What diet is best for a 16-year-old girl?

Answer 1

You are still growing and you need a very balanced diet of high quality foods in order that you develop correctly and healthily. Eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables to give you fibre, vitamins and minerals. Especially carrots, broccoli, cabbage, spinach, parsnips, swede (rutabaga), green beans, beansprouts and so on, and apples, Pears, bananas, all citrus fruit (like Oranges), kiwi fruits, tomatoes and so on For meat, eat fish, white meat (chicken, turkey etc) but cut down a little (don't stop altogether!) on red meats like beef and lamb. Cut down a lot on fatty foods (including chocolate!) or foods coooked in fat - too much fat will result in putting on weight and acne. Also, cut down on processed foods (packet stuff) that often have a high fat content, or a high sugar content (making you fat) or a high salt content (contributing to high blood pressure later in life). Eat plenty of cereal crops - wheat (in wholemeal bread) cornflakes, rice and so on. They are sources of carbohydrates and give you energy, and are healthier for you than sugary things. Oily fish (llike mackerel) are good for joints and contain substances that can help fight all sorts of diseases. Dairy produce (milk, cheese) is important as a source of calcium for bones and teeth development. Drink water, fruit juices, milk, tea and a little coffee. At your age you should not be drinking alcohol at all. But when yoou are an adult, a little is not harmful, especially an occasional glass of red wine. Never start to smoke - that way you will keep healthy and never have the problem of having to give it up later in life, after youre addicted. And you will save a fortune. That goes for illegal drugs too. As very occasional special treats only have a little chocoate and sugary things or high-fat foods like burgers. Avoid strange coloured foods (that have been heavily dosed with additives) - like bright blue red or yellow fizzy drinks like the plague. All in all be sensible in what you eat - eat a balanced diet with something from every category, with 'junk' food only taken rarely. Coupled with moderate exercise (don't spend all day watching TV! - get out and do something!) your body and mind will develop well and you will give your adult life a positive start healthwise.

Answer 2

eat whatever you want...just never overeat...if you think your fat...cut out some obviously fattening things from your diet that you often have...exe...if you love soda or Pizza or fries...set a limit on the number of these things you can have...or make a rule that you must jog X number of miles before being allowed to eat fries.

remember:not eating your favorite unhealthy food may be a better diet, but eating a weekly treat will allow you to keep an otherwise unsatisfying diet for as long as you want.

Answer 3

Nutrition:-

(1)Definition-

Good nutrition can help prevent disease and promote

health. There are six categories of nutrients that the body

needs to acquire from food: protein, carbohydrates, fat,

fibers, vitamins and minerals, and water.

1.Proteins

Protein supplies amino acids to build and maintain

healthy body tissue. There are 20 amino acids considered

essential because the body must have all of them in the

right amounts to function properly. Twelve of these are

manufactured in the body but the other eight amino acids

must be provided by the diet. Foods from animal source

such as milk or eggs often contain all these essential amino

acids while a variety of plant products must be taken

together to provide all these necessary protein components.

2.Fat

Fat supplies energy and transports nutrients. There

are two families of fatty acids considered essential for the

body: the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Essential

fatty acids are required by the body to function normally.

They can be obtained from canola oil, flaxseed oil, coldwater

fish, or fish oil, all of which contain omega-3 fatty

acids, and primrose or black currant seed oil, which contains

omega-6 fatty acids. The American diet often contains

excess of omega-6 fatty acids and insufficient

amount of omega-3 fats. Increased consumption of

omega-3 oils are recommended to help reduce risk of cardiovascular

diseases and cancer and alleviate symptoms

of rheumatoid arthritis, premenstrual syndrome, dermatitis,

and inflammatory bowel disease.

3.Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the body's main source of energy

and should be the major part of total daily intake. There

are two types of carbohydrates: simple carbohydrates

(such as sugar or honey) or complex carbohydrates (such

as grains, beans, peas, or potatoes). Complex carbohydrates

are preferred because these foods are more nutritious

yet have fewer calories per gram compared to fat

and cause fewer problems with overeating than fat or

sugar. Complex carbohydrates are also preferred over

simple carbohydrates by diabetics because they allow

better blood glucose control.

4.Fiber

Fiber is the material that gives plant texture and support.

Although it is primarily made up of carbohydrates,

it does not have a lot of calories and usually is not broken

down by the body for energy. Dietary fiber is found in

plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and

whole grains.

There are two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble.

Insoluble fiber, as the name implies, does not dissolve in

water because it contains high amount of cellulose.

Insoluble fiber can be found in the bran of grains, the

pulp of fruit and the skin of vegetables. Soluble fiber is

the type of fiber that dissolves in water. It can be found in

a variety of fruits and vegetables such as apples, oatmeal

and oat bran, rye flour, and dried beans.

