How to choose a vitamin complex for teenagers

Adolescents experience accelerated growth during this stage of life. Their nutritional and energy needs are higher than at any other time in their lives. A good multivitamin can help your teen become more active and lead a happier life.

one

Understand the needs of your teen's diet. A total intake of 2, 200 calories is recommended for girls between 11 and 24 years old. Your diet should consist of nine servings of bread, cereal, rice and pasta, four or five servings of milk, yogurt or cheese, four servings of vegetables, three servings of fruit, two or three dairy products and a total of six ounces of meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs and nuts, daily. Children aged between 11 and 14 must have a total intake of 2, 500 calories, rising to 3, 000 when they are between 15 and 18 years old. Calories should go down to 2, 900 when they are 19 to 24. All age groups should consume 11 servings of bread, cereal, rice and pasta, five servings of vegetables, four servings of fruit and a total of 200 grams of meat, chicken, fish, dry beans, eggs and nuts a day. Children 11 to 18 years old should eat four or five servings of milk, yogurt and cheese, while those from 19 to 24 should lower that dose to two or three servings. Children from 11 to 14 years of age should only consume 83 grams of total fat, which rises to 100 grams in teenagers from 15 to 18 a year.

two

The total added sugar should not exceed 18 teaspoons. Coinciding with the increase of their nutritional needs, this is the stage in which their children can develop bad eating habits and yield to peer pressure. The possibility that your adolescent children eat a healthy diet is scarce, especially when they eat at school or at friends' homes. A good multivitamin is of vital importance during this period.

3

Recognize that their changing bodies have increased the needs of vitamins and minerals . Physical and biochemical changes are carried out, so nutrients are needed to help these changes. Folic acid and vitamin B12 help in rapid tissue synthesis, and vitamins B6 and D are required in higher amounts for the growth of tissues and skeleton. The need for vitamins B1, B2 and B3 also increases as the demand for calories increases. Vitamins A, C and E help the structure and function of newly formed cells. The presence of calcium, zinc and magnesium is necessary during the growing years when bone density increases.

4

Get your teen's help in choosing a good multivitamin. Print on it the importance of a good diet and the need to eat regularly at this crucial stage of your life. You can appeal to his vanity by showing him how a good diet can lead him to look attractive and lead a more active life. If possible, take it to a nutritionist. The more involved you are, the more likely you are to take your supplements. Look for one that includes vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, C, D, E d-alpha, biotin, panthothenate calcium, choline, bioflavonoids, nicotinic acid, nicotinamide, beta-carotene, iodine, calcium, chromium, iron, magnesium, selenium and zinc.

• Ask your child for suggestions on preparing food at home, and get help in preparing it.
• Do not have food inside the house that you do not want him / her to eat.