Over the last 25 years, obesity rates among children and youth in Canada have nearly tripled. As a parent, you are the most important influence on your teen's nutrition and will help her to maintain a healthy body weight. Be sure your teen is eating well, as good nutrition fuels your teen's growth and development.
Stay Hydrated, Stay Energized – Sports Drinks, Energy Drinks, and Your Teen
Many teens love energy drinks. They might feel that these drinks improve their performance in sports or workouts. The companies that manufacture these beverages also use powerful marketing tools aimed at young people. Often, energy drinks are marketed as part of an extreme sports lifestyle that many teens find captivating.
It's important to know the difference between energy drinks, like Red Bull® , Monster®, or Rockstar®, and sports drinks, such as Gatorade® or Powerade®.
Sports drinks were created for athletes who are engaged in strenuous activities. When we work hard and sweat, our bodies lose water, and we can become dehydrated. Sports drinks contain sodium to help replace what we lose through sweat and carbohydrates to provide energy for active muscles and the brain. Staying hydrated before, during and after activities is an important part of maintaining peak performance. For exercise lasting less than one hour, water is the best fluid choice.
Energy drinks, on the other hand, usually contain caffeine and lots of sugar. In fact, one energy drink can have the equivalent of up to 14 teaspoons of sugar! Caffeine is a stimulant and can be found on energy drink labels listed as guarana, yerba mate, or caffeine. Most drinks have 80 mg per 250 mL can, though some have more. That is double the amount of caffeine in soft drinks.
The amount of caffeine in most energy drinks exceeds recommendations for children. Health Canada suggests no more than 45 mg/day for children 4-6 years, 62.5 mg/day for 7-9 years and 85 mg/day for children 10-12 years. Caffeine can cause nervousness, anxiety, jitteriness, stomach/intestinal upset, rapid heart rate and trouble sleeping in some individuals. In addition, a high caffeine intake can also result in withdrawal symptoms such as headache, fatigue, irritability and poor concentration among those who consume it regularly. Read the label carefully for the caffeine and sugar content.
No one needs an energy drink and they are not recommended for children or pregnant or breastfeeding women. Energy drinks should not be consumed with alcohol, used during exercise or consumed in amounts more than 500 ml a day. Energy drinks might make you feel a short burst of energy, but it doesn't last. The best way to get energized is to eat well, be active, stay hydrated and get enough sleep. Water, milk and soy beverages are great choices to keep hydrated at anytime.
Get the real deal on energy drinks
- Safe Use of Energy Drinks
- Energy Drinks – What you need to know
- Energy Drinks FAQs
- Energy Drinks: Think Before You Drink
- Canada's Food Guide
Follow this link to information about eating well with Canada's Food Guide. - The Importance of Teaching Your Kids to Cook
- Cooking with Kids
- Child Nutrition Council
- Childhood Obesity
Learn about the risk factors involved with childhood obesity and how to help your child maintain a healthy weight. - 10 big myths about food
Eating your way to good health. - Making the grade
How to eat your way to a successful school year. - Dial-a-Dietitian
Dial-a-Dietitian connects callers to a Registered Dietitian, a licensed health professional who has studied the science of nutrition. Service is free of charge. - Dietitians of Canada: Nutrition A to Z
Healthy eating is a key factor in promoting good health. These nutrition resources covering topics from Active Living to Zinc will help you make the right choices for your individual health needs. - Dieting
- Does your child need a multivitamin?
Vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients in your child's diet. While they are only needed in trace amounts, their many functions are vital. Each important nutrient – from vitamin A to zinc – plays a key role in a child's body, from regulating the heartbeat to making important hormones to building strong bones. - Eat, Drink and Be Healthy: 8 ways to enjoy the holidays with food, friends and family
- Eating Disorders
- Eating Disorders Prevention & Recovery Program
- Eating Disorders Self-Help Program
- Favourite Family Foods Online Cookbook
In this cookbook from the Manitoba Healthy Baby Program, you will find delicious, nutritious, easy to prepare, family friendly recipes and cooking tips. - Food Safety
Learn about Health Canada's four easy steps to help keep food safe and more. - Food Safety Information
- Halloween Food Safety Tips
- Healthy Canadians – Kids Food
- Healthy diet best for kids
- Healthy Eating for You & Your Family
Health Canada tips on healthy eating, meal ideas and planning, shopping and more. - Healthy Eating Information
Find out how to promote healthy eating in your family and at your child's school. - Healthy Eating Tips
- Diabetes, Your Child, & You
- Diabetes Type 1 Information for Teens
- Heart & Stroke Foundation of Manitoba: Healthy Weight in Children
- Manitoba School Nutrition Handbook
This handbook is designed to help school communities develop nutrition policies and implement changes to promote healthier eating options. - National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC)
NEDIC is a non-profit organization providing information and resources on eating disorders and food and weight preoccupation. - Nutrition Resources & Menus
The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority offers a number of nutrition resources to groups and organizations. - Nutritionist Contacts for Winnipeg
Community nutritionists are available to provide information about proper nutrition. Find one near you. - Our Health Our Future
- Recipes
- Revolting Recipes for Halloween Fun
- Halloween Pumpkins: More Than Just Decorations
- Where to Buy & Eat Manitoba Foods
- New Year's Resolution for Kids