Foods to eat for a baby girl

What's the Right Diet to Conceive a Girl?

Most people understand the importance of eating a healthy, balanced diet, especially when you’re trying to get pregnant. Eating healthy can help you maintain a healthy weight, improve your energy levels, and reduce the risk of certain medical conditions and complications.

Eating well certainly sets the tone for a healthy pregnancy. But what’s more, it’s possible that consuming certain foods before you conceive may influence the sex of your baby.

While there’s no conclusive evidence that certain foods increase the odds of having a girl, let’s review what the research does say.

Foods that are thought to increase your chances of conceiving a girl include:

seafood, especially sardines and canned salmon
beans
almonds
dark, leafy greens
broccoli
dairy products like milk, cheese and yogurt
rhubarb
amaranth (an ancient grain)
figs
edamame and tofu
berries
okra
citrus fruits
oats and oat bran
eggs
apples
seeds, like pumpkin, flax, and chia
cashews
spinach
peanut butter
fortified breakfast cereals

Before we dive into the research behind why these foods may increase your chance of conceiving a girl, let’s clarify a couple things.

We know that the constructs of sex and gender are ever-evolving. For the sake of this article, when we refer to conceiving a girl, we are speaking strictly about chromosomes — specifically a baby with two X chromosomes.

Chromosomes determine the biological sex of a person. Females have two X chromosomes and males have one X and one Y chromosome. During conception, sperm will contribute either an X or a Y chromosome.

When the sperm passes an X chromosome (girl sperm), the couple conceives a girl. And when the sperm passes a Y chromosome (boy sperm), the couple conceives a boy.

Dietary choices that may influence sex

For generations, scientists have tried to determine if there is a link between maternal diet and natural sex selection.

And while there are a handful of studies that seem to have come to similar conclusions, many of these studies were performed on other mammals such as cows or rats.

Therefore, more research on human subjects is needed before we can say for certain if there is a link between maternal diet and conceiving a specific sex. Here’s what we do know:

According to a 2010 study, women who consumed a strict diet high in magnesium and calcium (along with timing intercourse) had a greater chance of conceiving a girl.

A study from 2008 looked at the diet of 740 women and found that mothers who consumed higher calories tended to have boys. Researchers believed that there was potentially a link between higher levels of glucose in the blood, which was favorable to male sperm.

Although these findings are far from conclusive and more research is needed, it can’t hurt to increase your intake of calcium and magnesium-rich foods if you want to conceive a girl.

Keeping blood sugar levels regulated is important for everyone’s health, not just parents who want a female child. To ensure healthy blood sugar levels, avoid foods high in added sugar and be sure to consume plenty of fiber, protein, and healthy fats.

Currently, the science doesn’t appear to demonstrate a link between paternal diet and higher ratio of female sperm. If there is a correlation between diet and sex of your future baby, it’s most likely the maternal diet that has the most influence.

But, we do know that healthy sperm helps increase the likelihood of conception, and diet can help boost healthy sperm count.

Remember: There’s no conclusive evidence that changing your diet or timing intercourse will ensure you have a female baby.

There’s only one guaranteed way to conceive a girl, which is a procedure known as sex selection. This in vitro fertilization method (IVF) involves implanting a girl or boy embryo into the mother’s uterus. This option, however, is expensive, and even illegal in some countries.

Still, there are other methods families have used for sex selection. Most of them rely on the timing of sex to increase your chances of having a boy or girl.

Shettles method

The Shettles method was developed by Dr. Landrum Shettles in the 1950s. According to this method, to increase the chance of having a girl, you should have intercourse about 2 to 4 days before ovulation.

This method is based on the notion that girl sperm is stronger and survives longer than boy sperm in acidic conditions. By the time ovulation occurs, ideally only female sperm will be left.

Shettles also recommends shallow penetration to give girl sperm an advantage. This way, sperm can enter the female body near the opening of the vagina, which is a more acidic environment. This also helps girl sperm survive longer.

