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216-844-8447 216-844-Rainbow Appointments 216-844-3911 Patient Info
11100 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, OH 44106
Few children - even the most nutrition conscious - would say they crave a good fiber-rich meal. Although the thought of fiber might elicit gags and groans in kids of all ages, a plethora of appetizing foods are actually good sources of fiber - from many fruits to whole-grain cereals. And your child is probably eating them without even knowing it.
Not just for the senior-citizen crowd, foods that are good sources of fiber are beneficial because they're filling and, therefore, discourage overeating - even though fiber itself adds no calories. Plus, when combined with drinking adequate fluids, eating high-fiber fare helps move food through the digestive system and protect against gut cancers and constipation. It may also lower LDL diabetes and 1/2 cup (118 milliliters) of cooked navy beans (9.5 grams of fiber) 1/2 cup (118 milliliters) of cooked lima beans (6.6 grams) 1 medium baked sweet potato with peel (4.8 grams) 1 whole-wheat English muffin (4.4 grams) 1/2 cup (118 milliliters) of cooked green peas (4.4 grams) 1 medium raw pear with skin (4 grams) 1/2 cup (118 milliliters) of raw raspberries (4 grams) 1 medium baked potato with skin (3.8 grams) 1/4 cup (59 milliliters) of oat bran cereal (3.6 grams) 1 ounce (28 grams) of almonds (3.3 grams) 1 medium raw apple with skin (3.3 grams) 1/2 cup (118 milliliters) of raisins (3 grams) 1/4 cup (59 milliliters) of baked beans (3 grams) 1 medium orange (3 grams) 1 medium banana (3 grams) 1/2 cup (118 milliliters) canned sauerkraut (3 grams) A simple way to determine how many grams of fiber your child should be consuming each day is to add 5 to your child's age in years (i.e., a 5-year-old should get about 10 grams of fiber). After the age of 15, kids (and adults) need about 20 to 25 grams of fiber per day. Making Fiber Part of Your Family's Diet Although many kids often cringe at the mere mention of fiber, they're probably eating fiber every day without even realizing that it's so good for them. And there are plenty of creative, fun, and even tasty ways to incorporate - even sneak - these fiber-rich foods into Make oatmeal (a whole grain) part of your kids' morning meals. Opt for whole-wheat or other whole-grain cereals that list ingredients such as whole wheat or oats as one of the first few items on the ingredient list. Make pancakes with whole-grain (or buckwheat) pancake mix and top with apples, berries, or raisins. Serve bran or whole grain waffles topped with fruit. Offer whole-wheat bagels or English muffins, instead of white toast. Serve whole-grain cereals. Many popular cereals are made with whole grains, but try to choose ones that have less sugar than some of the excessively sweet whole-grain cereal offerings. Top fiber-rich cereal with apples, oranges, berries, or bananas. Add almonds to pack even more fiber punch. Mix your child's favorite cereal with a fiber-rich one or top it with a tablespoon of bran. Lunch and Dinner Make sandwiches with whole-grain breads (rye, oat, or wheat), instead of white. Make a fiber-rich sandwich with whole-grain bread, peanut butter, and bananas. Serve whole-grain rolls with dinner, instead of white rolls. Use whole-grain spaghetti and other pastas, instead of white. Serve wild or brown rice with meals, instead of white rice. Add beans (kidney, black, navy, and pinto) to rice dishes for even more fiber. Spice up salads with berries and almonds, chickpeas, cooked artichokes, and beans (kidney, black, navy, or pinto). Use whole-grain (corn or whole wheat) soft-taco shells or tortillas to make burritos or wraps. Fill them with eggs and cheese for breakfast; turkey, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and light dressing for lunch; and beans, salsa, taco sauce, and cheese for dinner. Add lentils or whole-grain barley to your child's favorite soups. Create mini-pizzas by topping whole-wheat English muffins or bagels with pizza sauce, low-fat cheese, mushrooms, and chunks of grilled chicken. Add bran to meatloaf or burgers. (The trick is not to add too much bran, or the food will taste like sawdust and your family might catch on!) Serve sweet potatoes, with the skins, as tasty side dishes. Regular baked potatoes, with the skins, are good sources of fiber, too. Top low-fat hot dogs or veggie dogs with sauerkraut and serve them on whole-wheat hot dog buns. Include fresh fruit as part of your child's packed Bake cookies or muffins using whole-wheat flour, instead of regular. Or use some whole-wheat and some regular flour, so that the texture of your baked treats won't be drastically different from what your child is used to. Add raisins, berries, bananas, or chopped or pureed apples to the mix for even more fiber. Add bran to baking items such as cookies and muffins. Top whole-wheat crackers with peanut butter or low-fat cheese. Offer popcorn - a whole-grain food - as a mid-day treat or while your child watches TV or movies. Aim for popcorn without lots of added fat or sugar. (However, only give popcorn to kids over 4 years old because the popular snack can be a choking hazard.) Top ice cream, frozen yogurt, or regular yogurt with whole-grain cereal, berries, or almonds for some added nutrition and crunch. Serve apples topped with peanut butter. Make fruit salad with pears, apples, bananas, oranges, and berries. Top with almonds for added crunch. Serve as a side dish with meals or alone as a snack. Make low-fat breads, muffins, or cookies with canned pumpkin. Leave the skins on when giving your child fruits and veggies as snacks or as part of a meal. However you choose to incorporate fiber into your child's regular diet, don't push fiber on your family. Instead of introducing high-fiber foods and ingredients into your child's meals and snacks immediately, make gradual changes that will add up to a diet that's higher in fiber over time. And it's not all about making your child try to like foods - from prunes to bran, from split peas to lima beans - that many kids often find unappealing. Just offer your family plenty of things they likely never imagined are good sources of fiber - fruits like pears and berries, vegetables like beans and peas, and whole-grain breakfast cereals that they're probably already getting as their regular diet. Not only will your child be getting the fiber he or she needs, you'll be setting the tone for a lifetime of healthy eating. Reviewed by: Growth and Development What should you expect as your child grows? Learn how to understand and deal with your child's changing body and mind from infancy through the teen years. Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor. ©1995-2006 KidsHealth. All rights reserved.
