National Girl Child Day: Diet tips for teenage girls

The National Girl Child Day is celebrated in India every year on January 24. In 2008, the day was initiated by the Ministry of Women and Child Development and the government of India, to spread public awareness about the inequities that girls face in Indian society. While social security and the upliftment of girls have always been concerns of the initiative, their diet is of primary importance as well. Here are a few tips that every parent and society as a whole need to take to ensure the healthy development of teenage girls. (Image: istock)

After consulting an expert, prepare a food guide or make a diet chart to plan your kids' meals. The motive should be to focus on complete nutrition that helps in the growth and development of mind and body. By "complete diet," experts mean a diet that has proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. It should avoid no-carb or zero-carb diets, as they can have adverse effects on the growing population's health. (Image: istock)

Also, make sure that the teenager has all the meals as planned and should not miss any meals. Include fresh fruits and protein in her daily breakfast as they will keep her full for longer and give her the energy to face the morning rush. Also, replace caffeine with fresh juices, smoothies, and shakes. (Image: istock)

In the age of social media, teen girls often get conscious of their weight and how they look. As a parent, it’s your duty to make her understand that healthy fats are good. They are helpful in the absorption of other nutrients and also help in the production of important hormones. Encourage her to indulge in healthy fats and stay away from trans fats, which often lead to excess weight gain. (Image: istock)

Teens often have the irregular habit of eating at odd hours. Make sure your teen girl has a clearly defined eating routine and avoids midnight snacking. (Image: istock)

Her dinner should have fewer carbs and easy-to-digest meals like soups, stews, and khichidi. (Image: istock)

Let your girl drink enough water to keep her body hydrated. Not drinking enough water may also make the child hungry more often. So, drinking enough water will keep those hunger pangs at bay and the metabolism rate up. (Image: istock)

If your teen is quite active and needs those extra doses of energy, then pack healthy munchies like nuts, seeds, boiled eggs, and makhans, They are easy to eat and packed with nutrients, thus making them a smart snack option. (Image: istock)

As per experts Ideally, a teenage girl’s diet must include rich protein foods like red meat, pulses, cereals, green vegetables, and fish. For calcium, she should have soy beans, milk, and tofu. Must-have iron-rich foods are beans, poultry, seafood, dark green leafy vegetables, and peas. Vitamin C-rich foods like lemons, grapefruits, potatoes, tomatoes, and oranges should also be a part of her daily diet. (Image: istock)

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