Although it might not be Thanksgiving yet, we at Teen Connect Tampa Bay wanted to provide some expert insight into nutrition to help you be mindful and informed about the tasty food you are feeding your body. Proper nutrition is important because it provides the vitamins, energy, and nourishment your body and cells need to work as they should. Additionally, proper nutrition allows your body to fight off viruses and bacteria that may find their way into your system during these colder months. Keep reading to learn how eating and nourishing your body should look from our Adolescent Medicine residents at the Ybor Youth Clinic.
Q: What does proper nutrition look like?
No matter what time of year it is, it’s important to know what proper nutrition looks like as it’s essential for the health of growing bodies and minds. It includes eating a variety of foods daily and having three meals daily in addition to healthy snacks. In general, teens should aim for their meals to include lean protein, such as fish or chicken, whole grains, fruits and/or vegetables, and more unsaturated fats, such as vegetable oil, avocado, or nuts, and low-fat dairy. Each meal should have at least one fruit or vegetable. These foods keep your body feeling fuller for longer and contain the vitamins and nutrients needed for your body, bones, teeth, and brain to be healthy. Salty, fried foods, sweets, and soda are okay to enjoy, but should be enjoyed- in moderation! This means that it is ok to have a treat from time to time, but that you should aim to eat healthy, balanced meals and snacks most of the time and limit processed foods. Proper nutrition also balances how much food you have with your activity level. If you are burning more energy, such as in sports or other physical activities, your body needs more calories to keep up! It is also essential to have plenty of water throughout the day. Having proper nutrition is more than eating the “right” things, it is giving your body and mind the energy to flourish.
There are a lot of resources to learn more about nutrition and help you make healthy choices. MyPlate is one of them you can check out for more information!
Wishing everyone a healthy Thanksgiving!
Jayme Verdi, MD
PGY-3 USF Pediatrics
Ybor Youth Clinic - You can learn more information about making an appointment here!
Comments