A simple way to determine how many grams of fiber your child should be consuming each day is to add 5 to your child's age in years (i.e., a 5-year-old should get about 10 grams of fiber). After the age of 15, kids (and adults) need about 20 to 25 grams of fiber per day.
Although many kids often cringe at the mere mention of fiber, they're probably eating fiber every day without even realizing that it's so good for them. And there are plenty of creative, fun, and even tasty ways to incorporate - even sneak - these fiber-rich foods into Make oatmeal (a whole grain) part of your kids' morning meals. Opt for whole-wheat or other whole-grain cereals that list ingredients such as whole wheat or oats as one of the first few items on the ingredient list. Make pancakes with whole-grain (or buckwheat) pancake mix and top with apples, berries, or raisins. Serve bran or whole grain waffles topped with fruit. Offer whole-wheat bagels or English muffins, instead of white toast. Serve whole-grain cereals. Many popular cereals are made with whole grains, but try to choose ones that have less sugar than some of the excessively sweet whole-grain cereal offerings. Top fiber-rich cereal with apples, oranges, berries, or bananas. Add almonds to pack even more fiber punch. Mix your child's favorite cereal with a fiber-rich one or top it with a tablespoon of bran. Lunch and Dinner Make sandwiches with whole-grain breads (rye, oat, or wheat), instead of white. Make a fiber-rich sandwich with whole-grain bread, peanut butter, and bananas. Serve whole-grain rolls with dinner, instead of white rolls. Use whole-grain spaghetti and other pastas, instead of white. Serve wild or brown rice with meals, instead of white rice. Add beans (kidney, black, navy, and pinto) to rice dishes for even more fiber. Spice up salads with berries and almonds, chickpeas, cooked artichokes, and beans (kidney, black, navy, or pinto). Use whole-grain (corn or whole wheat) soft-taco shells or tortillas to make burritos or wraps. Fill them with eggs and cheese for breakfast; turkey, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and light dressing for lunch; and beans, salsa, taco sauce, and cheese for dinner. Add lentils or whole-grain barley to your child's favorite soups. Create mini-pizzas by topping whole-wheat English muffins or bagels with pizza sauce, low-fat cheese, mushrooms, and chunks of grilled chicken. Add bran to meatloaf or burgers. (The trick is not to add too much bran, or the food will taste like sawdust and your family might catch on!) Serve sweet potatoes, with the skins, as tasty side dishes. Regular baked potatoes, with the skins, are good sources of fiber, too. Top low-fat hot dogs or veggie dogs with sauerkraut and serve them on whole-wheat hot dog buns. Include fresh fruit as part of your child's packed Bake cookies or muffins using whole-wheat flour, instead of regular. Or use some whole-wheat and some regular flour, so that the texture of your baked treats won't be drastically different from what your child is used to. Add raisins, berries, bananas, or chopped or pureed apples to the mix for even more fiber. Add bran to baking items such as cookies and muffins. Top whole-wheat crackers with peanut butter or low-fat cheese. Offer popcorn - a whole-grain food - as a mid-day treat or while your child watches TV or movies. Aim for popcorn without lots of added fat or sugar. (However, only give popcorn to kids over 4 years old because the popular snack can be a choking hazard.) Top ice cream, frozen yogurt, or regular yogurt with whole-grain cereal, berries, or almonds for some added nutrition and crunch. Serve apples topped with peanut butter. Make fruit salad with pears, apples, bananas, oranges, and berries. Top with almonds for added crunch. Serve as a side dish with meals or alone as a snack. Make low-fat breads, muffins, or cookies with canned pumpkin. Leave the skins on when giving your child fruits and veggies as snacks or as part of a meal. However you choose to incorporate fiber into your child's regular diet, don't push fiber on your family. Instead of introducing high-fiber foods and ingredients into your child's meals and snacks immediately, make gradual changes that will add up to a diet that's higher in fiber over time. And it's not all about making your child try to like foods - from prunes to bran, from split peas to lima beans - that many kids often find unappealing. Just offer your family plenty of things they likely never imagined are good sources of fiber - fruits like pears and berries, vegetables like beans and peas, and whole-grain breakfast cereals that they're probably already getting as their regular diet. Not only will your child be getting the fiber he or she needs, you'll be setting the tone for a lifetime of healthy eating. Reviewed by: Growth and Development What should you expect as your child grows? Learn how to understand and deal with your child's changing body and mind from infancy through the teen years. Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor. ©1995-2006 KidsHealth. All rights reserved.
Lunch and Dinner
However you choose to incorporate fiber into your child's regular diet, don't push fiber on your family. Instead of introducing high-fiber foods and ingredients into your child's meals and snacks immediately, make gradual changes that will add up to a diet that's higher in fiber over time.
And it's not all about making your child try to like foods - from prunes to bran, from split peas to lima beans - that many kids often find unappealing. Just offer your family plenty of things they likely never imagined are good sources of fiber - fruits like pears and berries, vegetables like beans and peas, and whole-grain breakfast cereals that they're probably already getting as their regular diet. Not only will your child be getting the fiber he or she needs, you'll be setting the tone for a lifetime of healthy eating.
Reviewed by:
What should you expect as your child grows? Learn how to understand and deal with your child's changing body and mind from infancy through the teen years.