Fiber is an important nutrient for children's digestion. To meet the fiber intake in children, there are many choices of food that can be served. A variety of high-fiber foods that are good for children are easy to find and taste delicious.
Fiber is known for its properties to nourish the digestive system. Adequate fiber intake can prevent children from digestive disorders, such as diarrhea and constipation. In the long term, fiber also plays a role in preventing obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
Adequate fiber intake is also an effort to maintain the little one's immune system, you know. When the digestive tract is healthy, the balance of good bacteria in the intestine will be maintained. These bacteria will interact with the immune system and help control a healthy immune system response.
High Fiber Food Options for Kids
There is an easy way to calculate the amount of fiber intake needed by children. The trick is to add the child's age by 5 or 10. For example, if your little one is 5 years old, he should get about 10-15 g of fiber per day. If he is 10 years old, he needs 15-20 g of fiber per day.
High-fiber foods are actually not hard to find, really. Fiber can be obtained from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nuts. However, there are several choices of fibrous foods that are suitable for consumption by children, both because of their nutritional content and taste. Following are some of them:
1. Oatmeal
Apart from being rich in fiber, oatmeal also contains protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats, which are beneficial for children's growth and development. To make it more delicious for your little one to eat, Mother can serve oatmeal along with cinnamon, milk, or fresh fruit.
2. Whole wheat bread or pasta
Whole wheat bread which is rich in fiber can be easily processed into sandwich delicious and healthy. You can spread peanut butter, strawberry, pineapple, or whatever flavor your little one likes. Apart from jam, sandwich can also be served with pieces of fruit, vegetables, eggs, or meat.
Whole wheat pasta can also be a fibrous food option for children. Compared to regular pasta, whole wheat pasta contains more fiber, manganese, selenium, copper, and phosphorus. Generally, whole wheat pasta is also fortified with B vitamins and iron.
3. Pears
In 1 medium pear, contained about 5 grams of fiber. This fruit is also low in calories and rich in vitamin C. Apart from nourishing the digestive system, the nutrients in pears can also support the blood clotting process, repair body cells, and prevent chronic diseases.
4. Banana
Bananas are one of the favorite fruits for children because they have a sweet taste and soft texture. This fruit is very suitable as a healthy snack for your little one. In addition to improving digestion, bananas can also be a source of energy, as well as maintain muscle health and function.
5. Carrot
Carrots are one of the vegetables that are known to be rich in fiber. This vegetable also contains a lot of vitamin A which can support eye health and maintain your little one's ideal weight. Mother can process carrots into various cooking creations, such as carrot soup, carrot meatballs, or carrot nuggets.
6. Sweet potato
Other fibrous foods that are suitable for children are sweet potatoes. In addition to healthy digestion, these sweet tubers are also rich in vitamin A and vitamin C which can nourish the skin, maintain the function of the body's organs to work optimally, and prevent the risk of chronic disease.
Those are recommendations for high-fiber foods that can be served to children. In addition to the above foods, apples, strawberries, avocados, raspberriesBroccoli, kidney beans, peas, and chia seeds are also included in fiber-rich foods that you can give your little one.
Give a variety of fibrous foods so that your little one doesn't get bored quickly, yes, Bun. Also make sure Mother provides other healthy foods so that their growth and development is more optimal. In addition, always invite your little one to be active every day, because this also affects the work of his digestive system.
If you still have questions about fibrous foods or other nutritious foods that are good for your child, you can consult a doctor.
