bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

Wynnie Chan

Name: Jennifer Cheng

Age: 16

Breakfast on the run: Granola bar, sometimes a banana as well, and a bottle of water on the bus

Snack at school: Potato wedges and a bottle of water

Lunch at school: Egg salad sandwich or fried rice, water

Snack at home: whatever's at home, usually apple or toast with peanut butter, bottle of water

Dinner at home: Bowl of white rice, sweet and sour pork chops, boiled Chinese vegetables, apples and oranges, water

Eating out: Saturday lunch at McDonald's with friends - usually rice burger and a bottle of water.

Sunday dinner with mum and dad - usually Chinese food, such as fried rice, fried noodles, vegetables, Chinese tea

Lifestyle: Swimming once a week. Relaxes with a book at home.

Wynnie says: Jennifer keeps herself hydrated throughout the day with plenty of water - a habit we all should aspire to.

Like most teenagers,  she is always in a hurry, which means  having breakfast and often lunch on the go.

A banana is a great choice because it is low in fat and a good source of carbohydrate. This is ideal fuel for powering the brain first thing in the morning.

Although granola bars contain fibre, which is important for keeping our guts healthy, some brands are high in sugar.

Some bars contain the equivalent of two teaspoons of sugar. Choose low- or reduced-sugar versions whenever possible.

Look at the  label of everything you buy and go for foods that contain less than two grams of sugar per 100 grams.

Sugary foods can increase chances of tooth decay.

A salad is a good accompaniment to a sandwich and will provide additional vitamins and minerals for Jennifer.

Teens often lack nutrients such as vitamin C and folate, which is a B vitamin.

These nutrients  are essential for keeping you healthy and protecting you against illnesses.

Dairy products are usually in short supply in the Asian diet, as in Jennifer's case.

Milk products are needed to build bones and keep bones and teeth strong. Tofu or soy milk with added calcium are useful   for people who don't like cheese or milk.

Studying for exams is often the main focus for teenagers, which means exercising is far down the list of  priorities.

Jennifer loves swimming which is a great all-round exercise.

Look for ways to incorporate activity into everything you do, such as taking the stairs instead of the lift, or getting off the bus one stop earlier and walking the rest of the way.

Do this with a friend to make exercising as fun as possible.

Breakfast  means 'breaking the fast' and is  the most important meal of the day.

After 8-10 hours without food, the body needs to replace its blood sugar. Breakfast prepares teens for learning.

Studies show that students who regularly eat breakfast score higher on tests at school.

Wynnie Chan is a British trained nutritionist. If you've got a question for her or would like to be featured in this column email nutrition@scmp.com



Nutrition 4 you