Nutrition Guidelines for Teenagers

Eating three regular meals a day with snacks will help you meet your nutrition needs. Missing meals means you will miss out on vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates, which can leave you lacking energy or finding it really  hard to concentrate. Healthy food for pre-teen and teenagers includes a wide variety of fresh foods from the five food groups vegetables, fruit, grains, dairy and protein.

Each food group has different nutrients, which your body needs to grow and work properly. That’s why we need to eat a range of foods from across all five food groups .

Fruit and vegetables

Grain foods

Dairy foods and dairy-free alternatives

Protein

Protein-rich foods include lean meat, fish, chicken, eggs, beans, lentils, chickpeas, tofu and nuts. These foods are important for your  growth and muscle development, especially during puberty. These protein-rich foods also have other vitamins and minerals like iron and omega-3 fatty acids, which are particularly important during adolescence:

Eating the Rainbow

Fruit and vegetables fall into five different colour categories: red, purple/blue, orange, green and white/brown. Each colour carries its own set of unique disease fighting chemicals called phytochemicals. It is these phytochemicals that give fruits and vegetables their vibrant colour!

Purple / blue 

The plant pigment anthocyanin is what gives blue/purple fruits and vegetables their distinctive colour. Anthocyanin also has antioxidant properties that protect cells from damage and can help reduce the risk of cancer, stroke and heart disease. 

Red

Red fruits and vegetables are coloured by a natural plant pigment called lycopene. Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant that can help reduce the risk of cancer and keep our heart healthy. 

Orange / yellow

Carotenoids give this group their vibrant colour. A well-known carotenoid called Betacarotene is found in sweet potatoes, pumpkins and carrots. It is converted to vitamin A, which helps maintain healthy mucous membranes and healthy eyes. Another carotenoid called lutein is stored in the eye and has been found to prevent cataracts and age-related macular degeneration, which can lead to blindness. 

Green

Green vegetables contain a range of phytochemicals including carotenoids, indoles and saponins, all of which have anti-cancer properties. Leafy greens such as spinach and broccoli are also excellent sources of folate. 

Brown / white

White fruits and vegetables contain a range of health-promoting phytochemicals such as allicin (found in garlic) which is known for its antiviral and antibacterial properties. Some members of the white group, such as bananas and potatoes, are also a good source of potassium. 

If you are struggling with eating habits or body image please make an appointment to see the SSO or school Counsellor so we can help and connect you with the right support and visit https://butterfly.org.au/where-do-i-start/