To support their rapid growth, teenagers have increased energy and nutritional needs. If your teen is physically active and regularly participates in sport and other vigorous activities such as running, swimming, and dance, this further increases these requirements.
If your teen has a poor diet, she may be at an increased risk of several vitamin and mineral deficiencies, most notably calcium, but especially iron. Since the onset of menstruation, teenage girls have increased iron needs because on a monthly basis they lose blood with their period and therefore iron.
The body needs iron to build red blood cells. When you do not get enough iron from your daily diet, you will tire more easily and lack stamina, which can be especially difficult for teens involved in sport.
If your teen is a vegetarian or trying to lose weight, she may skip meals or try unbalanced fad diets. As a result, your teen may not be getting the iron she needs during these years, which puts her at higher risk for iron-deficiency anemia.
Between the years of 11 and 18, teenage girls need 15mg of iron each day (teenage boys need 11mg iron per day). To ensure your teen is meeting his/her own iron needs, it is important to encourage them to eat the following foods on a regular basis:
• Red meat (lean): at least once per week
• Beans and legumes: chickpeas, baked beans, kidney beans, soybeans
• Green vegetables: broccoli, spinach, callaloo, kale, swiss chard
• Dried fruit: raisins, apricots and prunes
• Whole-grain breakfast cereals fortified with iron: At least 20 per cent the daily value
Maximize the absorption
Encourage your daughter to eat vitamin-C rich foods with her meals in order to maximize the absorption of iron from foods. Citrus fruits or juices, such as orange and grapefruit, tomatoes, strawberries and broccoli are all good sources of vitamin C.
A multivitamin and mineral supplement that contains iron may also be helpful .If you suspect that your daughter is not getting enough iron in her diet, talk to your doctor (or suggest that she does this).
A simple blood test can check for iron-deficiency anemia, and if needed, an iron supplement can be recommended.
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