Fuel for the Future: How Nutrition Shapes Your Growth and Health

Hello and welcome to the HEAL blog!

In this blog post, we're going to be talking about something super important that is often overlooked and pushed to the side: nutrition.

As a teenager, you’re at a stage in your life where your body is growing, your brain is working extra hard, and you're balancing school, sports, friends, and more. Eating the right foods during this time in your life is important and can make a huge difference in how you feel, how you perform, how you handle stress, and you’re overall well-being. This blog post is going to help guide you to understand nutrition and learn how to incorporate it into your life.

Nutrition is important throughout your entire life, but is especially important in your teenage years because those years are a time of rapid growth and change. Your body is building muscle, strengthening your bones, and developing the body that is going to carry you throughout the rest of your life. Plus, your brain is still growing, which means you need to fuel it the right way. Good nutrition can help with many things, such as energy, mood, growth, focus, and physical health. So…how do you eat to support yourself? Let's break it down.

What are Nutrients?

Nutrients are the building blocks your body gets from food. There are six main types of nutrients.

Carbohydrates

• Carbohydrates are your body's main source of energy.

• Some examples of foods containing carbohydrates are bread, pasta, rice, fruits, and vegetables.

Proteins

• Proteins are your body's main source for building muscles, skin, and hair.

• Some examples of food with protein in it are meat, eggs, beans, and nuts.

Fats

• Fats are your body's main source for brain health, energy storage, and absorbing certain vitamins.

• Some examples of foods with fats are avocados, nuts, oils, and fish.

Vitamins

• Vitamins help your body function properly.

• Some examples of vitamins are vitamin C, which can be found in citrus fruits and helps to boost your immune system, and vitamin D, which is increased with sunlight and helps to strengthen your bones.

Minerals

• Minerals help your body function properly.

• Some examples of minerals are calcium, which can be found in dairy products and helps to strengthen your bones, and iron, which can be found in most meats and helps to prevent anemia.

Water

• Water helps your digestion, regulates your body temperature, and helps you stay hydrated.

Every single one of these nutrients plays a role, and you need a healthy balance of them to feel your best. 

What Should Your Meals Look Like?

Here is a general outline.

If you have certain dietary needs or restrictions, I recommend talking to your doctor about this before changing anything drastically. 

When you make a meal, about half your plate should be filled with fruits and vegetables, a quarter of your plate should be filled with whole grains (brown rice, whole wheat bread, etc.), and a quarter of your plate should be filled with proteins.

Try to have milk, yogurt, or cheese on the side of each meal for a source of dairy, and cook your meals in healthy fats such as olive oil. Make sure that you drink 8-10 cups of water a day or more, depending on whether you're active and if it's hot outside. That’s around 64-80 ounces a day. To help you reach this goal, try to split it up over your three meals a day, so have 21+ ounces of water at each meal.

Blood Tests

One thing that is incredibly important for your health is getting blood tests once a year. This gives your body a quick check-up to make sure you’re getting everything you need. Blood tests are important to make sure you're not nutrient deficient in anything. When you have nutrient deficiencies, it can cause problems such as low energy, trouble focusing, and even long-term health issues.

When you catch nutrient deficiencies early, they are much easier to fix with food or supplements. Your teenage years are the most important when it comes to having balanced nutrient levels. Deficiencies in nutrients like iron or vitamin D can slow down the process of growing, and blood tests yearly ensure you're on track. These tests can also show you how to improve your diet and if you need to add or take away anything.

As a teen, you should be taking a multivitamin daily, especially if you are a vegan, vegetarian, or have specific health conditions. Always talk to your doctor about a specific recommendation and to make sure you're not overdoing nutrients. Your doctor can use your blood test results to help guide their decision in choosing a multivitamin that's right for you.

To get a blood test, ask your parent/guardian about scheduling an annual check-up with your doctor, and then ask your doctor to order a “complete blood count” (CBC) test and a “comprehensive metabolic panel” (CMP), both of which help check your overall health. Getting blood drawn is a quick process and is typically less painful than a shot. A lot of people think blood draws can make you lightheaded, but typically, that does not happen because they don’t take much blood. 

Specific Needs

Every teenager has a different life and therefore different needs. Your job is to figure out what's specific to your life. I’m going to give you some advice based on the most common lifestyles teens have.

Athletes

If you’re an athlete, you need to make sure to have more calories, protein, and carbs to help fuel you throughout your workouts and day. You also need to make sure to drink a lot of water. 

Busy Students

If you’re super busy, try to prep meals/snacks that are healthy and easy to grab. Some examples of that are cut-up fruits and vegetables and overnight oats. 

