Healthy eating is important for all ages, but the earlier you start the better.
Here are some tips on how to start eating healthy for teens.
Eat "5 A Day" Fruits and vegetables are nutritional powerhouses.
Because they contain fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytonutrients, fruits and vegetables are a vital part of a healthy diet and a great place to start eating healthy for teens.
When choosing what fruits and vegetables to eat, pick a wide variety of types and colors.
Different colors in a fruit or vegetable indicate the spectrum of nutrients that they contain, so combining them ensures that you are getting a range of nutrients.
Go shopping with your parents Spending Saturday morning at the grocery store with your mom may not seem like fun, but if you want to eat healthy foods you have to get them in the house.
Your mom will probably love the company, too.
Choose whole foods Foods are most nutritious when they are eaten as close to how they would be found in nature as possible.
If you look at how a grocery store is laid out, you will notice that the fresh whole foods usually occupy the outer walls of the store, while the processed, pre-packaged foods make up most of the inner aisles.
These foods may seem quick and easy, but your body will pay the price of all the added fillers, chemical colorings, flavorings, and preservatives.
It is just as easy to grab an apple or banana as a breakfast bar or bag of chips.
When choosing bakery products, choose foods with only 100% whole grain flours.
Whole grains contain all of the fiber and nutrients that are stripped out of processed flours and need to be added back in.
The word "enriched" on the package is a good indicator that you are not buying a whole grain product.
Read the label, or go label free Get in the habit of reading the ingredient list on the foods you buy.
If a food contains a long list of ingredients, especially things you can't pronounce or don't recognize as a food, it is not a good choice.
Remember that the best choices don't even have labels - the fresh fruits and vegetables in the produce section! Even frozen or canned items should only list the food that is inside, and occasionally added water or salt.
Also check out the nutritional information on the label.
Just because front of a cereal box boasts that it contains whole grains doesn't automatically mean that it is good for you.
If you look on the label, even some supposedly healthy cereals contain virtually no fiber, a sure sign that whole grains are low on the ingredient list.
Help out in the kitchen Helping to prepare the foods you have chosen is a great way to add fun to your menu.
Check out a few cooking shows or websites, and impress your parents with your knowledge of foods and cooking.
These tips on how to start eating healthy for teens can mean healthier eating, and more fun, for your whole family.