Healthy diet is more important for teenagers than anyone else. When it comes to those hardworking teenage athletes, it’s even more essential to have right kind of food at right time. One must be extra cautious about the diet of teenage athletes because they need extra calories for their speeding growth and to support their athletic needs and exertion. Due to these two reasons these teenage athletes burn calories very fast. If a teenager is deprived of proper nutrients, he can be a victim of stunned growth. He not only risks marred athletic performance but also serious health problems. Healthy eating, when balanced out with proper exercise regime, promises to achieve peak performance without compromising on overall health.
The following five tips are very useful for a healthy diet for a teenager:
1. Calories
Calories are the unit to count the energy providing ability of food. More the calories, better it will satisfy the hunger. Teenage athletes may require 2,000 to 5,000 calories per day to maintain their body weight, energy levels, and to sustain the speed of growth. A hardworking teenage athlete may need nearly double calories to meet his requirements. Shortfall of calories will show up with decreased concentration and lesser endurance strength. Frequent and healthy snacking is an important way to manage all calorie requirements and to support athletic lifestyle.
2. Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are another important aspect of nutrients. It also forms a vital part in food’s nutritive breakup being the main source of fuel for the body. The foods rich in carbohydrates are high in starch or sugar. Thus carbohydrates are omnipresent source of energy that are also easily digestible by the system. Carbohydrates form around 65% of our total energy needs. Enough supply of carbohydrates can be sourced from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, whole wheat bread, soy products, and oat meal.
3. Proteins
Protein strengthens the muscles. It is badly needed in the growing years. Plus when the teenager is an athlete, the dependancy on protein increases manifold. By strengthening muscles, it supports complete body, joints and also protects fragile organs inside our body. Teenage athletes must consume around 15 percent of their calories from protein. Good sources of protein include fish, poultry, meat, dairy products, nuts, eggs, soy products, and tofu. On the other hand protein intake must not exceed beyond the actual requirement. Stressing the system to digest extra protein can cause long lasting damage on liver. So the protein intake must be adequate and optimum.
4. Fats
Fatty foods are often equated with being unhealthy. Overweight teenagers must avoid fat but teenage athletes are a completely different case. For them, fat is as important nutrient as carbohydrates and proteins. Fat digests faster and is a long lasting source of energy. It should constitute around 20 percent of a teenage athlete’s diet. Body tends to store fat to use in over stressed environments. Having proper fat percentage in body mass ensures better endurance strength. So every teenage athlete is recommended to eat salmon, avocados, olive oil, and nuts. These foods will provide the body with the needed amount of fats.
5. Water
Water is not a nutrient. But it is as important as a nutrient. Water by its very nature, holds an important place in everyone’s diet. And teenage athletes are no exceptions. Teenage athletes continuously undergo heavy physical activity. Drinking water is absolutely must to cope with the fluid loss. Teenage athletes must avoid the risk of dehydration. It is recommended to drink water before and after the physical activity and every 15 to 20 minutes during it. Water also streamlines and smoothens digestion process. There is no specified amount of water to drink.
These 5 points sum the requirements of a teenage athlete. Teenage athletes every nutrient requirement must be addressed well and balanced with suitable exercise regime. Good exercise routine with balanced and all nutrient inclusive meal will almost guarantee peak performance, greater concentration, and longer endurance.