Parents want happy and healthy daughters.
Each and every parent wants their teen daughter to be healthy. Some parents provide their teens with daily vitamins for extra nutritional support. While there are many benefits of taking vitamins, there are a few drawbacks. Taking vitamins will not make up for failure to consume enough calories, or prevent health problems that may occur as a result of eating poor-quality foods.
Nutritional Support
Nutrition is important especially during the teen years.
Teenagers need adequate nutrition for proper growth and development. Lack of nutrition interferes with teen growth spurts, causes lack of energy and leads to other health issues. The standard diet for many teens consists of junk foods, including fast foods; processed foods; and sweets; which lack nutritional value. Teen girls will benefit from the additional nutrients supplied in daily vitamins.
Managing Iron Deficiency
Teen girls who fail to eat healthy, well-balanced meals are at risk for iron deficiency or anemia. Girls lose iron through blood discharge every month as a result of their menstrual cycles. About 40 percent of girls fail to get enough iron through their diets. When a girl's body is not supplied with enough iron-rich foods she is at risk for developing anemia. Taking daily vitamins that contain iron is one way for girls to avoid becoming anemic and to help ward off fatigue that often occurs during the menstrual cycle.
Daily Minimum Calories
Daily calories should come from high-quality foods.
Although taking daily vitamins is beneficial for enhancing the nutritional intake of teen girls, vitamins are not a substitute for healthy food. Teen girls between the ages of 11 and 14 years need to consume slightly more that 1,800 calories each day. Those between 15 and 18 years old need around 2,100 calories daily. It is best when those calories are consumed in the form of high-quality, healthy foods. Parents should discuss the importance of healthy eating habits with their teenagers.
Diet-Based
A proper diet is essential for good health.
Even when teen girls meet the daily recommendations for vitamins and nutrients by taking dietary supplements, they are still at risk for diet-based health problems, such as obesity or diabetes, if they fail to maintain healthy diets. Parents need to make sure their daughters understand the importance of eating correctly. For optimum health, teen girls need to consume lean proteins, fresh fruits and vegetables every day. Parents should pack healthy snacks for teens to eat between meals or to take to activities so they will have healthy options to choose from.
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