Teen Diet Requirements of Calories Fat Grams Sodium and Carbohydrates
You're trying to eat a healthy diet, but you're not sure how much of which nutrients to get. Just what constitutes a healthy diet? With the different or even conflicting nutritional advice in the media, it's no wonder you're uncertain.
Here's the bottom line on what you should eat to help promote health and prevent disease, based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans from the Department of Agriculture.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are your body's main energy source. And your brain is fueled by carbohydrates. Carbohydrates occur in a variety of forms: simple sugars, more complex starches and fiber. They are found naturally in legumes, grains, vegetables, fruits and milk. They're also added to baked goods and many other foods.
Recommendation: Emphasize natural, nutrient-dense carbohydrates from fruits and vegetables, beans and legumes, and whole grains. Limit less healthy sugar-sweetened beverages, desserts and refined grain products. Get 45 to 65 percent of your daily calories from carbohydrates. Carbohydrates have 4 calories a gram. Based on a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, this amounts to 900 to 1,300 calories a day, or about 225 to 325 grams.
Fiber
Fiber is the part of plant-based foods that your body doesn't digest and absorb. There are two basic types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber may help improve your cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Oats, dried beans and some fruits, such as apples and oranges, are good sources of soluble fiber. Insoluble fiber adds bulk to your stool and can help prevent constipation. Vegetables, wheat bran and other whole grains are good sources of insoluble fiber.
Recommendation: Emphasize whole-grain products, fruits, vegetables, beans and peas, and unsalted nuts and seeds. If you're a woman, get about 22 to 28 grams of fiber a day. If you're a man, get about 28 to 34 grams of fiber a day.
Sugar
All sugar, whether natural or processed, is a type of carbohydrate that your body uses for energy. Sugar occurs naturally in some foods, including fruits, vegetables, milk and some grains. Sugar is also added to foods and beverages. These added sugars do little more than add calories to your diet. Many processed foods that have added sugar also contain solid fats.
Recommendation: Cut back on calories from added sugar and solid fats. For most people, that means cutting their intake to no more than 5 to 15 percent of total calories. (Consider that 13 percent of a 2,000-calorie diet is about 260 calories a day.) Limit table sugar, desserts, pizza, sausage and similar fatty meats, sweetened beverages, candy, stick margarine and butter.
The American Heart Association has specific guidelines for added sugar — no more than 100 calories a day from added sugar for most women and no more than 150 calories a day for most men. That's about 6 teaspoons for women and 9 for men.
Protein
Protein is an important nutrient, essential for growth and development. All the cells of your body include protein. Protein is also an important source of calories and energy. Both plant-based and animal-based foods provide protein.
Recommendation: Emphasize plant sources of protein, such as beans, lentils, soy products and unsalted nuts. These high-protein foods have the added bonus of being higher in health-enhancing nutrients than are animal sources of protein. Eat seafood twice a week. Meat, poultry and dairy products should be lean or low fat. Get 10 to 35 percent of your total daily calories from protein. Protein has 4 calories a gram. Based on a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, this amounts to about 200 to 700 calories a day, or about 50 to 175 grams a day.
Total fat
Fats aren't necessarily bad for you. Dietary fat is a nutrient that helps your body absorb essential vitamins, maintains the structure and function of cell membranes, and helps keep your immune system working. Some types of fat, though, may increase your risk of heart disease and other health problems. Fat also has a lot of calories, increasing the risk of weight gain.
Recommendation: Emphasize unsaturated fats from healthier sources, such as lean poultry, fish and healthy oils, such as olive, canola and nut oils. Limit less healthy full-fat dairy products, desserts, pizza, burgers, sausage and other fatty meats. To keep fat at bay, limit all sources of fat to 20 to 35 percent of your daily calories. Fat has 9 calories a gram. Based on a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, this amounts to about 400 to 700 calories a day, or about 44 to 78 grams of total fat.
Teen Diet Requirements of Calories Fat Grams Sodium and Carbohydrates
Source: https://www.smore.com/9mw1d-teenage-nutrition