Recommended Diets for Teenage Girls

A healthy diet for a teenage girl is all about not dieting. Too many teens suffer from unhealthy body images derived from magazines and television. However, if a teen wants to attain a healthy weight, be energetic and set themselves up for lifelong health, it should be encouraged. This is not done though "dieting," but through creating healthy and sensible meal plans.

Protein

• Protein is important for anyone's diet, no matter what their nutrition goals. Teenagers need protein even more than adults, because teen bodies are still growing. Teenage girls should eat mostly lean protein from sources like chicken and fish. Eggs, beans and nuts are also good protein sources that help vary the type of protein teens eat, and good options for vegetarians. Daily, teenage girls should eat approximately 5.5 oz. of protein.

Carbohydrates

• Teenage girls also need to eat carbohydrates, but should eat whole grain sources rather than refined or white flours. Peer pressure and the popularity of low-carb diets can make teen girls want to avoid carbs, but low-carb diets are unhealthy and an especially poor option for a growing body. Whole grains are an important source of iron, as are certain vegetables and meats. As many as 27 percent of teenage girls have lower than normal iron. For girls who don't like red meat, more of the required amount of iron needs to come from alternate sources.

Dairy

• Calcium is important throughout life, but it is absolutely critical in the teen years. Before a girl reaches her 20s is when calcium is added by the body to the bones. Because women are at increased risk of osteoporosis as they age, this makes it particularly important for teenage girls to have a diet rich in calcium. The recommended daily dietary intake of calcium is 700mg. A healthy teen girl's diet should definitely include this much calcium from varied sources. Most of it will come from dairy.

Fruits and Vegetables

• A teenage girl should base most of her diet around fruits and vegetables. This is especially important when looking at snacks. Teenagers are active and growing, and so may find themselves getting hungry throughout the day. It is important to feed hunger, but a piece of fruit or some cut-up veggies is a much better snack than a bag of chips.

Dangers

• The word "diet" should be used with extreme caution around teenage girls. Teen girls are at high risk for developing eating disorders, and the pressures faced by teens every day can often make them want to experiment with diets. Always stress nutrition over dieting, and making healthy choices over calorie counting when discussing food with a teenage girl.