According to Shettles, the success rate of conceiving a girl with this method is 75 percent. However, there’s currently no scientific research confirming whether or not the Shettles method is effective.

Whelan method

Another method is the Whelan method developed by Elizabeth Whelan. This method is similar to Shettles methods, in that both believe timing is an important factor in sex determination.

With Whelan‘s method, you’re encouraged to have sex 2 or 3 days before ovulation or on the day of ovulation to conceive a girl. The idea behind the timing is that male and female sperm perform differently at different points in a woman’s menstrual cycle.

Sperm with X chromosomes (girl sperm) are more likely to fertilize an egg at this point in the cycle. So when you have sex closer to ovulation or on ovulation day, girl sperm has a greater chance of survival.

According to Whelan, the success rate of having a girl with this method is 57 percent.

Babydust method

The Babydust method was originated by author Kathryn Taylor. She writes about the timing and frequency of intercourse to increase the likelihood of having a girl, too.

With this method, you’ll track your luteinizing hormone (LH) twice a day — once in the morning and once in the evening — for 3 months prior to attempting to conceive.

Since a surge in this hormone indicates that ovulation will occur within the next 12 to 48 hours, you’re able to understand patterns in your menstrual cycle. This way, you can better predict ovulation.

According to Taylor’s book, “Testing at least twice a day is critical, because if you only test once a day, you may detect and record your LH surge much later than it actually occurred, or even worse, you could miss your surge completely.”

Once you’ve tracked the hormone for 3 months, the Babydust method encourages having intercourse once 2 or 3 days before ovulation. Again, the idea is to give female sperm an advantage. By the time the egg arrives, the boy sperm will no longer be viable.

As much as you may want a baby girl, the reality is that no method can promise the desired results. Of course, there’s no harm in giving these methods a try — but more research is needed to determine the effectiveness of these suggestions.

Regardless of whether you have a boy or a girl, the important thing is having a healthy pregnancy and delivering a healthy baby.

17 foods to eat to conceive a girl

If you’re longing to have a daughter, you might be wondering whether the food you eat could help you achieve your dream.

Can following a particular diet help you to conceive a baby girl naturally? Will certain foods increase your chances of having a daughter?

Keep reading to find out what the scientific research – and the old wives’ tales – say about what foods to eat to conceive a girl.

What are my chances of having a girl?

Although there are two possibilities – boy or girl – the chances of having either is not exactly 50/50. In fact, it is slightly skewed in favor of boys.

For every 100 girls born in the world, there are 105 boys born. This means there is a slightly higher chance that each baby born will be a boy.

How can I increase my chances of conceiving a girl?

In truth, the only way to guarantee your baby’s sex is to use sex selection. This procedure relies on scientists selecting a female embryo and inserting it into your womb. This procedure is expensive in some countries, and illegal in others. Many lawmakers deem sex selection to be unethical and have outlawed the practice.

If sex selection is illegal in your country, or not an option you’d consider, you might be looking for ways to conceive a girl naturally. Keep reading to find out whether the food you eat can determine the sex of your baby.

It’s essential to bear in mind that, other than sex selection, there is no guaranteed way to determine the sex of your baby.

You can try the methods listed in this article and they might improve your chances, but there are no guarantees. We believe the most crucial thing is to have a healthy baby.

What foods should I eat to conceive a girl?

It’s important to note there is very little science behind what foods you should eat to conceive a girl.

A lot of the theories out there are based on old wives’ tales and might not stand up to scrutiny.

Here is a list of foods people claim you should eat to conceive a baby girl:

Seafood
Beans
Almonds
Leafy greens
Dairy products
Rhubarb
Amaranth
Edamame and tofu
Berries
Figs
Okra
Citrus fruits
Oats
Eggs
Apples
Seeds
Cashew nuts and peanut butter.

