How many calories should i eat

Adyasa rath

1 year ago

How many calories should i eat

Fibre Intake Nutrition Digestive issues Food

Happy Tummy Expert

1 year ago

Dear Adyasa rath, Thank you for the question

Adolescence or teen age is acritical period of our lives in which our body undergoes rapid changes, growth and development. It is very essential to consume a healthy balanced diet with adequate amount of protein and other nutrients such as calcium, iron, vitamin D etc., which will help support growth, development, pubertal changes and strong bones.

An adolescent girl should take enough calcium rich foods in her diet to support the increase of bone density and maintain healthy strong bones. Some of the calcium sources include milk, cheese, paneer, Ragi, curd, yougurt.

Reference weight and height for a 19-year-old female is 48.1-59.5kg and 155.3-166.9cm respectively

As a general dietary guideline, for an apparently healthy individual/ with no specific health or nutrition needs and/or metabolic condition the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) of energy for 19 year old female is 1660kcal/d and recommended daily allowance (RDA) is 46g/d

Here are a few general Dietary guidelines to be considered for adolescent nutrition.

• Adolescence represents a period of active life, hence no meal of the day should be missed to sustain energy and growth spurts

• Having a Healthy Diversified Balanced Diet that includes all the 5 food groups (cereals, pulses, fruits, vegetables, milk & milk products) in the right quantity which thereby provides you with all the essential macro and micro nutrients that your body requires daily for proper functioning.

• Begin your day with a well-balanced breakfast as it is an important meal of the day.

• Consume minimum 4 servings of vegetables and 1 serving of fruit as they are rich in Fiber, essential minerals & Vitamins as well as they give you a feeling of satiety.

• Food should be colourful and attractive.

• Avoid empty calories from foods such as carbonated beverages.

• Iron rich foods should be included in the diet to prevent iron deficiency anaemia. Some of the sources of iron include red meat, green leafy vegetables, eggs, etc

• Calories and protein rich foods should be taken to support the growth spurt. Some of the good sources of protein include, milk, paneer, lean meat, eggs, lentils, soybean, nuts etc.

• Include fruits and vegetables to meet the vitamin, minerals and fiber requirement.

• Try to consume more of Whole grains, Millets and Multigrain foods as they are a good source of fiber.

• Limit intake of deep-fried foods.

• Minimum of 6-8 glasses of water should be consumed to keep yourself hydrated.

• Have your last meal at least 2-3 hours before Bed time.

• It is necessary to engage in physical activity particularly outdoor games. Physical activity regulates appetite. Engage in at least 60 minutes of moderate physical activity throughout the week.

• Try to follow a good sleep regimen in terms of both quantity and quality.