Although they share some common characteristics

such as being partially digested in the stomach and

intestines and have few calories, each type of fiber has its

own specific health benefits. Insoluble fiber speeds up

the transit of foods through the digestive system and adds

bulk to the stools, therefore, it is the type of fiber that

helps treat constipation or diarrhea and prevents colon

cancer. On the other hand, only soluble fiber can lower

blood cholesterol levels. This type of fiber works by

attaching itself to the cholesterol so that it can be eliminated

from the body. This prevents cholesterol from recirculating

and being reabsorbed into the bloodstream.

5.Vitamins and minerals

Vitamins are organic substances present in food and

required by the body in a minute amount for regulation of

metabolism and maintenance of normal growth and functioning.

The most commonly known vitamins are A, B1

(thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic

acid), B6 (pyridoxine), B7 (biotin), B9 (folic acid), B12

(cobalamin), C (ascorbic acid), D, E, and K. The B and C

vitamins are water-soluble, excess amounts of which are

excreted in the urine. The A, D, E, and K vitamins are fatsoluble

and will be stored in the body fat.

Minerals are vital to our existence because they are

the building blocks that make up muscles, tissues, and

bones. They also are important components of many lifesupporting

systems, such as hormones, oxygen transport,

and enzyme systems.

There are two kinds of minerals: the major (or

macro) minerals and the trace minerals. Major minerals

are the minerals that the body needs in large amount. The

following minerals are classified as major: calcium,

phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, sulfur, and

chloride. They are needed to build muscles, blood, nerve

cells, teeth, and bones. They are also essential electrolytes

that the body requires to regulate blood volume

and acid-base balance.

Unlike the major minerals, trace minerals are needed

only in tiny amounts. Even though they can be found inthe body in exceedingly small amounts, they are also

very important to the human body. These minerals participate

in most chemical reactions in the body. They are

also needed to manufacture important hormones. The

following are classified as trace minerals: iron, zinc,

iodine, copper, manganese, fluoride, chromium, selenium,

molybdenum, and boron.

Many vitamins (such as vitamins A, C, and E) and

minerals (such as zinc, copper, selenium, or manganese)

act as antioxidants. They protect the body against the

damaging effects of free radicals. They scavenge or mop

up these highly reactive radicals and change them into

inactive, less harmful compounds. In so doing, these

essential nutrients help prevent cancer and many other

degenerative diseases, such as premature aging, heart

disease, autoimmune diseases, arthritis, cataracts,

Alzheimer's disease, and diabetes mellitus.

6.Water

Water helps to regulate body temperature, transports

nutrients to cells, and rids the body of waste materials.

Origins

Unlike plants, human beings cannot manufacture

most of the nutrients that they need to function. They

must eat plants and/or other animals. Although nutritional

therapy came to the forefront of the public's awareness

in the late twentieth century, the notion that food affects

health is not new. John Harvey Kellogg was an early

health-food pioneer and an advocate of a high-fiber diet.

An avowed vegetarian, he believed that meat products

were particularly detrimental to the colon. In the 1870s,

Kellogg founded the Battle Creek Sanitarium, where he

developed a diet based on nut and vegetable products.

(2)Purpose

Good nutrition helps individuals achieve general

health and well-being. In addition, dietary modifications

might be prescribed for a variety of complaints including

Allergies, anemia, arthritis, colds, depressions, fatigue,

gastrointestinal disorder, high or low blood pressure,

insomnia, headaches, obesity, pregnancy, premenstrual

syndrome (PMS), respiratory conditions, and stress.

Nutritional therapy may also be involved as a complement

to the allopathic treatments of cancer, diabetes,

and Parkinson's disease. Other specific dietary measures

include the elimination of food additives for attention

deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), gluten-free

diets for schizophrenia, and dairy-free for chronic respiratory

diseases.

A high-fiber diet helps prevent or treat the following

health conditions:

• High cholesterol levels. Fiber effectively lowers blood

cholesterol levels. It appears that soluble fiber binds to

cholesterol and moves it down the digestive tract so that

it can be excreted from the body. This prevents the cholesterol

from being reabsorbed into the bloodstream.

• Constipation. A high-fiber diet is the preferred nondrug

treatment for constipation. Fiber in the diet adds

more bulk to the stools, making them softer and shortens

the time foods stay in the digestive tract.

• Hemorrhoids. Fiber in the diet adds more bulk and softens

the stool, thus, reducing painful hemorrhoidal

symptoms.

• Diabetes. Soluble fiber in the diet slows down the rise

of blood sugar levels following a meal and helps control

diabetes.

• Obesity. Dietary fiber makes a person feel full faster.