Vegetarian or Vegan Diet

If you’re a vegetarian or vegan, you need to make sure to get nutrients through other means than dairy/meat. Some specific nutrients you need to make sure your protein is iron and vitamin B12. To do this, eat lots of beans, lentils, tofu, and spinach, and pair them with vitamin C to boost absorption of the iron.

Studying Students

If your someone is studying a lot, try to prioritize brain-boosting foods and try to avoid heavy, greasy foods. Some brain-boosting foods include fish, walnuts, berries, and dark chocolate.

Myth Busting: Nutrition Addition

Social media is full of lies about food and diets, so let's clear up some common myths.

Myth #1

You should be eating less than three meals a day.

Truth

Your body needs fuel throughout the day to properly function and grow. This is especially important for teenagers.

Myth #2

Carbs make you gain weight.

Truth

Carbs are incredibly important and your body's main source of energy. If you're worried about gaining weight, cutting out carbs isn’t going to help you; instead, choose healthier carbs (such as whole grains) and eat them in moderation.

Myth #3

You need to cut out all fats to be healthy.

Truth

Healthy fats are very important and help support your brain and body. If you want to cut out fats that are unhealthy, cut out trans fat and excessively saturated fats.

Myth #4

Supplements can replace real food.

Truth

Supplements can be helpful in your overall health, especially if you are deficient in nutrients, but they do not replace food, and food is ultimately the best way to get nutrients. 

Myth #5

You have to eat “clean” and “healthy” all the time.

Truth

Balance is key. It’s okay to eat pizza or ice cream sometimes, just make sure that most of your choices are fueling your body and helping you feel your best.

Meal Ideas

Eating healthy as a teen might seem like a really hard thing to do. But it doesn't have to be that way. Some things you can do to help yourself reach your goals are plan ahead, read labels, cook with friends or family, listen to your body (eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re full), balance treats (make sure when you do have treats to pair it with something nutritious like fruits or vegetables), get enough sleep and drink enough water.

Below are some meal ideas for the average teen and a link to a recipe (if necessary).

Breakfast

Meal #1: Greek yogurt with mixed berries, honey, and granola.

Meal #2: Overnight oats (make sure to top with fruit!) (https://feelgoodfoodie.net/recipe/overnight-oats/). 

Meal #3: Eggs, bacon, and avocado.

Lunch

Meal #1: A turkey and avocado wrap on a whole-grain tortilla, with baby carrots and hummus on the side and an apple.

Meal #2: A peanut butter and banana sandwich on whole wheat bread with a side of strawberries. 

Meal #3: Pasta salad with chicken (https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a25136514/chicken-pasta-salad/). 

Snacks

Snack #1: An apple with peanut butter.

Snack #2: Vegetables with hummus.

Snack #3: Trailmix.

Dinner

Meal #1: Salmon with brown rice and roasted vegetables.

Meal #2: Chicken stir fry (make sure to use brown rice!) (https://www.southernplate.com/chicken-teriyaki-with-brown-rice/).

Meal #3: Taco bowl (https://thehungrywaitress.com/healthy-taco-bowls/)

Dessert

Dessert #1: Mixed berries with whipped cream.

Dessert #2: A banana with melted dark chocolate.

Dessert #3: Dark chocolate-covered strawberries.

Common Roadblocks

Let's be real, eating well isn’t always easy. So I’m going to give you some tips on how to handle common roadblocks.

Picky Eating

If you're a picky eater and don’t like vegetables, start small. Try blending them into smoothies and sneaking them into sauces. Experiment with different seasonings on your vegetables and cooking styles.

Tight Budget

If you're dealing with a tight budget, try to stick to affordable staples like beans, rice, eggs, and frozen vegetables. Buy in bulk and look for sales and coupons.

Limited Time

If you feel like you don’t have the time to make healthy meals for yourself, you can ask for help from the people around you. You can also prep snacks such as cut-up fruits or vegetables, smoothies, etc. You can also prep breakfast and lunch meals, such as making them when you have free time and then refrigerating them so they're easy to get when needed.

NOTE: If you're struggling with body image, make sure to reach out to a trusted adult. You can also get involved with a nutritionist who can help you create a good eating schedule that works best for you and fuels you properly. Make sure to also get involved with therapy if your body image issues are severely affecting your life or your health.

Final Thoughts

Eating well is important in the moment to feel good and to be able to get through the day, but it's also important in the long term. Good nutrition can help boost your confidence and energy, help you manage your mental health, lower your risk of diseases in the future, and help you feel more in control of your health. 

Nutrition doesn’t have to be complicated. It's about finding a balance that works for you - one that keeps you feeling healthy, happy, and full of energy. Talk to your parents about this blog post and tell them your nutrition goals so they can help you meet them.

Written and researched by Brycen W

2025 The HEAL Project