What foods to eat to conceive a baby girl

According to one study, you can do things to increase your chance of having a girl. In a 2010 study researchers looked at whether maternal diet combined with the timing of sexual intercourse could determine the sex of the baby.

In particular, the researchers wanted to know whether a low-sodium, high-calcium diet would make a difference.

172 couples participated in the study. Blood minerals were assessed to determine the maternal diet, and ovulation tests were used to determine when couples should have sex.

Sex was timed to take place well before ovulation in the hopes of conceiving a girl. This is because ‘girl sperm’ has a longer lifespan and can survive for days before fertilizing an egg. ‘Boy sperm’, on the other hand, has a shorter lifespan.

The researchers found that, when used together, a low-sodium, high-calcium diet and sex before ovulation improved the chances of having a girl. Furthermore, they determined that diet had the most significant impact on the success rate.

This was a small study, so it is difficult to draw definite conclusions from the results. However, if you long for a daughter, there is no harm in applying the theory when you try to conceive. You will need to use ovulation tests or natural methods to determine the time ovulation occurs.

Best foods to eat to conceive a girl

The diet followed by the participants in the study mentioned above was low in salt and high in magnesium-rich foods. All meals had to be prepared without salt, and women consumed plenty of dairy products.

Participants ate bread, fruit, vegetables, meat, rice, and pasta. Potatoes were limited because of the high potassium content.

Study participants took daily food supplements of magnesium, calcium, and Vitamin D.

Blood values were carefully monitored throughout the study to ensure participants consumed the right amounts of vitamins and minerals.

Acidic foods to eat to conceive a girl

Some people believe eating an acidic diet can help improve your chances of conceiving a girl naturally. Some believe that boy sperm are not as able to survive in a more acidic environment.

One popular theory states that consuming acid-producing foods can increase your chance of conceiving a daughter.

Acidic foods to conceive a baby girl

The following foods are believed to make the body more acidic and therefore less welcoming to boy sperm, giving girl sperm more of a chance:

Fish
Meat
Dairy products
Grains
Olives, plums, and blueberries
Walnuts, peas, and peanuts
Vinegar
Mustard.

How to conceive a baby girl naturally

There are several things you can do to improve the chance of conceiving a baby girl, including:

Avoid sex when you’re ovulating

It doesn’t sound like a great way of getting pregnant, but abstaining from sex on the day of ovulation could help you to conceive a girl. The sex of the baby is determined by the sperm that fertilizes the egg.

If the fertilizing sperm carries a Y chromosome, the baby will be a boy. If the winning sperm carries an X chromosome, the baby will be a girl.

Male-producing sperm swim faster but die sooner, so they have an increased chance of success on the day of ovulation.

Female-producing sperm, on the other hand, can lie in wait for days for an egg to fertilize. For this reason, having sex before conception could increase your chance of having a daughter.

Opt for shallow penetration

If you were hoping for a bouncing baby boy, you would want the sperm deposited as close to the cervix as possible to give those fast-swimming Y chromosome sperm a head start. For a daughter, however, you want the opposite.

Shallow penetration means the sperm will have to travel further to reach the egg, giving plenty of opportunities for the male sperm to run out of energy and give up, while the female sperm power on and find the prize.

The missionary position is ideal for shallow penetration.

Hold off on the female orgasm

During orgasm, the female body releases an alkaline secretion that many believe benefits male sperm. This alkaline secretion is thought to create a more hospitable environment for boy sperm, increasing their chances of reaching the egg.

Avoiding a female orgasm could help keep the vagina inhospitable to male sperm and improve your chance of conceiving a baby girl.

Have sex more often

Regular sex might help you to conceive a girl. In the days leading up to ovulation, you should have sex frequently.

The more sex you have, the lower your partner’s sperm count will be. The lower the sperm count, the fewer fast swimming male sperm will be racing towards the egg.

Baby girl diet for father

Many people wonder whether paternal diet can influence the sex of the baby. At the moment, there is no research to suggest this. However, we do know that diet can affect both sperm quality and sperm quantity.

