by Whitney Donohue

Created on: March 06, 2009   Last Updated: March 08, 2009

Healthy eating is essential for teens who want to improve their overall health, memory and life. Eating foods that are good for us will improve concentration, keep us from getting sick, and help us sleep better.

Water, carbs, proteins and fats are the building blocks of any diet. Choosing the healthiest forms of each of these nutrients will help the body to function properly.

Don't forget to exercise. Exercise isn't food, but it is essential for the healthy functioning of your body. Exercise kick-starts your body's ability to burn calories. Healthy eating is not enough.

Water Drink at least 80 ounces of water per day. Water is necessary for digestive, absorptive, excretory and circulatory functions. It helps flush the body of toxins, it helps keep your body cool, and it transports nutrients to your cells.

Carbs Carbs supply the body with energy. Carbs are found mostly in plant foods like fruits and vegetables. Carbs are divided into two groups-simple carbs and complex carbs. Simple carbs are often called simple sugars. Complex carbs are also sugar, but the molecules are more complex, and take longer to convert into glucose for your body.

The best choice for carbs are unrefined foods, such as fruits, veggies, and whole-grain products. Stay away from processed foods like soft drinks, candy, and sugar.

Protein When you eat protein, your body breaks it down into amino acids. Amino acids are what your body needs to build things, like muscle. You can get protein from a variety of sources-not just red meat. You can also get protein from fish, poultry, unsweetened yogurt, beans, and rice.

Beans and rice are both rich in protein, but they each lack one or more amino acids. By combining them with each other, or with other protein rich foods, you form a complete protein that is actually a high quality substitute for meat.

Fat Fat is the most concentrated form of energy available to the body, but your body requires only a small amount of it. Polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats are the best type of fats for your body, and as a bonus, they tend to help keep your cholesterol levels under control.

Your best bet for fats include vegetable and nut oils such as olive oil or peanut oil .

Vitamins and Minerals Vitamins and minerals are essential to life. Before using any supplement, check with your doctor for amounts that are right for you and your body.

For more information, check out the USDA Food Pyramid.

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