Dietary Guidelines for Teens It has always been the most discussed topic among parents.
Children in adolescence show rapid physical growth. When they are under high academic pressure, proper diet will have a direct impact on height, weight, attention and immunity.
Many parents feel headaches and change things every day, but their children are either picky eaters or keen on eating takeaways and snacks. They have irregular meals and gain weight rapidly.
How should we arrange three meals a day so that our children can keep up with their nutrition, prevent their bodies from gaining weight, and be energetic in class?
In fact, the core lies in Balanced meal within these eight principles.
Match the thickness of the staple food, don’t just eat white rice
Many families are used to eating white rice or steamed buns for every meal. In fact, cereal It should be diverse.
According to the recommendations given by the Dietary Guidelines for Teenagers, the daily intake of cereals should be between 200 and 300 grams, of which whole grains and miscellaneous beans account for about 50 to 150 grams, and 50 to 100 grams of potatoes should be added.
You can try replacing one-third of the white rice with brown rice, oats, or millet, and grab a handful of red beans and a handful of mung beans while cooking.
Make breakfast Whole wheat steamed buns Or steamed sweet potatoes, which lasts much longer than plain white bread.
After this adjustment, the child's blood sugar fluctuates more smoothly and he is less likely to feel sleepy in the afternoon class.
Eat enough fruits and vegetables, the darker the color the better
Many teenagers don't like to eat vegetables, especially green leafy vegetables.
However, the amount of fresh vegetables per day should not be less than 300 grams, of which dark vegetables such as dark green, red, and purple should account for more than half. Vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, and purple cabbage are included in this list and fall within the category of dark vegetables. That is to say, these dark vegetables that account for more than half of the day include specific types such as broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, and purple cabbage.
200 to 350 grams of fruit per day, about the amount of an apple plus a few strawberries.
There is a common misunderstanding here, that is, juice cannot replace fresh fruit, because juicing will cause a loss of dietary fiber, and it is very easy to drink too much.
For snacks in children's schoolbags, cutting fruits into small pieces and placing them in them is much healthier than buying a variety of juice drinks!
The right order of selecting high-quality protein: fish and shrimp first, eggs and meat in moderation
A total of 120 to 200 grams of fish, poultry, eggs, and lean meat per day is enough.
Priority is given to fish recommendations, especially deep-sea fish. The optimal number of times to eat is two times a week, and the total amount is between 300g and 500g.
When eating an egg every day, remember to eat the yolk as well, because the lecithin in the yolk is very important for brain development.
Red meat like pork and beef should be eaten in moderation and infrequently Processed meat products Such as ham sausage and bacon.
When cooking, steam, boil, and stew are used more often, and frying and braised are used less.
Some parents believe that children who are tired from studying and enjoy sumptuous meals at every meal can easily lead to obesity and abnormal blood lipids.
Milk, beans and nuts are available every day, a double supplement of calcium and protein
The critical period for bone growth is adolescence. The daily intake of dairy products should reach 300 ml or more, which can be milk, yogurt, or cheese.
Children with lactose intolerance can choose Shuhua milk or yogurt .
soy products For example, tofu, soy milk, and yuba should also be eaten regularly, three to four times a week.
In addition, a small handful every day Original nuts , like walnuts and almonds, don’t buy salt-baked or sugar-coated ones.
These foods can provide high-quality calcium and contain plant protein, which is very beneficial to the growth of height and is also very helpful for muscle development.
Reduce salt, oil, and sugar. Drink less drinks.
Nowadays, milk tea, carbonated drinks, and sugary tea drinks have almost become standard drinks for teenagers.
According to the Dietary Guidelines for Teenagers, the amount of added sugar per day is best controlled under 25 grams and no more than 50 grams.
A cola with a capacity of 500 ml contains more than 50 grams of sugar, and a cup of milk tea contains more than 100 grams of sugar.
When cooking, the daily dosage of salt should not exceed 5 grams, which is about the amount that a beer bottle cap can hold, and 25 to 30 grams of cooking oil.
You can use more onions, ginger, garlic, lemon juice, and herbs for seasoning to reduce your reliance on salt and sugar.
The daily intake of trans fatty acids should not exceed 2 grams. Those snacks that have "hydrogenated vegetable oil" and "non-dairy creamer" in the ingredient list should buy less.
It’s important to eat three meals regularly, don’t stay up late, and drink enough water
Many middle school students skip breakfast at all in the morning because they are in a hurry, and then eat snacks at night when they are doing homework until late at night. This habit is particularly harmful to the stomach. This is the situation!
During the day, eat a prescribed amount of food at a fixed time and eat three proper meals. Breakfast must include main foods, protein foods, vegetables and fruits, like a sandwich made of whole wheat, with milk and an apple.
Try not to eat after nine o'clock in the evening.
In terms of drinking water, for boys, it is necessary to drink 1700 ml per day, and for girls, it is 1500 ml per day, which is equivalent to about 7 to 8 cups of water.
Boiled water is best, but light tea is also acceptable.
Never use drinks instead of water. The more you drink, the thirstier you will become and you will gain weight.
Learn to read food labels, cooking is also a life lesson
You can take your children to buy groceries on weekends and teach them how to read food labels on Nutritional Facts .
For example, the same package of biscuits, some sodium content and Fat A lot higher.
Encourage children to engage in simple cooking activities, such as cooking scrambled eggs with tomatoes or boiling a pot of vegetable soup, so as to gradually develop their understanding of food.
In the situation of eating out, remind your children to pay attention to the combination of meat and vegetables during meals. Don't just order fried chicken and French fries. You can also add a side of stir-fried vegetables.
Don’t waste food with public chopsticks, and learn hygiene habits from an early age
It is best to use public chopsticks and spoons when eating at home, and put a pair of public chopsticks for each dish.
This is not a waste, but a reduction in the spread of Helicobacter pylori and other germs.
Cook according to needs, and try not to leave any leftover dishes. If you really can't finish the food, you need to refrigerate it in time, and heat it thoroughly when reheating it for the second time.
Tell your children not to eat wild animals or buy unsanitary snacks on the roadside.
These seemingly trivial habits are actually helping children build a lifelong awareness of food safety.
In short, the core of the dietary guidelines for teenagers are these eight words: variety, balance, moderation, and hygiene.
Every meal does not have to be delicacies from the mountains and seas, and it does not have to be measured accurately to the gram according to the recipe. It only needs to control the thickness of the staple food, the fruits and vegetables are rich in color, the protein sources are diverse and varied, and the four major directions of reducing oil, salt and sugar, plus at least 6,000 steps a day, will naturally make children strong, strong and energetic.
Compared with preaching, it is more effective for parents to set an example themselves. The family sits around the dining table and enjoys the meal seriously. This is the best nutrition course.
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