NUTRITION FACTS FOR YOUR HEALTH

 Fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables help keep teens healthy, prevent disease, and are low in fat and calories. People of all ages should eat seven to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Ideally, adolescents should eat seven servings daily. 

Fruits and vegetables can be fresh, frozen, canned, or dried. The following examples equal one serving size of a fruit or vegetable:

Food	Serving Size
Fruits such as apples, oranges, bananas, and pears	1 medium-sized piece
Raw, cooked, canned, or frozen vegetables	1/2 cup
Cut fruit	1/2 cup
Raw leafy vegetables such as lettuce and spinach	1 cup
Dried fruits such as raisins, apricots, and mangoes	1/4 cup
Cooked peas or beans (canned or dried)	1/2 cup

Whole grains 

Whole grains contain vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that are important for a teen’s health and growth. Today, many foods such as white bread and white rice are made with refined grains, which are low in fiber and other nutrients found naturally in grains. Instead, it’s best to eat a variety of whole grain foods. Ideas include:

Check the Nutrition Facts labels to choose whole grain foods that contain at least 10 percent Daily Value of fiber and are low in saturated fat, trans fat, sugars, and sodium (salt). In addition, one of the following whole grains should be listed first on the ingredient list:
  

•   Brown rice
•   Oatmeal
•   Rolled or whole oats
•   Bulgur (cracked wheat)
•   Popcorn
•   Whole rye
•   Graham flour
•   Whole barley
•   Whole wheat
•   Whole grain corn

Wheat flour, enriched flour, and degerminated corn meal are not whole grains. 

Food	Serving Size
Whole grain bread	1 slice
Whole grain pasta	1/2 cup
Brown rice	1/2 cup
Foods made with bulgur (cracked wheat) such as tabouli salad	1 cup
Some ready-made whole grain breakfast cereals	1/2 cup
Whole barley, which can be added to soups	Check the Nutrition Facts label

Fiber 

One of the best known benefits of fiber is that it reduces constipation. But did you know that fiber may also reduce the risk of coronary heart disease? 

The total number of fiber grams to be consumed by children can be computed by adding their age plus five. For example, a 14-year-old girl should take in about 19 grams of fiber every day. Ideas for increasing fiber intake include: 

• Eating whole fruits instead of drinking fruit juices. 
• Eating brown rice and whole-grain products instead of white rice, bread, and pasta. 
• Choosing whole-grain cereals for breakfast. t Snacking on raw vegetables. 
• Replacing legumes for meat two to three times per week in chili and soups. 
• Using whole grains and legumes as part of the main meal (such as Indian dal or lentils) or in salads (such as tabouli). 

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