1471-Increasing fiber in your child's diet

Key points below

What is fiber?

Fiber comes from plant foods like fruits, vegetables, and grains. There are two types of fiber. People need both types every day.

Insoluble fiber is not digested and helps move food and waste through your gut. It is found in whole grain products and high fiber bran cereals.
Soluble fiber soaks up wastes like a sponge. It is found in oatmeal, barley, apples, and carrots.

Why is fiber so important?

Fiber fills you up so you feel full longer.
High fiber foods contain vitamins and nutrients and are rich in antioxidants.
Adding more fiber in the diet increases bowel function. This can increase the elimination of waste and fat (cholesterol) from the body.

What about fiber pills?

Pills and powders do not help you feel full. They may only contain a small amount of actual fiber. It is always best to get your fiber from whole foods. You will also benefit from the extra vitamins and minerals in high fiber foods.

How much fiber does my child need?

Use this formula to figure out how much fiber your child needs per day:

Your child’s age + 5 = grams of fiber needed per day.
Example: Eric is 10 years old. The amount of fiber he needs every day is 10 (his age) plus 5. This means Eric needs a total of 15 grams of fiber per day.

Use the fiber chart on page three to choose foods with fiber

Offer your child foods with more fiber. This chart will help you make good choices.

Fiber boosting tips:

Add fiber slowly to your diet over a few weeks. Adding to much fiber oo quickly can cause gas, bloating or cramps.
Read the food label when grocery shopping. High fiber foods have 5 grams of fiber or more per serving. The first ingredient on the food label should be whole grain or whole wheat.
Switch to whole grain breads, cereals and granola bars with at least 3 grams of dietary fiber per serving.
Add crushed bran cereal to baked goods such as meatloaf, casseroles and cookies. You can also use it as a topping on vegetables, casseroles or salads.
Use the fiber chart on page 3 to choose foods with fiber.

Offer your child plenty of fluids every day Your child needs enough fluids every day to help stools stay soft and pass easily.

Use this chart so that you know what your child needs each day:

Weight in Pounds	Fluids per day
10 pounds	16 ounces (2 cups)
20 pounds	30 ounces (3-3/4 cups)
30 pounds	40 ounces (5 cups)
40 pounds	48 ounces (6 cups)
50 pounds	52 ounces (6 ½ cups)
60 pounds	55 ounces (7 cups)
80 pounds	61 ounces (7 ½ cups)
100 pounds	67 ounces (8 ¼ cups)
120 pounds	73 ounces (9 cups)
140 pounds	79 ounces (10 cups)
150 pounds	82 ounces (10 ¼ cups)

Other helpful teaching sheets

1553 - High fiber recipes

Cereals

1 to 2 grams per serving

^®1 cup Crispix
^®¾ cup Honey Nut Cheerios^®1 cup Corn Flakes
^®1 cup Corn Chex

3 to 4 grams per serving
^®¼ cup Grape Nuts
^®¾ cup Kashi Heart-to-Heart
^®11 Frosted Mini-Wheats
^®1 cup Multigrain Cheerios
^®¾ cup Wheaties
^®1 ¼ cup Kix
oats^®½ cup old fashioned Quaker
1 packet of instant Quaker oats low sugar variety pack

5 to 6 grams per serving
^®, Wheat Chex^®¾ cup Bran Flakes; Raisin Bran
^®¾ cup Crunchy Corn Bran
¾ cup Kashi Honey Sunshine
Over 7 grams per serving
^®; Bran Buds^®1/3 cup All Bran
^®½ cup Fiber One
^®1 ¼ cup Post Shredded Wheat’n Bran
High Fiber Instant Oatmeal^®1 packet Quaker

Grains, Dried Beans, Nuts & Peas

1 to 2 grams per serving

1 slice whole wheat bread; rye bread; pumpernickel bread
1, 6-inch size corn tortilla
4 squares graham crackers
^®1 serving Whole Grain Goldfish
1 Nutri-Grain™Multi-grain waffle

3 to 4 grams per serving
1/2 cup whole wheat pasta
1 cup Brown rice
1 small Bran Muffin
crackers^®6 Triscuit
3 cups popcorn
1, 8-inch whole wheat tortilla
1 ounce nuts
¼ cup seeds

5 to 6 grams per serving
1/2 cup of each of the following foods: kidney beans; pinto beans; navy beans; vegetarian refried beans; baked beans; split peas; chickpeas; black-eyed peas; lentils

Vegetables

Raw vegetables are best. You may need to grate, grind, or chop vegetables to reduce the risk of choking.

1 to 2 grams per serving

½ cup of each food: greens (cooked collard, turnip or mustard greens); broccoli; corn; cauliflower; spinach (cooked); cabbage (cooked); carrots (raw); beets; squash; green beans
1 cup spinach (raw)
1 medium size tomato

3 to 4 grams per serving
1/2 cup of each: green peas; Brussels sprouts
1 medium sweet potato (Yam) with skin; potato with skin
1 small ear corn-on-the-cob

8 to 9 grams per serving
1/2 cup: lima beans
1 cup acorn squash

Fruits

Any fresh fruit is good. Try to have your child eat fruit with the edible skin on it (be sure to wash the fruit first). The outer peel has the most fiber.

1 to 2 grams per serving
1 medium size banana (ripe), kiwi fruit, nectarine, peach, plum
1/4 cup raisins
1 cup pineapple
15 pieces grapes

3 grams per serving
1 medium size apple with skin; orange
1 cup blueberries; strawberries

4 to 5 grams per serving
1 medium pear
10 halves dried apricots
6 to 8 pieces prunes or figs

8 grams per serving
1 cup raspberries

ALERT

Call your child’s doctor, nurse or clinic if you or your child have any concerns or your child has special health care needs not covered by this information.