Maybe you didn't know this, but carbs, fat, and proteins are macronutrients that affect the number of calories a teenagers diet (alcohol also affects the number of calories). A calorie is the amount of potential energy in your diet, your body absorbs. Therefore in general, these three macronutrients give us the energy we need for our daily lives.
When digging deeper for specific differences between these three macronutrients, you find that in carbs, it is the main source of energy your body feeds upon. Carbohydrates are beneficial to many different systems in your body- the musculatory system, the digestive system, and the nervous system, and are absorbed through the starchy foods like yogurt, milk, and fruit. The recommended amount of this nutrient is about 45%-65% of you total diet.
Although many have prejudged the macronutrient fat based on the idea that is the focal reason for weight gain, it is beneficial in order to get certain vitamins for your daily diet found no where else. Fat is also the quickest and most concentrated source of energy for your body, but is not good in large doses. A good amount of fat for a teenage athlete is about 20%-35% of your total diet, and is often absorbed through meats and poultry. There is also differences in the type of fat you digest, because some fats are much more detrimental to your health than others. Try keeping clear of abundant amounts of saturated and trans fat, because this could lead to possible health problems. Many fast food restaurants base there products on trans fat, which is why absorbing lots of fast food can be very detrimental.
Last but not least, a teenage athlete MUST have protein in its diet, because protein is the main reason for growth in teenagers and children. Most American men seem to reach the projected amount of protein needed in your daily diet (10%-35%), just by eating your basic foods, because protein is the main macronutrient in many of the common American foods. Protein is also essential in creating enzymes, which help are body function more easily and quickly with chemical reactions. Finally, a big benefit of protein to the athletic teenage ego, is that it preserves lean muscle mass, meaning it keeps muscle shape and definition. Protein absorbed from meat, give us all the amino acids we could possibly need in our diets. Too much protein can also be detrimental, because once your body gets the needed proteins depleted from working out, your body can only store a certain amount before you become too sluggish.
(http://www.mckinley.uiuc.edu/Handouts/macronutrients.htm)
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