Puberty can be an emotional time for the entire family. Supporting puberty with diet can help navigate this life stage and enhance your child’s wellbeing.

Mood swings, slamming doors, acne, weight gain, sick days…ah puberty! Sound familiar? For all involved, entering puberty can be like a minefield.

Your child is going to be going through many developmental and hormonal changes during puberty which will result in a variety of symptoms. And while some you can’t prevent, there are things you can do to help reduce the severity of these symptoms and help support your child’s development.

Here, we look at how you can support puberty with diet.

1. Eat a whole food diet

It’s common at this age for adolescents to have more independence over their food intake. They can also be very headstrong!
Whole food meals should be the cornerstone of your child’s diet, particularly during this life stage. The key to successfully adopting a “real” food diet for the family is prepared and opting for quick, simple meals. Keep the pantry and fridge stocked with nourishing grab-n-go options.

2. Ensure intake of key nutrients

As kids this age often sway towards refined carbohydrate foods, it’s important that they’re still consuming the key nutrients required to support this stage of growth and development.

During puberty, protein and dietary fats are vital for healthy hormone production and nervous system function. Calcium is also important as half our bone mass synthesis occurs in adolescence and zinc is essential for growth and sex development.

For girls, iron requirements also increase as they commence menstruation. The use of oral contraceptives are also associated with a reduction in iron levels.

3. Include cruciferous veggies in meals daily

Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, Brussel sprouts and kale help to achieve hormone balance by clearing excess oestrogen from the body. This can be helpful in reducing PMS symptoms such as mood swings, bloating, cramping and energy dips. It can also help with the regulation and presentation of a girl’s periods.

4. Add probiotic and prebiotic foods

Probiotic and prebiotic foods are vital for gut health and in turn our hormone health. Probiotic-rich foods like sauerkraut, yoghurt and kefir contain an abundance of beneficial bacterial while prebiotic foods like oats, onion and legumes feed the bacteria.

5. Consume skin-loving nutrients

One of the most common symptoms experienced during puberty are changes in the skin. Consuming nutrients such as zinc, vitamin C and omega-3 fatty acids can be helpful in supporting skin health and minimising the occurrence of conditions such as acne.

6. Support the nervous system

Puberty is a stressful time for adolescents both emotionally and physically. Supporting the nervous system is essential. Watching your child’s sugar and caffeine intake can be a great place to start as well as increasing nutrients such as