Eating foods high in fiber is especially important to prevent and treat constipation in your children.
Recommendations
How much fiber do kids need? The usual recommendation is that the amount of fiber that a child needs to eat each day should be equal to their age in years plus 5. So a 5-year-old needs 10g of fiber each day and a 12-year-old needs about 17g. Many nutrition experts think that isn’t enough fiber, though. So obviously older kids who eat more calories should also get more fiber in their diet. Some general fiber recommendations for children include that:
1 to 3-year-olds should get about 19g of fiber each day4 to 8-year-olds should get about 25g of fiber each day9- to 13-year-old girls should get about 26g of fiber each day9- to 13-year-old boys should get about 31g of fiber each day14- to 18-year-old girls should get about 26g of fiber each day14- to 18-year-old boys should get about 38g of fiber each day
How much fiber do your kids get in their diet each day?
Foods High in Fiber
In general, good sources of fiber include many fruits, vegetables, legumes (beans), and whole-grain breads and cereals. If you aim to include at least one fiber-rich food at each meal and snack, your child should meet their fiber requirements each day. To find foods high in fiber for your family, read the nutrition label of foods to see how much fiber is in it. Keep in mind that things like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains may not be labeled. Aim for foods that naturally contain a boost of fiber like broccoli, whole wheat pasta, and oat brain rather than foods that have isolated fibers added. For example, a whole grain cereal provides a good does of fiber naturally from whole grains. In general, a food that is high in fiber would have at least 5g of fiber per serving or more. Those that are good sources of fiber have at least 2.5g of fiber per serving. There was an error. Please try again.
