Adolescent girls are in a critical stage of growth and development, so nutrition is essential:
1. Adolescent girls require more calories due to their higher energy needs, which are about 2600-2700 calories per day, more than adults. These calories come mainly from carbohydrates, fats, and proteins (protein-rich foods). Skipping breakfast or not eating enough can significantly affect growth and development, so it is important to have a good breakfast.
2. Adolescence requires a significant amount of protein, minerals, and water, and it needs to be well-rounded. Women (foods for women) require about 80-90 grams of protein per day. Different foods contain different types of proteins, also known as amino acids, so it is important to have a variety of foods to ensure a comprehensive supply of amino acids (foods rich in amino acids) and avoid being picky eaters.
3. Adolescent girls need to be careful about consuming certain foods during their menstrual period, as they can cause harm to the body. These foods can be categorized into three major groups:
A. Cold foods: such as pears, bananas, water chestnuts, black fungus, and daylily. These foods are mostly known in traditional Chinese medicine as having cooling and detoxifying effects, nourishing Yin and reducing internal heat. They are beneficial to the body when consumed regularly, but during the menstrual period, it is advisable to avoid or consume them in moderation to prevent symptoms such as dysmenorrhea and menstrual irregularities.
B. Spicy foods: such as cinnamon, Sichuan pepper, cloves, and pepper. These foods are commonly used as seasonings to enhance the taste of dishes. However, women during their menstrual period should avoid consuming these spicy and irritating foods, as they can lead to symptoms such as dysmenorrhea and excessive menstrual bleeding.
C. Foods that affect sexual function: such as water chestnuts, water bamboo shoots, winter melon, mustard greens, bracken, rabbit meat, black fungus, and cannabis seeds.
4. Adolescent girls should rest before and after meals: If physical activity (sports nutrition) occurs before or after eating, the blood supply to the gastrointestinal tract will decrease, resulting in decreased gastrointestinal function and digestive disorders. Therefore, it is important to rest before and after meals to ensure adequate blood supply to the stomach and intestines. Patients with gastric ulcers should quit smoking because nicotine in tobacco can alter the acidity of gastric juice, disrupt the normal activity of the pylorus, and induce or aggravate peptic ulcers.
