The Importance of Fiber
Fiber may be one of those things that you don’t ever have to worry about…until you do. Some of you know exactly what I’m talking about. We often think of fiber only as an aid in using the bathroom, but it has so many more benefits. You might know that a high fiber diet can potentially lower your risk for hemorrhoids and diverticular disease, but some studies suggest it also lowers the risk of colorectal cancer. Fiber may also lower total blood cholesterol levels, reduce blood pressure and inflammation, improve blood sugar levels, and help to maintain a healthy weight. Some suggest eating fiber rich foods even reduces your risk for cardiovascular disease and all types of cancer.
Counting Every Gram
If you have ever been given a list of the best fiber filled foods from a gastroenterologist, it is very possible you looked at it in slight horror. Who would eat this stuff? Definitely not my toddler. She was not going to eat shredded wheat no matter which box I bought. I tried. High fiber foods are so important but it’s not always easy to find them and enjoy eating them. Fruits, veggies, whole-grain, beans, peas, nuts, and seeds top the list for fiber suggestions but some kids are so picky. My child could not have bananas because they made her condition worse rather than better. It can be a real challenge to find fiber rich foods for kids.
Once upon a time I try to block out slightly from my memory, I was told by a specialist that it was fine to take my child off Miralax. I expressed concern that she would go right back to how she had been before. I was assured she would be fine as long as I kept track and gave her a certain amount of fiber each day.
So I did. I counted every gram for every food she ate every day. I used fiber gummies to supplement and be sure I never fell short. And we ended up in the emergency room. This was the second specialist. We left the first after they said our daughter was fine, and my husband pushed for an X-ray. She wasn’t fine. She was completely compacted. If you have experienced this, you know it is terrible.
Hunting for the Best Fiber Filled Foods
I’ll never forget her screaming in the hospital. I’ve heard it described as a similar pain to being in labor. So I’m the first to tell you that fiber was not the only solution for us. We were way beyond that. But, fiber foods for constipation are still important. It’s often hard to find high fiber when you are checking nutrition labels. Here are a few items that actually taste good and have a decent amount of fiber. I hope this list will make your search a little bit easier.
Fiber One Oats & Chocolate
I share these granola bars because I do not like everything that Fiber One makes. These are actually pretty good. 1 bar has 9 grams of fiber. This is so impressive to me because I spent a lot of time checking labels and so many products have zero fiber or barely any at all.
Naked Juice
These juices are only 15.2 ounces and offer a lot of fiber. The guava will give you 9 grams in one bottle, and the pina colada will give you 7. Guava includes orange juice, guava puree, pineapple juice, white grape juice, kiwi puree, banana puree, apple juice, chicory root fiber, chokeberry juice, and elderberry juice. If your younger kids are super picky, they may not go for these. But for everyone else, these are a great option to have a quick, tasty drink packed with fiber.
Activia Fiber Yogurt
Pay attention to the label! This yogurt by Activia looks almost identical to the packages of yogurt that do not say “good source of fiber.” If you grab the other packs, you are going to get zero fiber for the strawberry and less than 1 gram for the blueberry. But, for one of these yogurts with the fiber clearly noted on the front you will be getting 3 grams of fiber in each cup.
Pop’n Chicken & Kodiak Cubs Waffles
I grouped these two items together because they are the favorites on this list among my kids, for sure. Both are quick and simple to make. Even my mom liked the soft smiley face mashed potatoes. One Pop’n Chicken package will give you 3 grams of fiber. The packages are small so I started buying 2 per child. The mini waffles are soft inside and nice and crunchy on the outside. I could taste a texture difference with the waffles, but my youngest dipped them in some syrup and kept right on eating. And at the risk of TMI, I have to share this with you. After she ate the waffles, she went to the bathroom. I heard her yell, “Yep, those waffles really worked.” Two waffles (sets of 4 minis) will give you 3 grams of fiber.
Fiber Filled Pasta
The Barilla ditalini pasta and the tri-color rotini each have 3 grams of fiber for every 2 ounces. The Chef Boyardee ABC’s and 123’s with meatballs have 2 grams of fiber per can. The whole grain spaghetti has a whopping 7 grams of fiber for every 2 ounces. You would have 28 grams of fiber if you ate the whole box!
Fiber Filled Snacks
Thin Triscuits are so delicious. They provide 4 grams of fiber for every 15 crackers. Trust me, you will eat 15. Eat the whole box for 28 grams of fiber! That may sound extreme but our box evaporated and my youngest child ate almost all of them all on her own.
My middle child loves popcorn, so this is a good way to make sure she is getting her fiber. There are 3 grams in every serving of Orville’s kettle corn, and about 2.5 servings per bag.
Fiber Filled Breakfast Items
These whole grain pop tarts are a great source of fiber that kids will actually enjoy. Just one of these pastries has 3 grams of fiber. But be sure you are buying the correct ones – the regular ones are not a good source of fiber.
Oat Crunch Cinnamon Cheerios are amazing. If you haven’t tried them yet, you have to go get a box. They pack a big fiber punch – 4 grams in 1 cup. The best fiber filled foods are delicious and this one meets that mark.
Maple & Brown Sugar Oatmeal was a fiber lifesaver for me when my child was a very picky eater. 1 little packet of this oatmeal has 3 grams of fiber.
Other Fiber Filled Foods
My nephews came over one day and ate so many of these chicken nuggets. They are kid approved. They are also not expensive compared to other brands. 4 nuggets provides 2 grams of fiber. The crispier they are the better so I cook them until they start to brown a little.
I give my girls pineapple slices as dessert sometimes and it works for 2 out of 3. 2 slices of pineapples will give 1 gram of fiber, and it’s delicious. As you may know, you can buy a specialty bread that is marketed specifically for its fiber content. The downside is that it’s pricey and it’s not as soft as other breads. One slice of this cheap Great Value Wheat & Honey bread has 4 grams of fiber. It will help your stomach without hurting your wallet.
Happy Searching
From one mom who knows how awful it can be when your child experiences chronic constipation, I wish you happy searching for delicious fiber filled foods. Check out these links for more suggestions for fiber filled fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/22-high-fiber-foods
https://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/a19967218/foods-high-in-fiber/
