Food

Food for growth

Your body needs more iron, calcium, protein and vitamin D during puberty. Learn which everyday Indian foods provide them and what anaemia is.

5 minutes·For 10 to 13

Growing bodies need more

During puberty you grow faster than at almost any other time. Your bones, muscles and blood all need extra building materials.

Regular meals with a mix of foods are the best way to get them. Skipping meals, especially breakfast, can leave you tired and unable to concentrate.

Iron for strong blood

Iron helps your blood carry oxygen. You need more as you grow, and people who have periods lose some iron each month.

Iron-rich foods include dal, rajma, chana, green leafy vegetables like palak and methi, millets such as bajra and ragi, eggs, fish, chicken and meat.

Vitamin C helps your body absorb iron, so add amla, guava, lemon or oranges to meals. Tea or coffee with meals can reduce iron absorption, so have them between meals instead.

Calcium, vitamin D and protein

Calcium builds strong bones that last your whole life. Good sources: milk, curd, paneer, ragi, til (sesame), and green leafy vegetables.

Vitamin D helps your body use calcium. Your skin makes it in sunlight, so spending some time outdoors most days helps. Eggs and fish also provide some.

Protein builds muscles and repairs the body. Dal, pulses, soya, paneer, curd, milk, eggs, fish, chicken and nuts are good sources.

What is anaemia?

Anaemia means your blood does not have enough healthy red blood cells or haemoglobin to carry oxygen well. It is common in India, especially among adolescent girls, but boys get it too.

Signs can include feeling tired all the time, looking pale, getting breathless easily, dizziness and trouble concentrating.

If you have these signs, tell a parent or school health team. A doctor can check whether you have anaemia and what to do. Do not take tablets on your own.

Key points

Puberty is a time of fast growth, so regular, varied meals matter.
Iron: dal, greens, millets, eggs and meat; add vitamin C to help absorption.
Calcium and vitamin D: milk, curd, ragi, til and time in the sunlight.
Anaemia causes tiredness and paleness; a doctor can check.

Myth or fact?

Myth

Vegetarians cannot get enough iron or protein.

Fact

A varied vegetarian diet with dal, pulses, millets, greens, curd and paneer can provide plenty. A doctor can check if you are worried.

Myth

Tiredness in teenagers is just laziness.

Fact

Tiredness can be caused by low iron, too little sleep or other health issues. It is worth checking with a doctor if it lasts.

When to get help

Tell a parent or school health team if you feel tired, pale, dizzy or breathless often.
A doctor can check for anaemia and advise what you need.
Do not take vitamins, iron or other tablets unless a doctor or your school health programme gives them to you.

Get help now

Check what you know

1.Which food is rich in iron?

2.What helps your body absorb iron from food?

3.How does your body get most of its vitamin D?

4.You feel tired and breathless all the time. What should you do?

Based on guidance from WHO, UNICEF, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (RKSK), Indian Academy of Pediatrics. Awaiting review by Puberty Lab's clinical advisory board. General education, not medical advice for any one person.