Proteins

It's breakfast time. Presented food choices are sugary and sweet Cinnamon Toast Crunch served with whole milk, or a healthier chicken sandwich with tomatoes and lettuce served on whole wheat bread with a tall glass of orange juice. Which is the healthier option? The answer is very clear. The chicken sandwich and orange juice. The chicken sandwich is filled with proteins which can help your body get through the first few hours of the day.

Sometimes, however, the choices aren't always as simple as this. Now it's 11:30. You're hungry for lunch now. You brown bagged another one of those chicken sandwiches, an apple, and a bottle of water. However, one of your classmates is willing to trade your healthy lunch for his lunch: A Big Mac, a large fries, and a can of root beer is what he has to offer. Most teens would jump at this opportunity, after all, a Big Mac has meat in it, which has protein, so it should be healthy, right? Wrong. It may have meat, but that meat is a red meat, which happens to be loaded with saturated fats. The chicken sandwich, on the other hand, is a white meat, and has a lot less saturated fats than a Big Mac.

During adolescence, protein is needed in much greater amounts, especially in boys. This is because during adolescence, most of your muscle cells begin to develop at a much faster rate. You need protein in order to aid in their growth. Not just any protein, though. You need lean protein in order to stay healthy. Red meats have too much fats to be considered healthy in the long run.

Info from:

http://lifestyle.iloveindia.com/lounge/diets-for-teenagers-3096.html

http://diet.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Healthy_Diet_for_Teenagers