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For those of you looking for ways to increase your kid’s fiber intake, here we have a list of 15 fiber rich foods for kids to help you out!
But before putting something in the kid’s mouth, it is better to understand the ins and outs of a high-fiber diet. So let us dive right into it!
What is Fiber?
In simple terms, fiber is a form of carbohydrate, and unlike most carbohydrates, fiber cannot be broken down into sugar molecules and hence travels through the body undigested.
Dietary fiber is a plant-based nutrient and refers to the part of plant-based foods that cannot be digested.
Note – When discussing nutrition, the terms ‘fiber’ and ‘dietary fiber’ are used interchangeably, also called ‘roughage.’
There are mainly two types of fibers:
- Soluble fiber that dissolves in water
- Insoluble fiber which does not dissolve in water
Why Should You Add Fiber to Your Child’s Diet?
If you are hesitant about changing your child’s diet and wondering why fiber is important for kids, here is the answer.
- Soluble fiber helps lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels preventing diabetes and reducing the risk of heart disease.
- It also helps in healthy weight loss.
- Insoluble fiber improves the functioning of the GI tract1, making bowel movements easier.
- This also avoids constipation in children. And just for some additional information, olive oil and brown sugar help with constipation, too, despite having no fiber.
Note – It is important to look into fiber-rich foods for kids as they should obtain their fiber from foods rather than tablets or other supplements. These foods contain nutrients and vitamins that are beneficial to the child’s health. However, if your pediatrician suggests that your kid take a fiber supplement, follow the directions carefully.
How Much Fiber Do Children Need?
Children’s fiber requirements vary with age, ranging from 10 grams of fiber per day for babies to 25 grams for adolescents.
A simple way to calculate your kid’s required fiber intake is to add 5-10 grams to their current age. For example, a 5-year-old kid would require 10-15 grams of fiber daily. Similarly, a 10-year-old kid would require 15-20 grams and so on.
What if You Add Too Much Fiber to Your Child’s Diet?
As necessary as it is to ensure that your child gets enough fiber, it is equally important to make sure that you do not go overboard with it, as it is rightly said that too much of anything can be bad.
Adding too much fiber to your child’s diet can negatively impact their health. As fiber mainly affects the GI tract, the side effects of excessive fiber include stomach aches, bloating, and diarrhea.
What Are High Fiber Foods?
As the name suggests, high fiber foods contain high fiber components.
The best high fiber foods include –
- Fruits and vegetables (apples, bananas, pears)
- Nuts and seeds (almonds, peanuts, chia seeds, flax seeds)
- Whole grains (whole wheat flour, barley, oatmeal, brown rice, etc.)
- Beans and peas (black beans, kidney beans, lentils, etc.)
While looking at this shortlist, you may feel that consuming more fiber is as easy as pie; the issue faced by parents is that most kids are generally picky eaters and make a fuss when made to eat healthy food.
So, if you’re stumped on how to persuade them to eat the suggested amount of fiber, you’ll be relieved to learn that there are several foods you can buy or prepare that are kid-friendly and something they shall happily eat.
Keep reading as we share with you a list of fiber rich foods for kids along with information regarding how much fiber each of the items contains.
Here is a List of 15 Fiber Rich Foods for Kids
1. Whole Grain Cereal
It would be good to start the day with a tasty breakfast rich in fiber.
Most kids love cereal, and a serving of whole-grain, high fiber cereal can include anything from 3 to 14 grams of fiber, along with other healthy nutrients such as protein, B vitamins, and even antioxidants! These cereals are usually ready to eat and don’t require much effort on your part.
While oats are a great source of fiber, it might be difficult to get kids to like them. So, it would be best to choose any other cereal of their choice that has at least 3 grams of fiber per serving and less than 7 grams of sugar.
Some whole-grain cereals your kids will definitely love include –
- Three Wishes Cinnamon Cereal
- General Mills Cheerios
- Nature’s Path Organic Heritage Flakes
You can also give a shot to bran cereal, and they might like it!
2. Apples
There is a reason why they say, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”!
Apples are a great source of fiber, and even one small apple has around 3.6 grams of fiber. They also provide potassium, vitamin C, and various antioxidants.
It is suggested to cut thin apple slices as they are more kid-friendly and easier to eat.
Tip – do not remove the peel of the apple.
3. Pears
Pears are an ideal choice for adding more fiber to your children’s diets as, along with having high fiber, they also easily make their stomachs full.
A medium-sized pear contains 5.5 grams of fiber when consumed along with the peel. They are also a good source of potassium vitamin C and are fat-free!
4. Bananas
Bananas, another fruit in the list of fiber rich foods for kids, are also filling like pears.
A single banana has 3.1 grams of fiber. Bananas are also healthy sources of potassium, vitamin B6 and vitamin C.
5. Carrots
While it is a known fact that carrots are rich in vitamin A, the interesting thing is that they are also loaded with fiber!
Just half a cup of carrots can add 2.9 grams of fiber to your kid’s diet.
Many kids don’t feel like eating carrots because it is vegetables. However, you can make kids want to eat it by presenting them in the form of carrot sticks with ranch dressing.
6. Green Peas
Cooked green peas are also one of the best high-fiber foods, as just half a cup of these contains 4.4 grams of fiber.
They are also rich in vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, and antioxidants2!