To have as many of the best swimmers possible, you should be sure to eat a healthy, balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals.

It’s essential to cut out the unhealthy things, too. For example, smoking, drinking alcohol, and eating junk food can reduce sperm quality.

To have the best chance of conceiving, both parties should enjoy a healthy lifestyle and eat a well-balanced diet.

Supplements to conceive a girl

Many couples wonder whether daily supplements might help them to conceive a girl. In the study mentioned above, women took daily supplements, including magnesium, Vitamin D, and calcium, to ensure they had enough of these vital vitamins.

A daily multivitamin might also help build good levels of these essential vitamins.

Some women take cranberry supplements when trying to conceive a girl. It is thought that cranberry supplements can alter the pH levels inside the vagina and create an environment more welcoming to female sperm. This has not been scientifically proved, however, and seems to be an old wives’ tale.

Folate or folic acid plays a vital role in fetal development during early pregnancy. For this reason, you should start taking folic acid as soon as you start trying for a baby.

Read more in Folic Acid For Pregnancy – Facts You MUST Know.

How do I get over my gender disappointment?

Gender disappointment might be taboo, but it’s not uncommon. Many parents experience a twinge of disappointment when they learn the sex of their baby.

Gender disappointment is not a sign you are a bad parent, and it’s not something you should feel guilty about. You can’t help how you feel.

Unfortunately, the stigma associated with gender disappointment leaves many feeling guilty and ashamed of this common parenting experience.

Talking to non-judgemental friends and family members might help you to process your feelings. If there’s no one in your everyday life you can trust, a counselor might be able to help you.

For some great advice about dealing with gender disappointment and some real-life experiences, take a look at the BellyBelly article How To Deal With Gender Disappointment.

How to eat a teenage girl - and how much to move.

A table of useful foods in all colors of the rainbow

When the body is changing rapidly, and the brain has not yet matured, there is a risk that the body during puberty lacks two important things - nutrition and movement. Guide for teenage girls - how to go without a diet and get as much exercise as you need.

Why eat a rainbow

In adolescence, nutrition affects not only the rate of growth, but also the time of onset of puberty. Lack of wholesome food can prevent the body from producing the hormones it needs to do so. Due to excessive consumption of unhealthy foods, puberty can begin prematurely.

One easy way to consume the many nutrients needed for successful puberty is to eat rainbows. Well, that is natural products in every color of the rainbow. So the body will receive all the necessary vitamins and minerals.

Listed below are the colors you should have on your plate and their health benefits.

Color	Products	Benefit
Red	apples, cherries, red cabbage, strawberries, tomatoes, watermelons	Red foods are good for good memory and heart health
orange/yellow	pumpkin, melon, carrot, mango, pineapple, potato, sweet potato, yellow pepper	Yellow foods contain vitamins for eye, heart and immune system health
Green	asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, collards, cucumbers, green beans, green peppers, peas, spinach	Green foods are essential for healthy teeth, strong bones and sharp eyesight
Purple/blue	beets, blueberries, blueberries, black beans, eggplants, dates	Purple and dark foods are good for memory and help the body stay strong
White	ginger, mushrooms, onions	White foods help the heart stay strong and healthy

How to recognize processed foods

You might be saying, "Yeah, but if my rainbow plate was orange cheese chips, strawberry candy, and green gummies? Does that count?"

Alas, junk food of rainbow colors - food containing too much sugar, fat and salt - will not help you develop right now and will lead to health problems in the future.

This does not mean that it is strictly forbidden to eat chips, sweets and cakes. They can be consumed in moderation, but do not try to replace fruits, vegetables and cereals on your table with them. Organic, fresh foods are always healthier, which means that industrial foods with a long shelf life should be avoided.

Look at the packaging to see if a product has been processed. Foods sold in boxes or cans and containing syrups and additives, usually processed. These foods tend to be high in sugar, salt and fat, but low in nutrients.

