Kids need fiber, too

Kids need fiber, too, according to an Oklahoma State University (OSU) extension educator. Dietary fiber is important for individuals of all ages, but children’s fiber needs are sometimes overlooked, writes LaDell Emmons in a recent issue of the McAlester News-Capital.

Fiber helps prevent constipation and provides important nutrients and vitamins, advises Emmons. A child’s fiber needs depend on that child’s age, notes Emmons. She writes that a three year-old child needs about 8 grams of fiber per day.

Emmons cites fruit, beans, peas, nuts, whole-grain breads and whole-grain cereals as good sources of fiber; as well as apples, oranges, broccoli and carrots. Five servings of fruits and vegetables are a good way to provide adequate fiber in a child’s diet, notes Emmons.

Strategies are identified by Emmons for encouraging fiber consumption by children. These include adding lightly steamed vegetables to salads; leaving peels on apples, potatoes, cucumbers and other fruits and vegetables; tossing poppy, sesame or pumpkin seeds on salads; and adding beans or alfalfa sprouts to sandwiches. Emmons adds that popcorn is a delicious and fiber-rich treat that children like.

Comprehensive information on dietary needs, including fiber, for children of various ages can be found at the Mayo Clinic’s website.