Children are likely to scoff 3at peas and refuse to eat them. Hiding them by mixing them in salads and sandwiches would be a good way to make them consume fiber.
7. Beans
Similar to the case of peas, another way to increase your kid’s fiber intake is to add beans to their salads and sandwiches or serve them separately if it works for you!
Depending on the type of beans, they can account for 10-30 grams of fiber per cup. Beans are also full of protein and iron!
8. Popcorn
Now, if feeding your kids fruits and vegetables seems like a task, here is an easy way out!
Popcorn is a favorite among most kids, and they would happily eat bowls and bowls of popcorn even without you telling them to do so. This makes it a great addition to the list of fiber rich foods for kids.
Fun fact – Popcorn is over 5000 years old!
Three cups of popcorn contain 2 grams of fiber, which is quite a decent amount. It also contains B vitamins.
Additional tip – similar to popcorn, cooked corn is also a great source of fiber! They also have B vitamins along with vitamin C.
9. Berries
Berries are extremely healthy with high fiber components. They also come in various varieties, such as raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries.
Out of all the berries, raspberries contain more fiber than the others.
Half a cup of raspberries contains 4 grams of fiber, while blueberries and strawberries have 1.8 and 1.5 grams of fiber, respectively. These berries are also loaded with vitamin C and antioxidant polyphenols!
You can also make maple syrup out of some of these berries!
10. Almonds
Nuts are a great source of fiber, with almonds being the best among them!
A one-ounce serving of almonds contains 3.5 grams of fiber. Vitamin E and magnesium are also consumed through almonds.
A kid-friendly way to ensure the consumption of almonds would be to swap peanut butter with almond butter that can be used in sandwiches, etc.
11. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are another food item rich in fiber.
A medium-sized sweet potato contains 3.8 grams of fiber, making it an ideal snack. They are also excellent vitamin A, vitamin C, and potassium sources!
So quickly replace your kid’s regular baked potatoes with baked sweet potato snacks and watch them enjoy a tasty, healthy snack!
Tip – Boiling sweet potatoes is the healthiest way to consume them, as boiling retains most of the items’ nutrients compared to baking or frying.
12. Avocado
Avocadoes are rich in fiber and heart-healthy nutrients, making them another great addition to this list of fiber-rich foods for kids!
One cup of avocado can get your kid ten whole grams of fiber!
Avocadoes also provide you with Vitamin B94, magnesium, and potassium!
While kids usually tend to like avocados, there is no need to worry if yours doesn’t! There are other ways to get them to consume the fruit, such as using it to make guacamole, smoothies, or dips!
13. Mango
Mangoes, the most popular fruits, are also one of the most fiber-rich fruits!
A single mango contains 5.4 grams of fiber, along with vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K!
However, be mindful of its consumption as along with having high fiber, it also has high amounts of sugar, which are often unhealthy.
14. Whole Grain Bread
Whole grain and whole wheat bread are easy and convenient ways to increase fiber intake.
A single slice of these loaves of bread has approximately 2-3 grams of fiber and several B vitamins, along with iron.
So without a second thought, replace your regular bread with whole-grain bread to make your kids toast and sandwiches!
Here are some options of whole-grain bread to choose from –
- Sprouted Whole Grain
- 100% Whole Wheat Bread
- Oat Bread
- Sourdough
- Flax Bread
15. Whole Wheat Pasta
Whole wheat pasta is one of the most delicious ways to gain more fiber5.
A single serving of whole wheat pasta will get your kid 6 grams of fiber. It is also rich in nutrients such as manganese.
So consider this a sign to finally switch to whole wheat pasta that is much healthier than regular pasta!
Here is a video for a detailed comparison between the two –
Here are some quick tips to increase fiber intake in kids in addition to the list of fiber-rich foods for kids –
- try adding veggies in sandwiches
- add some bran to baked goods
- switch from refined grains to whole grains
- prefer fruits over juice
How to Go About It Fiber-Rich Foods For Kids?
Now that we have discussed the list of fiber rich foods for kids and some additional tips let us quickly wrap up by understanding how to go about this change in diet.
- Digestion and hydration go hand in hand. So for a healthy digestive system, just adding fiber to your children’s diet won’t do. Make sure they drink a sufficient amount of water daily, as well as facilitate the movement of fiber in the intestines.
- The fiber should be added slowly to the diet as instantly adding too much fiber would cause problems, as we discussed above.
- To figure out how much fiber is in a food, look at the nutrition label. Choose items that include at least 3 grams of fiber.
We hope that our list of fiber rich foods for kids helped you and your children and that you understood all the details and facts associated with it. Let us know which item on the list did you find the best in the comments.
Also, adults can benefit from having high fiber foods, so feel free to add some of these Fiber Rich Foods for Kids to their daily diet.
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- Kutz, Amanda M., et al. “Eating disorder screening: a systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic test characteristics of the SCOFF.” Journal of general internal medicine 35 (2020): 885-893. ↩︎
- Wang, X., et al. “A synthesis of porous activated carbon materials derived from vitamin B9 base for CO2 capture and conversion.” Materials Today Chemistry 20 (2021): 100468. ↩︎
- Rangappa, Sanjay Mavinkere, et al. “Lignocellulosic fiber reinforced composites: Progress, performance, properties, applications, and future perspectives.” Polymer Composites 43.2 (2022): 645-691. ↩︎
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