It is desirable to give preference to fresh unprocessed products. So, fresh peaches contain more nutrients than canned in sugar syrup.

Your body needs other nutrients to stay in good shape. Protein foods such as meat, fish, beans and cheese are essential for muscles. You also need iron for energy, zinc for disease-fighting, and folate for mineral absorption.

One of the best gifts you can give your body is breakfast. When you have breakfast every day, it's like you're saying, "Good morning, body! Good to see you today!" Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Great breakfast options include oatmeal, fruit smoothies, and eggs on toast.

If you have an allergy or a special diet

Different people react differently to food. Someone does not absorb gluten (wheat products), and someone suffers from severe food allergies. Sometimes caring for the body involves meeting individual nutritional needs.

Food allergies - a negative physical reaction in the form of itching, swelling and other dangerous symptoms to certain foods - is a common problem among young people. It affects up to 30% of the population of our planet!

High levels of hormones and stress during puberty can exacerbate existing food allergies. Keep eating right and avoid foods that you have a negative reaction to - the body will thank you.

If you are going to a birthday party or a restaurant, tell the adults organizing the event in advance about your eating habits (eg allergies).

If you're on a special diet, you might feel like you can't have fun with everyone, but that's not true. You can take pride in knowing which foods work best for your body. You take care of yourself and remind the world that all bodies are different.

How much does a teenager need to move?

One of the best ways to help your changing body is to be active. Physical exercise is a great way to keep him going.

This does not mean that you have to do 300 jumps every day and run 12 laps around the gym, unless, of course, you like to jump and run! Find a pleasant option for physical activity, from which you actively sweat.

Do you like dancing? Ask your parents to take you to classes or dance at home. Do you like sport? Sign up for your school basketball, volleyball or football team (or whatever you like). You can play sports with friends and neighbors on weekends. There are many options to be active. The main thing is to just keep moving.

Most doctors believe that we need at least an hour of physical activity per day. If you do your favorite kind of her, an hour is not much.

Remember that even a short activity is better than no activity. If the exercises are hard for you because you haven’t been exercising for a long time, start small and gradually increase the load. Go for a 20-minute walk with a friend or invite your neighbors to walk their dog. The more you practice, the easier it will be for you.

If you don't know what exercises to start with

For inspiration, check out ten fun exercises you can do at home.

Headstand will strengthen the abdominal muscles and increase blood flow to the brain, but this requires prior training.
Rope jumping. This fun exercise will make your heart beat faster. Go outside and invite your friends to join you.
Who will reach the finish line faster with the gait of a crab or a bear. These exercises will strengthen the muscles of the arms, legs and abdomen.
Running animals. Find out who will overcome the greatest distance, jumping like a hare or like a frog.
Obstacle course. Create an obstacle course at home with pillows, soft toys and chairs. An obstacle course can be drawn on the street using chalk.
"Sea figure, freeze!" Dance and freeze when the music stops. When the music starts playing again, keep moving.
Bubble wrap jumping. You can have a great time jumping on the bubble wrap until all the bubbles burst.
Speed cleaning. Take a timer and set it to five minutes. See how fast you and your friend can clean your room. You can have a competition or just make cleaning fun.
Pillow fight. Try!
Push-ups over popcorn. Place a small bowl of popcorn on the floor. Do push-ups over the plate and every time you get close to the floor, stick out your tongue and try to pick up a piece of popcorn.

Why you need to warm up and cool down

It is very important to warm up the muscles before starting physical activity. The warm-up can consist of stretching, light walking, leisurely swimming, and other gentle movement that prepares the muscles for the workout.

It is important to cool down after a workout. It helps the body gradually return to a calm state. Sudden interruption of physical activity can shock the muscles, lead to pain and injury. Slow down or stretch until you feel your heart rate slow down. When breathing becomes more measured, you can stop physical activity.

diet and PP food

All parents dream of their children growing up healthy, beautiful and smart. And many people know that one of the important factors contributing to the achievement of this goal is a balanced diet ¹ .

