While a well-balanced diet is crucial at all ages, there are times when the stress and strain of different life stages necessitates specific nutritional needs.

I have more than 20 years of experience as a dietitian and nutritionist, and in my view good nutrition is something that you ignore at your peril. Time after time I see people who get away with flouting the general rules of nourishing their bodies with decent, honest food, only to find that eventually things do catch up with them.

Why leave it until your blood pressure is sky-high, you have diabetes and your skin has wrinkled beyond recognition?

Taking your body seriously is not about living on carrot juice and mung beans. It is about food that tastes great and meets all your needs, whichever stage of life you are at.

AGE 16-25

Problems

Bones keep growing until about 21 years of age, yet faddy diets can deprive young adults of vital bone-building nutrients. Growth spurts can lead to deficiencies of vitamins B, C, iron and zinc. Smoking and drinking can exacerbate these deficiencies, as can using the oral contraceptive pill. Boys especially need to have good daily sources of zinc.

Solution

Calcium is the most obvious mineral for strong bones. Daily portions of milk, yoghurt, pulses, almonds and dried figs are good – or a 700mg daily supplement.

Growing bones also need magnesium found in muesli, porridge and wholemeal bread; vitamin K in dark green vegetables and protein in eggs, milk, fish, meat and pulses plus silica found in porridge, French beans, oatcakes, bananas and pineapple.

Poor skin, frequent infections and stunted growth can occur through having too little zinc. The best foods for this are beef and pork, the dark meat of chicken and turkey and eggs. Teenage smoking needs to be strenuously discouraged but if there is nothing you can do, lots of vitamin C is necessary, eg, in freshly squeezed juices.

AGE 26-35

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