Nutrition and Teens
Image Credits: the 5 food groups 2236094 Vector Art at Vecteezy
Nutrition is crucial to a human’s life, especially a teenager’s. Teenagers are at a seminal point where they need vitamins and nutrients to grow. A majority of kids have been taught the best way to source those nutrients is from produce, grains, and animal products. But through advertising, media, and misinformation on the Internet, it can be easy to get lost. Is the perfect diet holistic? “Healthy?’’ Has anyone even heard of such a thing? The Barefoot Times decided to interview people at Sequoyah to find out their perspectives on the right way to balance nutrition.
Ila Rae Brookshire ‘27 was a picky eater when she was little, but she’s now broadened her taste. “My favorite food [is]…probably something really boring like a pizza or a burger,’’ Brookshire explained, and noted that along with dairy, “a balanced diet should include vegetables, starch, protein, fruits.’’ Growing up, Brookshire’s parents made sure to give her a substantial serving of protein in her lunch, which usually ended up being a combination of rice and beans. She also sees a noticeable difference in her energy levels when she eats healthier compared to unhealthier. “I really like to eat salads with that protein on top, like steak salads or chicken salads,” Brookshire said. “After I eat those I feel energized or kind of fresh.’’ Brookshire also highlighted the impact of media and diet on body image. “I think there’s a lot of recognition that the media negatively impacts women, specifically for girls… I also think that right now especially there’s been more awareness…especially like body positivity. But I still think that the general impact is pretty negative.’’
Similar to Brooskire, Harper Gowen ’26 has an ardent view on the effects of media on diets, noting that adverts can be harmful towards consumers. “It can be a pretty nasty culture that [these advertisements] are promoting because a lot of the time it’s saying, you have to be skinny or you have to only eat vegetables and you have to not overeat,” Gowen noted. “But a lot of these things are defined differently for different people. I think you should eat food to enjoy food and not to just look a certain way.” She goes on to say that you shouldn’t submerse yourself too deeply in diet culture. Like Brookshire, Gowen values protein, though believes that nutrition takes priority over any particular food group. “I’d say protein is really important because it sustains you throughout the day. I think it’s important, regardless of what you eat, to eat something because obviously you need those calories.” In regards to the other food groups, she believes that they aren’t entirely necessary, as exemplified by people with lactose intolerance.
Biology teacher Kate Schafer gave her input as a former food science teacher. “‘I think that we are looking for the so-called perfect diet. But [when it comes to] so-called ‘’whole foods,’’ fruits and vegetables, and grains and vegetables, if you are eating a variety of those things, then you’re probably eating a very balanced diet.’’ Schafer also shared the side effects of eating processed food, observing, ‘’In the long term, we know that many or most of the biggest causes of disease in the United States are associated with eating an unhealthy diet. Everything from heart disease, various types of cancer, Type 2 diabetes, all of these things are associated with our diet and our level of exercise. Eating that so-called balanced diet and moving around as much as we can are things that we know make healthier people.’’ When it comes to sustainability, Schafer dispelled the myth that plant-based diets don’t supply sufficient protein. There are plants that lack a sufficient amount of amino acids, though they can easily be paired with others that have a higher percentage. Schafer also spotlighted carbon-neutral, or low impact environmental foods, which happen to be seafood. ‘’Mussels, for example, are so good at filtering out nutrients from the water, and require no additional feed or anything like that…and shellfish, in general, are really easy to farm…and have a very low carbon footprint.’’
Finally, Schafer reflected on how wondrous the process of cooking really is. ‘’I also am just really fascinated by the science of it all,” she noted. “And how we can take these substances that seemed like they’re all separate from each other, put them together, mix them in a bowl and provide heat on them, and they are transformed into something entirely different.’’
Whatever your relationship with food, it’s best to nourish your body in order to have the energy you need to get things done. Talking Leaves are in full force, you know!