Nutrition
Food Basics
The teenage years are filled with many life-changing events, and having good health is essential for having the most fun in this time. Eating a healthy diet can help you attain this. Do you
ever wonder how to eat a balanced diet, or how your food choices can affect your health? How many calories you should have each day? According to the United States Department of Agriculture, teen
girls need about 2,200 calories per day. These calories should be chosen from low-fat, lean foods from the 5 major food groups of the Food Guide Pyramid.
The Food Guide Pyramid is a visual tool that represents a typical daily diet. Following the pyramid each day
basically means you are eating a variety of foods to get the nutrients you need and the right amount of calories to maintain a healthy weight.
There are many ways to create a healthy eating pattern. Begin with making
half of your daily grains whole grains, varying your vegetables, focusing on
fruit, eating foods rich in calcium, eating lean proteins, and balancing
food and physical activity. It is not possible to get all the
nutrients we need to live from just one food group.
The pyramid may look like it tells us to eat a lot of food, but pay attention to your serving sizes. Most meals we eat at home or in a restaurant pile on extra large serving sizes, so you feel
like you are getting the most for your money. Be sure to remember that more is not always better. Each day you should strive for enjoying all foods in moderation. There are no “good foods” or “bad
foods.” Here are some typical serving sizes from the food groups of the pyramid.
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½ cup of pasta, rice, or cereal
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½ of a bagel or muffin
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1 medium piece of fruit or 4 ounces of juice
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8 ounces of milk or 1 small yogurt
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1 cup of leafy greens
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3 ounces of meat (about the size of the palm of your hand)
It is always important to choose low fat versions of your favorite foods. Making simple changes like switching from whole milk to skim can be beneficial for health. Pay attention to food labels
for the serving sizes and how many calories you are consuming with that product. The food label is a wealth of information that is only useful if you reading and making choices with it. You might
surprise yourself to see how many calories are in some of your favorite foods.
With a little practice, you won't need to look at the pyramid anymore to remember how much of each type of food to
eat. Have a balanced plate with sensible portion sizes, and always strive to eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
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Calcium. Not Just For Old People.
 Calcium is an especially important nutrient for growing girls. Calcium is what makes your bones and teeth strong. Most of the calcium in our body can actually be found in our bones and teeth.
Adolescents girls should strive for 1,300 mg of calcium every day to develop strong bones.
The food label helps you know how much one serving of food contributes to the total amount of calcium you
need in a day—1,300 mg of calcium equals 130 percent of the daily value. A glass of milk furnishes 30 percent of the daily value for calcium, and a cup of yogurt is another 30 percent. To get
enough calcium, choose a variety of low-fat milk products, dark green leafy vegetables, and calcium-fortified juices and grains.
Getting enough calcium now will reduce the risk of broken, brittle
bones when you are older. When we lose a lot of bone, this condition is called osteoporosis. Osteoporosis causes bones to become brittle and break with very little stress. Don't let this happen to
you. Get enough calcium now to make your bones strong all your life.
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Exercise
Exercise should be a lifelong habit for everybody. If you are not an active girl right now, start making some changes. Being active means moving more every day. You can choose activities that
are fun and do them on your own or with your friends. Each day you should do some sort of activity. Instead of sitting in front of the TV or the computer each day after school, turn them off and
get moving. Take a walk, a bike ride, play a sport. Getting some exercise should not be a chore; it should be a fun habit.
Being more active will make you feel better and give you more energy. It can also help you think and concentrate better, which will help you in school or at work. Activity can help you feel
less bored and depressed, and help you handle stress.
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Information Provided By
Linda York, M.S.R.D.
Linda York, a registered dietitian, earned a bachelor’s degree from Simmons College in Boston and a master’s degree from New York University, both degrees in nutrition. She works with hospitalized
and ambulatory patients and also provides individual and group education and counseling. Ms. York’s areas of expertise include nutrition support for intensive care and oncology patients and
counseling on heart health and weight management.
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