Adolescence is a bridge between childhood and adulthood. During this period, adolescents attain their puberty.
It is characterized by rapid increase in height and weight, metabolism, hormonal changes and sexual maturation. Hence, adolescents need a proper diet containing both body building and protective foods as they are important for growth spurt, maturation and bone development. Their diet should contain increased amount of energy and protein for increased muscle mass and minerals and vitamins for rapid growth of skeleton.
Mild to moderate micronutrient deficiencies can lead to impaired cognitive development, poor physical growth, increased morbidity and decreased work productivity in adulthood. Low calorie and protein intake may result in weight loss accompanying many health problems, such as fatigue, headaches, irritability, inability to concentrate; they are more likely to be ill and absent from school. On the other hand, adolescents consuming excess calories or having insufficient physical activity, may become obese with poor physical health, mental disorders, respiratory problems and glucose intolerance, all of which can track into adulthood.
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Anemia, not only affects the growth of the adolescents but also affect their attentiveness, memory and school performance. It also causes delay in onset of menarche and it can affect immune system leading to infections.
The Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for adolescent boys of 10-12 years is 2190 kcal and 2750 kcal for 13-15 years, whereas protein requirement varies from 39.9 gm (10-12 years) to 54.3 gm (13-15 years). This gives an average of 2470 kcal and 47.1 gm protein for boys. The RDA for adolescent girls of 10-12 years is 2010 kcal and 2330 kcal for 13-15 years, whereas protein requirement varies from 40.4 gm (10-12 years) to 51.9 gm (13-15 years). This gives an average of 2170 kcal and 46.2 gm protein for girls. Keeping RDA for both boys and girls at an average of approximately 2320 kcal and 46.7 gm; 5 meals (3 major meals and 2 small meals) in a day are recommended. Major meals should provide 600 kcal and 12 gm protein, whereas small meals/ snacks should provide approximately 250 kcal and >5 gm protein, with sufficient amount of micronutrients.
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Freshly Prepared Recipes For Normal Weight Children:
Recipe 1: Egg Toast
Serving size: 2 toasts
Ingredients
- Bread, brown: 40 g
- Egg: 50 g
- Groundnut: 7 g
- Drumstick leaves: 15 g
- Oil: 5 g
- Condiments and Spices
- Green chilli: 2 g
- Cumin seeds: 1/8 tsp
- Salt to taste
Preparation time: 10-15 minutes
Method of preparation:
-Boil drumstick leaves in 20 ml water for 5 minutes.
-Mash well.
-Roast and crush groundnut.
-Break egg in a bowl. Add roasted groundnut, green chilli, cumin seeds, salt and mashed drumstick leaves.
-Mix all ingredients well.
-Apply this mixture on bread pieces and cook on griddle using oil.
-Cut into pieces and serve hot with tomato amla chutney
Recipe 2: Vegetable Uttapam
Ingredients For Uttapam
- Rice: 20 g
- Black gram dal dehusked: 10 g
- Onion, big: 20 g
- Tomato: 20 g
- Peas, green: 10 g
- Oil: 10 g
For Tomato Amla Chutney
- Tomato: 50 g
- Amla: 25 g
- Jaggery: 5 g
Condiments and Spices
- Green chilli: 2 g
- Red chilli: 1/8 tsp
- Turmeric powder: 1/8 tsp
- Fenugreek seeds: 1/8 tsp
- Mustard seeds: 1/8 tsp
- Salt to taste
Preparation time: 20-25 minutes
Method of preparation:
-Soak rice and dal separately overnight. Grind separately.
-Mix the ground rice and black gram dal, add salt.
-Slice onion, chop tomato, green chilli.
-Heat griddle and grease it with oil. Pour a ladleful of mixture over it thinly.
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-Add chopped vegetables, peas on the top of the mixture and add little salt over the top.
-Pour little oil on the edges and cover uttapam for 5 minutes.
-Fry on both sides to golden brown. Serve with tomato-amla chutney.
Preparation of Tomato Amla Chutney
-Boil amla in 1 cup water.
-Wash and chop tomato.
-In a karahi, add chopped tomato, boiled amla, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt, -fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds and water.
-Cover and cook till above mixture turn to thick mixture.
-Mash the above cooked mixture with ladle.
-Add jaggery and mix well.
Recipe 3: Moong Dal Cheela
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Serving: 3 cheelas
Ingredients
- Moong dal dehusked: 20 g
- Amaranth flour: 10 g
- Besan: 15 g
- Bathua leaves: 25 g
- Carrot, red: 20 g
- Oil: 10 g
- Condiments and Spices
- Green chilli: 2 g
- Salt to taste
Preparation time: 15-20 minutes
Method of preparation
-Wash the dal. Cook dal with little water.
-Wash and cook bathua leaves in small amount of water.
-Mash once done.
-Wash and grate carrot. Chop green chilli.
-To the mashed dal, add amaranth flour, besan, grated carrot, chopped green chilli and mashed bathua leaves.
-Add salt.
-Add water to the above mixture and make pouring consistency batter.
-On hot griddle, add oil and pour batter and cook.
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-Serve hot with tomato amla chutney.
courtesy: UNICEF
