Ready to take charge of your well-being? Your 20s are a crucial time to establish health habits that impact your well-being in years to come. Discover the Must-prioritised nutrients to empower your health and energy. 

This post dives into 5 essential nutrients you must prioritize to unlock vibrant energy and optimal health. 

 Why nutrition matters 

Adolescents should eat healthy food because the teenage period involves extreme growth and numerous changes. A balanced diet, bodybuilding, protective food, and carbohydrates, support your immune system.

Nutrition in your 20s determines the health status of your old times. During puberty, your body secretes hormones for both boys and girls. This should be fertility, growth, and development of new cells. You need nutrients and a healthy lifestyle to fuel this phenomenon.

In the next sections, we'll discuss the best nutrients to prioritize and get potential in your 50s

Top Nutrients To  Prioritise during

Your 20s 

The food list below contains possible crucial nutrients to help you unlock your optimal healthy living. there are different sources you can pick from according to your preferences. 

1. Iron

Iron is a mineral we find in food and supplements. Iron is one essential component of hemoglobin, the part of red blood cells. Hemoglobin facilitates the oxygen supply from the lungs throughout the body. 

With the capricious behavior of teens, oxygen is crucial for motion by giving them energy. 

Iron is also important in respiration and lung health because it transmits oxygen from the environment to lung cells in the bloodstream. 

Why Teenagers Should Consume Iron

Oxygen is required in Exercising 

People who are still young need stable connective tissue to resist any abrasion and further growth. Poor consumption of iron at young ages leads to anemia. 

Iron plays a big role in muscle contraction relaxation and muscle metabolism and is closely related to connective tissue development. Fatigue, unclear coldness, being swollen, etc. are symptoms that could prove iron deficiency. 

Cognitive and Mental growing 

Iron stabilizes our brain and gives neuro-related support. The human brain needs about 42 ml of oxygen, which is about 20% of the body's oxygen, to function well. 

 Why is cognitive stability more important for teens? 

• It’s the stage of brain development. The brain stops growing mid-to-late 20s so, it’s better to start at an early age

• The adolescent stage is mostly for education and other intuition, so the right time for sound iron consumption 

• Cellular communication. This is the right time to trigger your nervous system and support internal connections.

• Avoid cognitive-related problems

 

 Boost your Iron Levels: Top Food Sources You Can Eat

Many foods contain iron, including the following: 

1. Animal source

• Organ meats: beef liber

• Sardines

• Ocean food: fish 

• Milk: milk puddings

2. Plant source: 

• Vegetables: dark-green vegetables

• White beans

• Tofu

• Spinach

• Potatoes

• Cereals: wholegrains

• Fruits like watermelon, berries, etc.

It's recommended to add vitamin C to your iron source because it facilitates iron absorption 

 2. Calcium & Vitamin D

Calcium is the most important nutrient, especially in bone formation. Being good for bones and teeth, calcium is essential in the development stage. Our body is a framework of bones, and with enough calcium intake, we're likely to have vibrant health

Bones are connected by elastic-like muscles; and ligaments. Incorporating with other healthy lifestyles gives an enhanced living. 

Vitamin D, known as calciferol, is another nutrient to serve mainly in the teenage period. Though our body can make it from sun rays, it is also recommended to eat food sources. it plays a significant role in glucose metabolism. 

Notes: 

Calcium is required to form bones and teeth cells but it does nothing to maintain its health. That's why vitamin D comes in to ensure the safety and health of bone and new cells. Vitamin D helps cartilage, ligaments, fibers, or other connective tissues to hold bones intact. 

 Boost your Calcium Levels: Top Food Sources You Can Eat

Dairy Products

• Milk

• cheese

• Yogurt

Plant-based sources

• Soya

• Tofu

• Leafy Green Vegetables

• Beans or lentils

• Nuts and seeds

Other sources

• Canned Food(sardines and salmon)

• Fish

• Fortified food

3. Carbohydrates 

Now that you have the overview, let us explore the most important elements for everybody.

Carbohydrates are known as energy sources for food. This is the fuel that keeps your brain awake for studying, energy to move, and working out. 

Fueling Growth: Why Energy-Dense Foods Matter for Teens

They use a lot of energy: They're the primary energy source for daily activities. Whether working or studying, you need fuel to burn. Carbohydrates are a source of glucose, the main sugar the brain uses every second. 

Carbohydrates build your body: Let's say during all those movements or during exercise, carbohydrates are broken down into glycogen, which is stored in your muscles. Carbohydrates are needed to allow muscle recovery, hence building your body. 

Legumes
   Lentils
   Chickpeas
   Black beans
   Kidney beans
   Peas

 Starchy Vegetables
   Sweet potatoes
   Potatoes
   Corn
   Butternut squash
   Pumpkin

Fruits
  Apples
  Bananas
  Oranges
   Berries
   Mangoes

Dairy Products
   Milk
  Yogurt
   Cottage cheese
   Kefir

Nuts and Seeds
  Almonds
  Cashews
  Peanuts
  Chia seeds
  Sunflower seeds

Beverages
  Fruit juice
  Sports drinks
  Soda (contains added sugars)

Healthy Tips

All carbohydrates are good but can be bad due to how you take them. I recommend leaving processed food behind and going with the rest. Processed foods are associated with health complications

4. Omega-3 Fatty Acids 

Omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, are amino acids that are consumed from food and supplements. They play a big role in brain development and support proper functioning. 

Teenage years are the best time to develop brain capabilities and maintain the neurotransmitters. Adolescents have this specialty because of the following reasons: 

• The brain grows at younger ages than the adult period

• Fatty acids are essential for cell membranes, hence effective neurotransmitter function.

• Fatty acids are best for cognitive processes such as learning, mood regulation, and memory.

 Boost your Immune System: Omega 3 Food Sources You Can Eat

There are several sources of omega-3 fatty acids, they include the following:

A. Vegetable Oils
1. Soybean Oil
2. Corn Oil
3. Sunflower Oil
4. Safflower Oil

B. Nuts and Seeds
1. Sunflower Seeds
2. Pumpkin Seeds
3. Pine Nuts
4. Sesame Seeds

C. Other Sources
1. Poultry (Chicken, Turkey)
2. Eggs
3. Whole Grains (e.g., Wheat Germ, Oats)

5. Proteins

Proteins are the building blocks of tissues, muscles, skin, and organs. Protein intake during the teenage years is considerably important because of rapid growth, transformation, and development. 

Proteins stimulate hormones and enzymes which are crucial elements during teenage transformation. Proteins are self when it comes to the immune system.

 Increase Proteins: Top Food Sources You Can Eat

• Poultry: Chickens, turkey, duck, goose, bush birds

• Seafood: fish, prawns, crabs, lobster, mussels, oysters

• Dairy products: milk, yogurt(Greek yogurt), cheese (cottage cheese)

• Eggs 

Conclusion

You deserve to feel better, stay better, and stay for long in a good ambiance. your adult life depends on how your young life was; what you ate, what you drank, and how you mentally behaved. 

Take the lead in your life by eating healthy food and sound drinks.