All Things Fiber — And Why You & Your Child Likely Aren't Getting Enough
There’s a lot of buzz around fiber and you may be wondering what the big deal is. Roughly 95% of the population is not meeting the daily recommended amount of fiber. Fiber is a crucial part of a balanced diet for improving and maintaining health, and a necessary nutrient for children and adults alike. So, why aren’t we as a society getting enough?
For starters, the Standard American Diet (SAD) lacks fiber, and is high in ultra-processed foods, added sugars, and refined carbohydrates. This inevitably means a lack of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. Relying on processed foods (which refine grain products of the fibrous parts), having a low intake of plant products, and limiting complex carbohydrates significantly reduces the possibility of meeting adequate fiber needs.
Fiber is important for many daily functions and long-term health. Functions of fiber include:
Support digestion
Regulate blood sugar
Improve satiety- keeps you feeling full longer
Prevent & improve constipation (when drinking adequate fluids also) by adding bulk and softening stool
Feed good gut bacteria- strengthens immune function and prevents development of common health conditions
Protect heart health
How much fiber do we really need in a day?
12-23 months old: 19 grams
2-3 years old: 14 grams
4-8 years old: 25 grams
Girls 9-13 years old: 26 grams
Boys 9-13 years old: 31 grams
Girls 14-19 years old: 26 grams
Boys 14-19 years old: 38 grams
Women 19-50 years old: 25 grams or more
Men 19-50 years old: 38 grams or more
What does that look like?
Let’s start by looking at what the fiber content in a typical day of eating may look like for a toddler and an adult:
Typical Toddler Day:
Breakfast: 8 oz cows milk, peanut butter toast, banana - 2g fiber
Snack: strawberry Greek yogurt, tractor wheel bar- 3.5g fiber
Lunch: chicken nuggets, fries, berries - 3g fiber
Snack: smoothie melts - 0.5g fiber
Dinner: 8 oz milk, Kraft mac n cheese, meatball, avocado - 1.8g fiber
Total: 11g fiber
Typical Adult Day:
Breakfast: 2 eggs, 2 slices of white toast, coffee - 2g fiber
Snack: Granola bar - 2g fiber
Lunch: Turkey and cheese sandwhich on white bread, chips and an apple - 6g fiber
Snack: String cheese and crackers - 2g fiber
Dinner: 5 oz chicken breast, 1 cup white rice, 1/2 cup broccoli, and a roll - 5g fiber
Dessert: 2 small cookies - 2g fiber
Total: 19g fiber
High-fiber foods to include in your family's diet:
Fruits: guava, blackberries, raspberries, pear, avocado, blueberries, apple, fig, banana, goji berries (dried), banana, prunes (dried), orange, strawberry, kiwi, mango, raisins
Vegetables: green peas, pumpkin, brussels sprouts, sweet potato, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, carrots, green beans, kale, beets, corn, eggplant, celery, artichoke, squash
Whole grains: whole-wheat bread/tortillas/pasta/crackers, oats, quinoa, farro, popcorn, barley, whole-grain cereals (Fiber One, Raisin Bran, Cheerios, instant oatmeal)
Legumes: navy beans, white beans, pinto beans, chickpeas, kidney beans, split peas, lentils
Seeds & nuts: chia seeds, flax seeds, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, coconut, almonds, sunflower seeds, pecans, walnuts
How to Add High Fiber Foods In:
Add chia seeds and dried goji berries to yogurt or oatmeal
Add fresh fruit to oatmeal, yogurt, cereal
Add beans or lentils to quesadillas, tacos, soups, pasta sauces
Add finely chopped or shredded vegetables into meatballs, pasta sauce
Choose whole-wheat/whole-grain breads and pastas
Blend fruits, seeds, and nut butters into smoothies
Make nut butter and seed protein snack balls (nut butter, chia/flax seeds, oats, honey, chocolate chips)
Include a fruit and vegetable at each meal
Use avocado in meals instead of mayonnaise or cheese
Don’t increase fiber too fast!
Too much too fast will not benefit anyone in your house- slow and steady is the name of the game. Slowly increase fiber intake (and fluid intake) to avoid gastrointestinal distress and constipation.
Written by Intern Lauren Johansson. Finalized by Emily Dorko.
Comments