Eating the right foods is super important for your growth and performance in physical education (PE). But, many students find it hard to meet their nutritional needs. They often don't know much about essential nutrients, and busy lifestyles can make it tougher to eat well. Knowing what these challenges are is the first step to fixing them.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates provide energy for being active. Teens in physical education should aim for carbohydrates to be 45% to 65% of their daily calories. Many students, though, choose snacks that are high in sugars and miss out on healthy options like whole grains, fruits, and veggies. This can lead to low energy and poor performance.
Solution: Students should focus on eating complex carbohydrates, like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, to keep their energy up. Meal planning and cooking classes can help improve what they eat.
Proteins
Proteins are key for building and repairing muscles. Teens usually need about 0.8 grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight. Some people believe that protein only comes from meat, which can make it hard for vegetarians and vegans to get enough.
Solution: Teaching students about different protein sources, like beans, nuts, seeds, and dairy alternatives, can help them meet their protein needs no matter their diet.
Fats
Healthy fats are important for making hormones and keeping your body healthy. They should make up about 20% to 35% of daily calories. Sadly, many students think eating low-fat is the best way to eat, which can result in missing out on good fats that are important for brain health and physical performance.
Solution: Helping students learn the difference between healthy and unhealthy fats can lead to balanced meals. Foods like avocados, nuts, and olive oil are great choices.
Vitamins and Minerals
Micronutrients like vitamins (like A, C, D, E, and the B vitamins) and minerals (such as iron, calcium, and magnesium) are essential for many body functions, including how we use energy and keeping bones strong. Many students don't eat enough fruits and vegetables, which can make them unhealthy and tired.
Solution: Programs encouraging students to eat colorful fruits and veggies can help them understand why these foods matter and motivate better choices.
Water
Staying hydrated is vital for doing your best in PE, but many students forget to drink enough water. When you’re dehydrated, you can feel tired and your chances of getting hurt go up. The tricky part is that how much water you need can vary a lot.
Solution: Teaching students about drinking water regularly throughout the day, and recognizing when they need more fluids can help them stay hydrated.
Although getting the right nutrients during PE can be tricky—thanks to misinformation and busy lives—understanding what nutrients are important can help improve health and performance. By creating a learning environment where everyone talks about nutrition and has access to good information, students can make better food choices that help them grow and excel in physical activities. It takes teamwork from teachers, parents, and the students to make real differences in eating habits.
Eating the right foods is super important for your growth and performance in physical education (PE). But, many students find it hard to meet their nutritional needs. They often don't know much about essential nutrients, and busy lifestyles can make it tougher to eat well. Knowing what these challenges are is the first step to fixing them.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates provide energy for being active. Teens in physical education should aim for carbohydrates to be 45% to 65% of their daily calories. Many students, though, choose snacks that are high in sugars and miss out on healthy options like whole grains, fruits, and veggies. This can lead to low energy and poor performance.
Solution: Students should focus on eating complex carbohydrates, like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, to keep their energy up. Meal planning and cooking classes can help improve what they eat.
Proteins
Proteins are key for building and repairing muscles. Teens usually need about 0.8 grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight. Some people believe that protein only comes from meat, which can make it hard for vegetarians and vegans to get enough.
Solution: Teaching students about different protein sources, like beans, nuts, seeds, and dairy alternatives, can help them meet their protein needs no matter their diet.
Fats
Healthy fats are important for making hormones and keeping your body healthy. They should make up about 20% to 35% of daily calories. Sadly, many students think eating low-fat is the best way to eat, which can result in missing out on good fats that are important for brain health and physical performance.
Solution: Helping students learn the difference between healthy and unhealthy fats can lead to balanced meals. Foods like avocados, nuts, and olive oil are great choices.
Vitamins and Minerals
Micronutrients like vitamins (like A, C, D, E, and the B vitamins) and minerals (such as iron, calcium, and magnesium) are essential for many body functions, including how we use energy and keeping bones strong. Many students don't eat enough fruits and vegetables, which can make them unhealthy and tired.
Solution: Programs encouraging students to eat colorful fruits and veggies can help them understand why these foods matter and motivate better choices.
Water
Staying hydrated is vital for doing your best in PE, but many students forget to drink enough water. When you’re dehydrated, you can feel tired and your chances of getting hurt go up. The tricky part is that how much water you need can vary a lot.
Solution: Teaching students about drinking water regularly throughout the day, and recognizing when they need more fluids can help them stay hydrated.
Although getting the right nutrients during PE can be tricky—thanks to misinformation and busy lives—understanding what nutrients are important can help improve health and performance. By creating a learning environment where everyone talks about nutrition and has access to good information, students can make better food choices that help them grow and excel in physical activities. It takes teamwork from teachers, parents, and the students to make real differences in eating habits.