Why girls aged 11 to 16 need their own sports nutrition

Sports Dietitians Australia says adolescent athletes have their own nutritional needs, because they are training and growing at the same time.

Here's what I learned.

The iron spike

This one catches most parents off guard. Up to age 13, boys and girls are recommended the same amount of iron: 8 mg a day. At 14, a girl's recommended intake jumps to 15 mg a day, compared with 11 mg for a boy the same age. The reason is her period.

The calcium years

Teenagers aged 12 to 18 need 1,300 mg of calcium a day. That's more than the 1,000 mg recommended for an adult woman. For girls, the biggest gains in bone mass happen between 12 and 15. What she builds in those few years is the bank account she draws on for the rest of her life.

Enough food. Full stop.

Growing takes energy. Training takes energy. A girl doing both needs to eat enough for both. This is the conversation we skip too often. Teen girls are surrounded by messages telling them to eat less. A girl who is growing and training doesn't need smaller portions. She needs enough.

Right-sized protein

The recommended protein intake is 35 g a day for girls aged 9 to 13, and 45 g a day for girls aged 14 to 18. Her bar should be sized to match.

What a bar can (and can't) do

I'll be honest: Sports Dietitians Australia says young athletes should get their nutrition from everyday foods first, not supplements. I agree. A bar will never replace dinner.

What a bar can do is solve the 4pm problem. That's the gap between the school bell and training, when the other choices are a vending machine or going to training on empty. That's the job this bar is designed to do.

What we're building

Jovita X is built for her from the first ingredient. We're working with food scientists on a recipe built around what girls this age need, using real food ingredients, in a size that suits her.

We're still in development, so I won't make promises until testing is finished. When it's ready, every ingredient and every number will be shared right here.

Teen girls have enough on their minds. What fuels their bodies shouldn't be one more thing to stress about.

Want to follow along, or be one of the first to try it?

This article is general information, not individual dietary advice. If you have concerns about your daughter's nutrition, speak to your GP or an accredited sports dietitian.

Sources: NHMRC Nutrient Reference Values, iron · NHMRC Nutrient Reference Values, calcium · NHMRC Nutrient Reference Values, protein · Sports Dietitians Australia, adolescent athletes · Deakin University, calcium and bone development