Nutrition needed for Children and Teens

The right nutrition needed for children and teens is important for parents to know. Parents and caregivers have many questions when it comes to their child’s growth and development. One common question I hear from parents and caregivers is “what should my child eat?” Not easy to answer but these guidelines will guide parents and caregiver in making better food choices for your children and teens.

As a parent or caregiver, you want to make sure your child is getting the proper nutrients for growth and development. This blog post will be about how different foods can help children with their specific needs in order to grow into healthy adults.

This blog post is going to cover three main food groups: proteins, vegetables, and fruits that are necessary for the development of children and teens. The first topic will be protein which helps build strong muscles and bones in children’s bodies as they are still growing. Protein also provides energy so your child has enough fuel to get through the day at school or playtime with friends. Next we will discuss vegetables which provide vitamins that promote health such as Vitamin A, C, K; folate; iron; magnesium; potassium—all of these are important to the development of children and teens.

Protein Nutrition needed for Children and Teens

Protein nutrition needed for children and teens is very important because protein helps build strong muscles and provides energy in children and teens. The problem is children and teens need protein nutrition but they don’t get enough. Children and teen who don’t get enough protein are at risk of stunted growth, weakened immune systems, lost bone mass and delayed cognitive development. Protein is important for the development of children and teens, but most parents do not know that there are only a few sources of protein in their diet. The best way to provide children and teen with adequate amounts of protein nutrition is by eating more foods that contain high levels of proteins such as lean meat, fish, tofu, beans, eggs or milk products. It’s also possible to consume supplements containing essential amino acids like whey powder or casein protein which can be used before going to bed at night. This will help muscle growth and repair overnight while you sleep so you wake up feeling refreshed!

Vegetables Nutrition needed for Children and Teens        

Vegetable nutrition needed for children and teens is very important because vegetable promote health, gives vitamins, energy, and minerals that the body needs. Children and teens need to eat vegetables every day, but it can be hard for them to get enough veggies. Likewise, parents are not sure how many vegetables their kids should eat every day. It’s hard to get enough veggies in your diet when you’re a kid or teen.

The best way for children and teens to get the nutrients they need is from eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. But most kids don’t like the taste or texture of veggies, so parents often struggle with getting their little ones to eat enough produce.

Fruits

Fruits are an essential nutrition needed for children and teen because they are high in vitamins, minerals and fiber, and also promote good health and protect against disease. In order to have a healthy body, we need to eat healthy food. Our body needs vitamins, minerals and fiber from fruit daily. Fruits are essential for maintaining good health in children and teens because it contains antioxidants that fight against diseases such as cancer. More so, parent and caregiver know that eating fruits is important for our health but most people do not consume enough fruits each day. Eating more fresh fruits can help prevent heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes type 2 obesity and even some cancers. One of the easiest ways to increase your children and teens intake of fresh fruit is by juicing them at home. This will allow your children and teens to drink juice instead of sugar filled sodas which contain lots of calories but no nutrients!

We have discussed the three main food groups that are necessary for children and teens to develop. Protein is an important source of amino acids, which help build muscle mass in growing bodies; vegetables provide vitamins and minerals that aid in digestion; fruits contain antioxidants that fight against free radicals. . If you have any questions about how we can help support your family’s diet with nutritious foods like those mentioned above, please call our office today! We’re always happy to answer all of your concerns.”

Emem Iniobong, CCC is a Canadian Certified Counsellor in Brandon, Manitoba. She specializes in working with children and adolescents experiencing various mental, behavioural, and emotional challenges.  Passionate about helping children and teens find their unique strengths, she develops skills, so they can overcome whatever challenges they face and bravely navigate the world around them.