Why Should Teen Eat Healthy?

Eating the right foods is one of the key steps to becoming a healthy adult. During adolescence, it includes your final years of growth. So if you don't consume the right amount of nutrients, and/or cut down on the right amount of junk food, you might not be able to reach your maximum potential of a healthy adult. Especially since you are still a teen, you have heightened nutritional needs and eating unhealthy may put your health and growth at risk. Eating healthy can make you look great, feel great, and lets you do the things you want to do without getting tired.

So what exactly is a healthy meal plan? Having a healthy diet doesn't necessarily mean giving up ALL of your favorite foods. It means you should eat a range of foods so you get all the nutrients you need. Eating healthy in your teenage years will benefit you in short term, and long term situations. You know the saying that doctors tell you, "Eat a rainbow?" Well it's quite true! Eating healthy will affect you in many ways in your life.

This all leads down to the big question: Why? Eating healthy NOW will help you maintain or lose/gain weight and prevent anxiety, obesity and depression. Eating and adequate amount of foods like carbohydrates will provide energy, make you alert and support your focus throughout the whole day and everyday after that. 

Maybe you're not too worried about your future right now, but what you eat in teen years will hugely impact the adult lifestyle set out for you. Did you know that 90% of a person’s bone density is built up by the end of the teen years? You have to start now if you want a healthy future. Long term effects of eating healthy in your teen years include developing a healthy/confident body image that will last your throughout adult year; the habits you take on as a teen also continue during adulthood. Most importantly, eating right will also help prevent risks of developing high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. You have to start now.

Sources:

http://michellelenawellness.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Fruit-rainbow.jpg

http://www.livestrong.com/article/413268-importance-of-healthy-eating-for-teens/

http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/Bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Eating_tips_for_teenagers?open

http://mom.me/parenting/4879-importance-nutrition-teens/

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/blog/nutrition-kids-and-teens

http://woman.thenest.com/healthy-lifestyle-important-teenagers-3043.html