating of antioxidant rich foods and exercise is important. Eating foods such as fruit and vegetables, nuts and whole grains and drinking citrus juices and beverages such as green and black teas and espresso coffees, supplemented with lean meats such as fish, poultry, beef, lamb and pork are also important.

It should be noted that it is better to maintain a healthy weight, rather than constantly trying to lose weight, as this indicates an unhealthy amount of overeating and a lack of physical exercise.

It is also worth noting that chemical weight loss pills are a lazy waste of money. The answer lies in eating the correct foods in the first place and in the correct amounts. Avoid weight loss competitions at all costs, as one person is given the carrot (the plant/winner) while millions are given the stick; as they pay through the wallet and make the drug companies healthier.

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