Healthy eating is important for teens because we are going through a very important stage in life involving a lot of physical growth, brain development, as well as emotional and hormonal changes. A good diet is what will supply us with the proper energy and nutrition needed to go through the task-filled day of a teenager; and having an un-healthy diet at this pivotal stage of life can be very harmful to our bodies in the long run. A vegetarian diet can play a very important role in staying healthy, and in fact is one of the healthiest lifestyles in the world.

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  Calories play a huge role in providing us with the energy needed to get through our everyday lives, so eating the right amount of food is very important. However, it is difficult to measure how many calories a teenager should consume due to the fact that there are many different sizes of teens, multiple activity levels, and varying metabolisms amongst all of us. For an average, semi-active teenager, the recommended amount of caloric intake is 2,000 calories. Most of these calories come from carbohydrates, while the second and third most come from proteins and fats respectively. There are many online calorie-counters that teens can use to match their height, weight, and overall activeness to get a general view, but for the best recommendation all teens should see a nutritionist.

http://www.vegetariantimes.com/

Carbohydrates are found in many different kinds of foods from granola to even yogurt. They are used on the body as instant energy that is used up during all forms of activity. Carbohydrates are made of sugar, starch, and fiber. These all have different uses in the body. For example, starches are stored in the body as energy that will be used at a later time. Sugar, also known as glucose, is instant energy for the body during activity. Fiber helps the body digest food and also helps to hold the stool together. This happens because the body cannot digest fiber and it goes straight through the intestinal track, holding together whatever it encounters. The recommended intake for vegetarians should be around 2.7-4.5 grams for every pound of body weight. So if you were 100 pounds 270 to 450 grams would be adequate. A good way for vegetarians to get the recommended intake of carbs is to eat grains, wheat, and nuts. There are many other foods that provide carbohydrates, to find more, look at http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/vegetarian.html

Proteins are used in many ways by the body. One of the main ways proteins are used is to build muscle and for normal and/or increased muscle function. Eating proteins help to build muscle back after an activity that is physically straining. Proteins are made of amino acids and are linked together with peptide bonds. There are only twenty amino acids known to man, so to get a large variety of proteins that are needed and used in the body, the amino acids must be linked in different orders. Some protein chains can be over 100 amino acids long. To ensure that the body can properly rebuild the muscles that have been broken down by activity, vegetarians should get around 0.6-0.8 grams for every pound of body weight. So if you were to weight 100 pounds, 60 to 80 grams of protein would be adequate. Many think that getting enough protein is very difficult for vegetarians, however there are many sources of protein that are available outside of meat. For example, beans, eggs, nuts, nut butter, peas and soy products are all very high in protein. There are many other foods that contain protein, and to see more look, at http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/vegetarian.html

Fats are used to store energy and to insulate the body. Fats, usually, are the only things that your body will store, however, if your carbohydrates levels are too high for the amount of activity that you partake in, carbs can be stored along with fat. The majority of fats that are ingested by people are made of triglycerides. Tryglycerides are a single glycerol molecule that is combined with three fatty acids. Fats are usually thought of as bad for your body and that you shouldn't eat them; this is not true. You need to eat fats because they are just as important as any other aspect of your diet, however, too much fat can be very unhealthy and pose a major risk of premature death. In fact, a vegetarian should receive around 0.04-.1grams for every pound of body weight. So if you were to be 100 pounds 4 to 10 grams of fat would be all that you need. Fats are important in any diet because they not only help you stay warm, but they also release energy when carbohydrate levels are too low to sustain activity. Many foods contain fats and some of the more healthy choices are nuts, fish and vegetable oil.  There are other foods that contain fats, but should be limited because they contain other, more unhealthy forms of fat such as saturated and trans fats. To see more go to http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/vegetarian.html

There are several different types of vegetarians, the well known ones being pescetarians, vegans, lacto, and lacto-ovo- vegetarians.  The type of vegetarian that someone chooses to be is based on what they believe and how they want to live their lives. Some people may do it to save the lives of animals, while others may be vegetarians because it is a healthy lifestyle choice. All vegetarians avoid eating the flesh of animals, although pescetarians eat fish. Vegans eat absolutely no meat, including fish, and do not eat any dairy products. Lacto- vegetarians do not eat eggs, but do eat dairy, while Ovo- vegetarians eat eggs, but not dairy. Lacto-ovo- vegetarians eat both dairy products and eggs. Depending on what type of vegetarian you choose to be, you need to avoid whatever types of food your style of vegetarianism forbids. http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_fit/nutrition/vegetarianism.html

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This meal plan is based off of a Lacto-ovo- vegetarian diet.

Breakfast Options (Coffee, juice, water or milk as drink options)

Day 1: Fresh blueberry corn muffins

Day 2: Oatmeal and eggs

Day 3: Leftovers, such as soup or cheese pizza

Lunch Options (Water, soda, milk or juice as drink options)

Day 1: Grilled cheese and tomato soup

Day 2: Peanut butter and honey sandwich with side of dried fruit

Day 3: Macaroni and cheese with side of yogurt

Dinner Options (Water, soda, milk, juice, or alcohol as drink options)

Day 1: Grilled eggplant with linguine pasta

Day 2: Cheese quesadillas with chips and salsa

Day 3: Spicy pepper and cheese chili

http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Everyday-Cooking/Vegetarian/Main.aspx

http://www.vegcooking.com/

In conclusion, vegetarianism is a great way to stay healthy and fit while still getting your recommended amount of nutritional intake. The food is delicious, the club is growing, and it saves the lives of animals and people everyday worldwide.