Fiber for Kids & Teens

Overview

What Is Fiber?

Fiber is a kind of carbohydrate that the body doesn't digest (break down). Dietary fiber is found in plant foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans.

Fiber can be soluble or insoluble:

• Soluble fiber dissolves in water. It helps lower cholesterol and improve blood sugar control by reducing how much of those substances the body absorbs. 
• Insoluble fiber doesn’t dissolve in water. It helps food move through the intestines.

Both kinds of fiber are important parts of a healthy diet.

What Are the Benefits of Fiber?

A diet high in fiber:

• helps prevent or relieve constipation
• increases feelings of fullness, which may help with weight control
• helps prevent heart disease and diabetes
• may lower the chances of getting some kinds of cancer

How Much Fiber Does My Child Need?

Babies and Toddlers

Babies fed breast milk or formula don’t need extra fiber. They’re getting all the nutrients they need. For toddlers, aim for 19 grams (g) of fiber a day.

Older Kids

One way to estimate how much fiber older kids need is to take their age and add 5 or 10 to it. For example:

• 5-year-olds should get at least 10–15g of fiber every day.
• 10-year-olds should get about 15–20g of fiber a day.
• In general, teen girls should get about 25g of fiber a day and teen guys should get about 31g of fiber a day.

What Are Good Sources of Fiber for Kids?

Foods that are naturally high in fiber include:

• whole grains, like 100% whole-wheat bread, brown rice, and oatmeal 
• cooked dried beans, like black beans, lentils, and split peas 
• fruits and vegetables 
• nuts and seeds 

It's best for kids to get fiber directly from foods rather than from pills or other supplements. Foods have other nutrients and vitamins that are important for health. If your doctor does recommend that your child take a fiber supplement, give it as directed.

How Can I Make Fiber Part of My Family's Diet?

To help you add more fiber to your family’s diet, start by reading nutrition labels to find out how much fiber is in foods. It's listed as part of the information given for "total carbohydrates." Choose foods with 3g of fiber or more.

Try to include fruits and vegetables with all meals. Aim for five or more servings of them each day. The skin of foods like apples, carrots, potatoes, and cucumbers is full of fiber, so keep the peel on.

Here are some tips on adding fiber throughout the day:

Breakfast

• Serve whole fruit instead of juice. Try adding it to a smoothie.
• Choose whole-grain cereals that list things like whole wheat or oats as one of the first few items on the ingredient list.
• Top fiber-rich cereal, oatmeal, and yogurt with apples, oranges, berries, or bananas. Add almonds or other nuts for even more fiber.
• Add chia seeds or ground flax seeds into yogurt, oatmeal, or even muffin batter. This will add fiber without changing the food’s flavor much.
• Try bran or whole-grain waffles or pancakes topped with apples, berries, or raisins.
• Serve whole-wheat bread, bagels, or English muffins instead of white toast.

Lunch & Dinner

• Make sandwiches with whole-grain breads (like oat or wheat) instead of white. Add veggies like lettuce, tomato, or avocado.
• Use hummus rather than mayonnaise or butter as a spread in sandwiches.
• Pack fresh fruit for lunch at school. Pears, apples, bananas, oranges, and berries are all high in fiber.
• Try wild or brown rice with meals instead of white rice. Add beans (kidney, black, navy, or pinto) to rice dishes for even more fiber.
• Use whole-grain spaghetti and other pastas instead of regular pasta.
• Liven up salads with berries, almonds, chickpeas, cooked artichokes, and beans (kidney, black, navy, or pinto).
• Add lentils or whole-grain barley to your favorite soups.

Snacks & Treats

• Add bran to baked goods.
• Offer air-popped popcorn, whole-grain crackers, fruit, or vegetables as healthy snack options.

What Else Should I Know?

Add fiber to the diet slowly over a few weeks. Adding too much fiber too quickly can cause bloating, gas, and/or cramps. Make sure kids drink plenty of water, which helps move fiber through the intestines.

Talk to your doctor if your child has diarrhea, constipation, belly pain, or if you have questions or concerns about your family's diet.