60 second summary:
- Teenagers are in a time of rapid growth, development and change but there are many barriers to eating well
- Active teenage girls have many nutritional needs to fuel cognitive and athletic performance
- They should eat a source of starchy carbohydrate with each meal and snack to keep energy stores topped up
- Protein at each meal fuels muscle growth and recovery
- Above all, it’s essential that female athletes eat enough calories or their health and performance can suffer
- Iron, vitamin D and calcium are also important micronutrients to consider
The teenage years are a critical time for girls. Their body composition, hormones, metabolism, and organ systems are changing and maturing, and nutrients are being deposited, for example, in muscle and bone. For all teens, it’s important to fuel this growth and development, but never more so for those who are active, particularly athletes. What they eat now, and the relationship they form with food, exercise, and their body, can determine their future health and performance.
Barriers to eating well for teenage female athletes
Busy schedules
School, studies, training sessions, matches and social life all compete for time in your active girl’s life. This often puts eating on the back seat, and it can be frustrating when carefully prepared lunch or pre-match snacks go uneaten or when your teen automatically reaches for cakes and biscuits, rather than more nourishing options when hungry.
Peer pressure
Teens are often heavily influenced by their friendships or peer groups, and this can extend to what, how much, and when they eat.
The emotional rollercoaster
The teenage years are a time of huge hormonal shifts, and mood swings can influence behaviour, including eating.
Diet trends
Social media can be a huge influence on teenage girls, and while the information they find on there may be questionable, they want to experiment and may be easily led by online influencers. It’s our job as adults to try to steer them towards healthy eating practices that can support training, growth and a healthy relationship with food, mind and body.
Nutrition principles for active girls
Much as protein is seen as the nutrient for athletes (and it’s very important), carbohydrate is equally important for active teens, yet it’s often neglected, to the detriment of performance.
Offer a source of good-quality carbohydrates regularly throughout the day to fuel activity
- This means at each meal and most snacks, there should be a starchy carbohydrate food, for example, bread, rice, pasta, oats, potato, sweet potato, cous cous
- It’s great if some of these foods can be wholegrain
- Between training sessions or matches, it can be helpful to have a source of carbohydrate that is more sugary. Much as we are advised to cut down on our sugar intake, foods that provide rapidly absorbed energy have a place for athletes.
- Great pre-training snacks include cereal bars, toast and jam, malt loaf or cereal with milk
- After training, refuel with starchy carbs and protein – a banana and milk smoothie is a great option
Protein is also essential for muscle growth and repair
- Try to offer a source of protein at each meal, including breakfast, as well as after training
- This can be meat, fish, lentils, beans, tofu, eggs or thick yoghurt
Energy matters
It’s also essential for active teens to eat enough calories not only to fuel their growth but also to support their activity and concentration in class.
Failure to eat enough calories to fuel activity can result in low energy availability. It might seem like your teen eats plenty of food, but if the energy they burn through their activities exceeds what they consume, their health and performance may suffer.
In girls, this may manifest as delayed puberty or loss of periods, an increased risk of injury, and poor bone health, all of which can affect long-term health, growth and development.
It’s essential to avoid any food restrictions in young athletes, as they can cause significant physical and psychological damage.
Don’t forget the micronutrients
Eating a wide variety of foods, from all food groups, is essential to ensure balanced nutrition for both macro- and micronutrients. In particular, pay attention to the following vitamins and minerals:
- Iron – active boys and girls both have higher needs for iron than adults, but girls need a lot more. The best source is red meat, but iron may also be found in lentils, beans, soy products and dried fruit. It’s needed to deliver oxygen to muscles and the brain, and helps reduce tiredness and fatigue.
- Vitamin D – this vitamin is responsible for bone growth and immune system support, and has few food sources (eggs and oily fish, like salmon, provide vitamin D). The main source of this nutrient is sunlight’s effects on the skin. Given the short, dark days we experience in winter, we’re all advised to take a vitamin D supplement from October to March.
- Calcium – this mineral also supports bones, as well as muscles, and is found in milk, yoghurt, cheese, fortified plant-milk products, as well as some pulses and green vegetables. During the teenage years, bones are still reaching their peak mass and laying down nutrients that provide structure, strength and flexibility. It’s very important to ensure sufficient nutrient intake to optimise peak bone mass for all children, but particularly athletes, as it can impact both future health and performance.
Putting it all together, here are some ideas for balanced meals for teenage female athletes:
- Overnight oats with chopped fruit, seeds and Greek yoghurt
- Poached eggs and baked beans on toast
- Wholemeal wrap with chicken and salad
- Baked potato with 3 bean chilli
- Pasta bolognese with salad
- Butternut and cannellini bean risotto
And some snack examples:
- Hummus and pitta bread
- Mini pasta salad with tuna and tomato
- Toast and mashed banana
- Toasted bagel with cheese spread
- Raisin flapjack with yoghurt
- Plain scone and cottage cheese
Conclusion
In conclusion, many nutrients are necessary for health and performance in teenage female athletes, but above all, the focus should be on eating enough to fuel growth and both cognitive and athletic performance.
Claire Baseley – Consultant Nutritionist
