What food does my body need?

Around the ages of 10 and 12, girls and boys start to grow really quickly. So it’s important to eat loads of food that give you the right balance of energy and nutrients.

It’s really important to build up strong bones as a teenager. Calcium and Vitamin D are good for this.

Carbohydrates should make up 55-65% of your overall calorific intake. Things like bread and potatoes are a good source as well as fruit and veg. Some fruit and veg like peas, yams and parsnips are excellent sources. You can also find simple carbs in biscuits and sweets as sugar.

Protein needs to make up around 15-20% of what you eat.

You need some fat in your diet because fat helps the body absorb some vitamins and gives you energy but watch how much you eat. Fat should be 25-30% of overall calories eaten in a day (with less than 10% from saturated fat).

Lots of people think they don't eat a lot of salt, especially if they don't add it to their food. But three-quarters of the salt we eat is already in the food we buy like crisps and biscuits. Check out the food labels to make sure!

Top tips for a healthy diet

• Eating breakfast gives your body the kickstart it needs in the morning. Try wholegrain cereals (look at the packets) and fresh juice as a healthy example.
• If you’re in a rush grab a piece of fruit like a banana.
• Try to eat at least 5 portions of fruit and veg a day - they contain lots of vitamins that we can’t get from anything else and can help protect your body from diseases like cancer and heart disease
• If you’re a vegetarian, make sure you get enough protein by replacing meat with suitable foods. Try things like beans, quorn, tofu.
• Look out for lower fat choices and try to eat fatty foods only now and again
• A lot of teenage girls don’t get enough iron. You need this to make the blood strong. Try dried fruits, meat, oily fish, wholemeal bread, nuts and green leafy vegetables.    

Check out http://www.5aday.nhs.uk

For more information go to http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/ and click on the ‘teens’ link or check out http://teenweightwise.com