It is especially important to properly make a diet for a teenager. It must necessarily contain foods rich in calcium. The sources of this element are milk, cottage cheese, kefir, curdled milk, hard cheese. These foods must be consumed daily by teenagers ² . Offer your child different dairy products and prepare various dishes from them - then he will eat them willingly ³ .

Complete nutrition of a teenager is impossible without whole grain products - special types of bread (wheat and rye), cereals made from buckwheat, rice (preferably brown), corn, oats, barley ³ .

It is extremely important that a teenager's diet includes adequate amounts of nutrients, vitamins and minerals ³ .

Principles of healthy eating

A teenager's meals should be regular, so it's important to have a plan that your son or daughter will follow every day. The menu should be as diverse as possible so that the child receives in the right amount both the main, irreplaceable nutrients and the secondary ones ² .

At least 50-60% of the protein in the daily diet of a teenager should be animal products. He also benefits from fats that are present in vegetable oil, sour cream, nuts, cheese and other foods. It is desirable that about 70% of all fats consumed per day be vegetable. This is the basis of proper nutrition ² .

The child needs to be given more carbohydrates than other nutrients. The optimal ratio of carbohydrates to protein is 4:1. Sources of fast carbohydrates (sweet foods) should not exceed 20% of all carbohydrates consumed by a teenager ⁴ . Complex carbohydrates for a child are cereals, potato dishes and bread. When preparing flour dishes, it is recommended to give preference to wholemeal flour ⁴ .

Fish should be on the teenager's menu at least 1-2 times a week. The same recommendations are given for red meat ² .

It is important for students to eat at least 5 servings of various fruits and vegetables per day. One serving is a medium-sized fruit (such as an apple or orange), two small fruits (such as an apricot), 50 g vegetable salad, a glass of fresh juice, three tablespoons of vegetables after cooking ⁵ .

Dairy products must also be included in the diet of a teenager, the amount is three servings every day ⁵ .

The best types of heat treatment of dishes are boiling and stewing, as well as baking ⁵ .

Proper nutrition for teenagers involves avoiding or minimizing the use of foods with nutritional supplements, margarine, store-bought sauces, out-of-season vegetables, smoked sausages, very spicy or deep-fried foods, lollipops, fast food, chewing gum. It is also worth limiting the consumption of white bread and sugar ¹ . The child may eat fatty and sugary foods in small amounts, but these foods should not be used as a substitute for healthy foods as they lack the beneficial elements ⁴ .

Instilled in childhood understanding of the rules of healthy eating will help to avoid many problems throughout life.

Teenager's nutritional needs

A balanced diet for a teenager is one in which the child receives enough calories throughout the day to meet his energy needs. On average, this is 65 kcal per kilogram of weight, that is, about 2500-3000 kcal per day. If your teenager is physically active, you should increase the number of calories per day in accordance with the energy expenditure for training.

Adolescents should consume 100-110 g of protein, 90-100 g of fat and an average of 400 g of carbohydrates per day ⁵ .

How to teach a child to eat healthy?

Rational, balanced, proper nutrition is important at any age, and especially in adolescence. Parents can still influence the student's menu, but in general, the child's food preferences have already been formed. Also, the desire to be independent and do things your own way affects the eating habits of a teenager. It is important to find a balance between absolute control and the complete freedom of the child in choosing food, which can turn into an unbalanced diet ⁵ .

When introducing a teenager to a healthy lifestyle, the example of parents is important - it is desirable that the principles of balanced nutrition be observed by the whole family ⁵ .

Talk to your teen about how certain foods in their diet affect growth and health. Tell him why breakfast is important, what can be the negative consequences of quick snacks for the body, what are the risks of skipping the main meals and diet ² .

Be sure to pay attention to how your child eats at school. Encourage him to take healthy food from home - an alternative to hot dogs and pizza. For example, you can bring yogurt, fruit, casseroles, and homemade cakes to class ² .