• Cancer. Insoluble fiber in the diet speeds up the movement

of the stools through the gastro-intestinal tract.

The faster food travels through the digestive tract, the

less time there is for potential cancer-causing substances

to work. Therefore, diets high in insoluble fiber

help prevent the accumulation of toxic substances that

cause cancer of the colon. Because fiber reduces fat

absorption in the digestive tract, it may also prevent

Breast cancer.

A diet low in fat also promotes good health and prevents

many diseases. Low-fat diet can help treat or control

the following conditions:

• Obesity. High fat consumption often leads to excess

caloric and fat intake, which increases body fat.

• Coronary artery disease. High consumption of saturated

fats is associated with coronary artery disease.

• Diabetes. People who are overweight tend to develop or

worsen existing diabetic condition due to decreased

insulin sensitivity.

• Breast cancer. A high dietary consumption of fat is

associated with an increased risk of breast cancer.

(3)Description

The four basic food groups, as outlined by the United

States Department of Agriculture (USDA) are:

• dairy products (such as milk and cheese)

• meat and eggs (such as fish, poultry, pork, beef, and

eggs)

• grains (such as bread cereals, rice, and pasta)

• fruits and vegetablesThe USDA recommendation for adults is that consumption

of meat, eggs, and dairy products should not

exceed 20% of total daily caloric intake. The rest (80%)

should be devoted to vegetables, fruits, and grains. For

children age two or older, 55% of their caloric intake

should be in the form of carbohydrates, 30% from fat,

and 15% from proteins. In addition, saturated fat intake

should not exceed 10% of total caloric intake. This lowfat,

high-fiber diet is believed to promote health and help

prevent many diseases, including Heart disease, obesity,

and cancer.

Allergenic and highly processed foods should be

avoided. Highly processed foods do not contain significant

amounts of essential trace minerals. Furthermore,

they contain lots of fat and sugar as well as preservatives,

artificial sweeteners and other additives. High consumption

of these foods causes build up of these unwanted

chemicals in the body and should be avoided. Food allergy

causes a variety of symptoms including food cravings,

weight gain, bloating, water retention. It may also worsen

chronic inflammatory conditions such as arthritis.

Preparations

An enormous body of research exists in the field of

nutrition. Mainstream Western medical practitioners

point to studies that show that a balanced diet, based on

the USDA Food Guide Pyramid, provides all of the necessary

nutrients.

The Food Guide Pyramid recommends the following

daily servings in six categories:

• grains: six or more servings

• vegetables: five servings

• fruits: two to four servings

• meat: two to three servings

• dairy: two to three servings

• fats and oils: use sparingly

(4)Precautions

Individuals should not change their diets without the

advice of nutritional experts or health care professionals.

Certain individuals especially children, pregnant and lactating

women, and chronically ill patients should only

change their diets under professional supervision.

Side effects

It is best to obtain vitamins and minerals through

food sources. Excessive intake of vitamins and mineral

supplements can cause serious physiological problems.

The following is a list of possible side effects resulting

from excessive doses of vitamins and minerals:

• vitamin A: birth defects, irreversible bone and liver

damage

• vitamin B1: deficiencies in B2 and B6

• vitamin B6: damage to the nervous system

• vitamin C: affects the absorption of copper; diarrhea

• vitamin D: hypercalcemia (abnormally high concentration

of calcium in the blood)

• phosphorus: affects the absorption of calcium

• zinc: affects absorption of copper and iron; suppresses

the immune system

Research and general acceptance

Due to large volume of scientific evidence demonstrating

the benefits of the low-fat, high-fiber diet in disease

prevention and treatment, this diet has been accepted

and advocated by both complementary and allopathic

practitioners.

AKHILESH KUMAR SINGH (M.PHARM),PATNA,BIHAR,INDIA

CONTACT NO-+SORRY NT TAKING.E.MAIL-AKHIL154@YAHOO.CO.IN

Answer 4

I am 16 year old and i found that just eating healthy and having plenty of excersise.. I also found that if u write out a food diary is very useful. A food diary is a little notebook and write down when ever you eat something.. This shows u what u eat a day and maybe u can cut dsoown on foods..

Answer 5

i tried p90x and insanity and it totally works for me. The diet is pretty easy. If you don't want to buy it you can eat replace chicken with turkey. Lots of Vegetables. It hard at first but you can get used to it

Answer 6

Eat lots of vegetables and fruits. Avoid sugar, rice and use honey, wheat and oats instead.

Drink lots of water and exercise regularly

Answer 7

Before dieting you should talk to your doctor. He or she will be able to inform you.

Answer 8

Girls who are 15-16 ears old shouldn't be on a diet. They should just make healthy eating choices, drink plenty of water, and exercise daily.