Micronutrients

When people hear the word cholesterol, they think that it is bad or unhealthy. This is partially true, because having a high amount of certain cholesterols can clog up arteries. However, people fail to realize that cholesterol is actually a macronutrient, meaning that its essential to the overall health of a normal teenage body. There are two different kinds of cholesterol: HDL and LDL. HDL, the better cholesterol, is responsible for keeping the LDL, or bad cholesterol from clotting your arteries. HDL stands for High-Density Lipoprotein, which means that it is both a lipid (fat) and a protein. LDL cholesterol is the cause of clots in arteries, and causes strokes and heart attacks. 75% of the cholesterol you need is made from your body. The rest is from the food that you eat. It is important that you get the cholesterol you need, but it is just as important that you keep it under control and do not eat too much.

A micronutrient is exactly like a macronutrient, except that it isn't needed in large amounts. Micronutrients are essential to a teen's health and it is important that they get these. Some examples of micronutrients are vitamins and minerals.

Calcium is an essential mineral that every growing teen needs in their younger years. When children are younger, their bones are at the age where they are the most able to develop. In order for your bones to become stronger, you need calcium. Some foods you can find calcium in are cheese, dairy products (milk), seafood (especially salmon), and soy products.
Iron is another mineral that is needed in for a healthy body. Iron enhances the efficiency of enzymes in the body and works to enhance the metabolism of protein. It also enhances the functions of calcium for bone strength. Iron can be found in eggs, leafy vegetables, beef, cocoa and whole grains.
Potassium is a mineral that can be found in a lot of the things that you eat. Potassium is very important for maintaining water balance and blood pressure. It also helps the adrenal glands function. Most importantly, it is responsible for maintaining the body's growth. It is found in beef, bananas, milk, fish, and green vegetables.

Vitamin A is the one vitamin that every teen needs. It acts like calcium, strengthening bones and teeth. It also strengthens soft tissues and skin. Most importantly, it is important to get because it is responsible to maintaining a strong immune system to keep you healthy. Vitamin A can be found in milk, eggs and cheese.

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