Power Foods For Your Backpack Or Lunch Bag!

What you eat affects what your body looks like, how you feel, how you perform in your given sport/sports and how well you do in school. So, pretty much everything you do on a daily basis is affected by how you fuel yourself.

Are you planning ahead and ensuring that you have the food and drinks you need to carry you through your school day and your after school practice (or before and after school for those who swim)?

Most teenagers know if they eat a diet full of meat-lovers pizza, fries and chicken fingers, they load up on saturated fat (the kind that clogs your arteries like gunk stuck in a drainpipe) and calories that aren't very useful.

What are useful calories? Those are the kind in nutrient-dense foods. Or, let's call them power-packed foods because they pack power and health in every bite or sip.

So for instance, a grilled chicken salad and skim milk is a power-packed lunch because the lettuce, tomatoes, broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, bell peppers and grilled chicken are loaded with vitamins and minerals that help produce energy from the foods you eat, maintain good eyesight, and keep your muscles functioning well. And of course milk is a great source of protein, calcium and vitamin D.

A lunch of french fries and chicken wings does not deliver the nutrition power that grilled chicken salad will. Notice how water gets stopped up in a clogged drain? Think about your blood (which delivers oxygen to your tissues, like your muscle and brain!) moving through clogged arteries. Not an efficient process.

Scientists examined what nutritionists have known for years. If you put junk in your body, you won't perform as well academically.

In particular, kids who eat breakfast boost their brain functioning, memory, test grades and they have better attendance records. And, those who ate breakfast were also less likely to be overweight.

Yep, eating regularly actually helps you manage a healthy weight!¹ So be sure to eat breakfast before you leave the house, on the way to school or at school. Your body will thank you.

What types of foods do you need to keep your brain functioning well? Carbohydrates are the only fuel your brain can use and if you don't eat or drink enough carbohydrates, your body will use your storage forms of carbohydrates (which are intended for athletic performance). If you don't eat enough carbs and your body's storage form of carbohydrate is tapped, your athletic performance will suffer.

Healthy fats are also important. Many of the processes in your brain are regulated by a fat called DHA (you may see DHA fortified products in your grocery store)².

Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, herring, halibut and tuna are great sources of DHA. And, protein-rich foods help build your brain's complex communication network. Lastly, don't forget colorful fruits and vegetables. They are chock-full of antioxidants which keep all of our cells healthy.

Your Power Packed Lunch

There are two options you have when it comes to bringing your own lunch. Refrigerated or not refrigerated. Obviously having refrigeration available greatly increases your options. And there are some general tips you should keep in mind:

Beverages ///