Addressing the growing trend of teenagers whose eating habits keep fast-food restaurants flourishing but do little to keep the kids themselves in shape, this guide presents parents with the tools to ensure the daily health of their children. Providing the latest information on a wide range of food topics, this handbook covers everything from carbohydrates to eating disorders and vitamins, discussing each aspect sensitively and suggesting the ultimate new frontier for busy teens—cooking their meals themselves. This updated edition contains an expanded section on portion distortion, fitness for health, and how to read food labels, while outlining the latest studies, statistics, nutrition guidelines, and health information. New recipes, tips on creating shopping lists, and meal-planning ideas are included and vegetarian and vegan issues for teens are addressed. With sections on weight management, sports nutrition, and vital facts on fast food, this is the ideal companion for parents watching out for their kids’ diets.
Preface viii
Chapter 1 The Basics 1
Adequate Nutrients within Calorie Needs 2
Weight Management 3
Physical Activity 3
Food Groups to Encourage 3
Fats 4
Carbohydrates 4
Sodium and Potassium 5
Food Safety 5
MyPyramid 5
Chapter 2 Find Your Fuel 13
Carbohydrates 13
Protein 17
Fat: Light, Low-Fat, Nonfat 19
Less Is Not Always Best 24
Key Terms and Definitions 28
Chapter 3 Vitamins and Minerals
The Facts 29
Supplements 31
Vitamins for Special Consideration 38
Vitamin D 40
Vegetarians 41
The Bottom Line 44
Key Terms and Definitions 45
Chapter 4 Let's Move 47
Why Don't Teens Get Enough Physical Activity? 47
So How Much Activity Do You Need? 48
Ten Tips for Staying Motivated 50
Chapter 5 Weight Management 53
What Is a Healthy Weight? 54
Overweight, or Overfat? 54
Weight Loss 56
The Caloric Balance Equation 60
But How Many Calories Do I Need? 62
The Scoop on Fad Diets 63
Meal Skipping and Starving 64
Need to Put On a Few Pounds? 65
Special Considerations in Weight Maintenance 67
Chapter 6 Eating Disorders 71
Causes of Eating Disorders 73
Who's at Risk? 74
Common Characteristics of People Who Have Anorexia or Bulimia 76
Behaviors of People with Eating Disorders 76
Compulsive Eating 77
Medical Problems and Treatment 77
Accepting Your Body 79
Where to Get Help for an Eating Disorder 80
Websites and Organizations 80
Key Terms and Definitions 81
Chapter 7 Vegetarianism 83
What Is a Vegetarian? 83
Why Be a Vegetarian? 83
The Vegetarian Food Pyramid 85
Nutrients of Special Concern to Vegetarians 86
Vegetarian Recipe Substitutions 90
Being a Vegetarian and Eating Out 91
Being a Vegetarian When Your Family Is Not 92
Summing Up Vegetarianism 92
Key Terms and Definitions 93
Chapter 8 Sports Nutrition 95
Eating Enough Calories 96
How Many Calories Do I Need? 96
Carbohydrates 98
Protein 99
Fat 100
Water 101
What Should You Eat before You Exercise? 104
What Can You Eat during Exercise? 104
What Should You Eat after Exercise? 105
Ergogenic Aids 106
Too Good to Be True 109
Don't Use These Products 110
Summing Up Sports Nutrition 110
Key Terms and Definitions 111
Chapter 9 Funky Foods 113
Herbal Remedies 113
Functional Foods 119
Conventional or Natural Foods 123
Fortified Foods 123
Manufactured Foods 127
The Bottom Line 128
Key Terms and Definitions 130
Chapter 10 Fast Facts on Fast Food 131
Why Is Fast Food Considered Unhealthy? 131
What to Watch Out for When Eating Out 132
How to Make Better Fast-Food Choices 136
Key Terms and Definitions 140
Chapter 11 Meal Planning 141
Breakfast 141
How Does This Stack Up? 142
Lunch 143
Snacking 149
Dinner 150
Quick Meals to Make at Home 152
Quick Meals to Pick Up and Eat at Home 153
Eating Out 155
Balancing Your Choices 155
Key Terms and Definitions 156
Chapter 12 Cook It 157
Food Labels 157
Health Claims 160
Is Organic Worth It? 169
Safe Food Handling 171
Our Recipes and Understanding Nutrient Analysis 174
Recipes 177
Appendix A Recommended Dietary Intakes 249
Appendix B Approximate Caloric Expenditure per Minute for Various Physical Activities 252
References and Resources 265
Index 269
Overview
Addressing the growing trend of teenagers whose eating habits keep fast-food restaurants flourishing but do little to keep the kids themselves in shape, this guide presents parents with the tools to ensure the daily health of their children. Providing the latest information on a wide range of food topics, this handbook covers everything from carbohydrates to eating disorders and vitamins, discussing each aspect sensitively and suggesting the ultimate new frontier for busy teens—cooking their meals themselves. ...