Diet

Proper nutrition for adolescents should consist of at least four meals - breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner ⁶ :

Breakfast. For the morning meal, your child should receive about 25% of all daily calories ⁶ .
Lunch. This is the most high-calorie meal, no less important for health than breakfast, which accounts for 35-40% of all daily calories ⁶ .
Afternoon snack. This is a small snack, which accounts for about 15% of all calories for the day ⁶ .
Dinner. At dinner, the child is recommended to consume 20-25% of daily calories. At the same time, it is important that the teenager eat no later than 2 hours before bedtime ⁶ .

In case of violation of the diet, a malfunction of the gastrointestinal tract may occur, for example, constipation may appear. Unfortunately, they are quite common. Constipation is caused not only by an unbalanced diet, but also by stressful situations, which are not uncommon in adolescence ⁷ .

To eliminate the unpleasant symptoms of constipation, the use of laxatives is suitable. The drug of choice for the treatment of constipation in children of any age is Dufalac® ⁸ – laxative with physiological action based on lactulose. Duphalac® has a double action: it gently cleanses the intestines and normalizes the balance of its microflora ⁹ . It has a high safety profile ⁹ , is non-addictive* and can be taken for an unlimited duration ^9.10 .

In addition, the advantages of Duphalac® are:

restoration of proper bowel function ⁹ ;
no auxiliary components (only lactulose and purified water) ⁹ ;
single dose during the day;
variety of forms

What liquids to give teenagers?

The total amount of liquid drunk by a teenager per day depends on the characteristics of his diet, activity level and weather. Drink more water on hot days or during physical activity. Middle-aged and older children need about 50 ml of fluid per day for every kilogram of weight ¹¹ .

The best drink is boiled or purified water. A balanced diet of adolescents allows the inclusion in the diet of school-age children such drinks as milk, compotes, kissels, rosehip infusion, decoctions of dried fruits, tea and cocoa ¹¹ .

Juice is considered a less preferred drink due to its high content of simple sugars and high acidity. If a child drinks freshly squeezed juice, it must be diluted with water, especially if a diet is prescribed for him by a doctor ¹¹ .

Teenagers should avoid carbonated drinks and drinks high in caffeine. Caffeine interferes with iron absorption and can cause sleep problems. Carbonated, foamy drinks do not quench thirst well, irritate the digestive tract and - in most cases - contain various chemical additives ¹¹ .

How to make a menu?

Proper nutrition for teenagers begins with menu planning. In this case, the child’s daily routine should be taken into account, in particular, the time of attending school, sports sections, tutors and other activities, as well as whether there is a need to adhere to a certain diet ^2.3 .

It is better to make a menu for the whole week at once, so it will turn out to be more varied and satisfying.

For breakfast, the child should receive an average of 300 g of the main course, as well as a drink with a volume of about 200 ml. Milk porridge, cottage cheese dishes, scrambled eggs are considered good breakfast options. You can add vegetables, nuts, berries, fruits, meat, sauces ^2.3 .

When a teenager eats at school according to the lunch regimen, they eat soup, a main course (usually a side dish with meat or fish) and drinks. The homemade lunch menu is built on the same principle. The child is given about 250 ml of the first course and about 100 g of vegetable salad. The main course is offered in a volume of up to 300 grams, and a drink in a volume of 200 ml ^2.3 .

For an afternoon snack, proper nutrition for a teenager includes dairy products, fruits, cold snacks and cookies. Approximate plate sizes: 100 g for pastries, 100 g for fruits and 150-200 ml for drinks ³ .

For dinner, with proper nutrition, a teenager should receive a main course (about 300 g) and a drink (200 ml). It can be cottage cheese casserole, eggs or fish dishes. Porridge and vegetable dishes are also the best dinner option with proper nutrition for a teenager ³ .

Bread can be added to any meal, offering the child pastries from different types of flour.