For four night in a row Aiden has given us one heck of a scare waking up screaming due to abdominal pain. We took him into his doctor yesterday and long story short he will be staying near near a toilet for the next few days and in the long run I will be keeping a closer eye on his fiber intake. I am kind of confused how he does't get enough in the first place though...that boy could live on black beans and oatmeal if I let him.
After a morning of research here are my tips for getting some more fiber into our little ones bodies.
Breakfast:
More dried fruits and nuts. This is simple top oatmeal or yogurt off. It's like candy for kids!
Snacks:
Bananas are a top choice in our house most days. However, I had no idea, they actually contribute to constipation, so does apple sauce. I will now be pushing pears and apples WITH the skin on. I mostly do peel then slice them because the girls have a tendency to choke easily.
Berries and cream, berries and cream...I'm a little lad who loves berries and cream!
Sorry...I couldn't resist. But berries are a great source of fiber, and most kids pop berries down like their life depends on it. Berries that are the highest in fiber are raspberries, elderberries, blackberries, and boysenberries to name a few.
Dinner:
I cook dinner every night with the exception of maybe twice a month we will eat out. Sometimes Mama needs a break. Using whole wheat for everything makes all the difference. It's such a simple switch Cody and I did a few years ago. Breads, crackers, rice, and pasta are just a few things I will never buy in white. Ever. In my eyes it's pointless to. All things whole grain are rich in fiber. In general for dinner...my rule is simple. I keep it colorful, fun, and in interesting. The more I get the kiddos involved with choosing and prepping dinner the more enthused they are to eat it.
Here is my cheat sheet ill be going off of for now.
Get on the Bran Wagon
| Food | Portion | Amount of Fiber |
| Oat bran, raw | 1 ounce | 12 g |
| Wheat bran, raw | 1 ounce | 12 g |
| Corn bran, raw | 1 ounce | 22 g |
| Rice bran, raw | 1 ounce | 6 g |
| Fiber One Bran Cereal | 1/2 cup | 14 g |
| All-Bran Cereal | 1/2 cup | 10 g |
| Fiber One Chewy Bars | 1 bar | 9 g |
Take a Trip to Bean Town
| Food | Portion | Amount of Fiber |
| Lima beans, cooked | 1 cup | 14 g |
| Adzuki beans, cooked | 1 cup | 17 g |
| Broad beans (fava), cooked | 1 cup | 9 g |
| Black beans, cooked | 1 cup | 15 g |
| Garbanzo beans, cooked | 1 cup | 12 g |
| Lentils, cooked | 1 cup | 16 g |
| Cranberry beans, cooked | 1 cup | 16 g |
| Black turtle soup beans, cooked | 1 cup | 17 g |
| Kidney beans, cooked | 1 cup | 16 g |
| Navy beans, cooked | 1 cup | 19 g |
| White beans, small, cooked | 1 cup | 19 g |
| French beans, cooked | 1 cup | 17 g |
| Mung beans, cooked | 1 cup | 15 g |
| Yellow beans, cooked | 1 cup | 18 g |
| Pinto beans, cooked | 1 cup | 15 g |
Go Berry Picking
| Food | Portion | Amount of Fiber |
| Raspberries, raw | 1 cup | 8 g |
| Blueberries, raw | 1 cup | 4 g |
| Currants (red and white), raw | 1 cup | 5 g |
| Strawberries, raw | 1 cup | 3 g |
| Boysenberries, frozen | 1 cup | 7 g |
| Gooseberries, raw | 1 cup | 6 g |
| Loganberries, frozen | 1 cup | 8 g |
| Elderberries, raw | 1 cup | 10 g |
| Blackberries, raw | 1 cup | 8 g |
Wholesome Whole Grains
| Food | Portion | Amount of Fiber |
| Amaranth, grain | 1/4 cup | 6 g |
| Barley, pearled, cooked | 1 cup | 6 g |
| Buckwheat groats, cooked | 1 cup | 5 g |
| Popcorn, air popped | 3 cups | 4 g |
| Oats (old fashioned), dry | 1/2 cup | 4 g |
| Rye flour, dry | 1/4 cup | 7 g |
| Millet, cooked | 1 cup | 2 g |
| Quinoa, cooked | 1 cup | 5 g |
| Teff, grain, dry | 1/4 cup | 6 g |
| Triticale, flour, dry | 1/4 cup | 5 g |
| Wheat berries, dry | 1/4 cup | 5 g |
| Wild rice, cooked | 1 cup | 3 g |
| Wheat flour (whole wheat), dry | 1/4 cup | 4 g |
| Brown rice, cooked | 1 cup | 4 g |
| Bulgur, cooked | 1 cup | 8 g |
| Bread (whole wheat), sliced | 1 slice | 2 g |
| Crackers, rye wafers | 1 ounce | 6 g |
| Spaghetti (whole wheat), cooked | 1 cup | 6 g |
Sweet Peas
| Food | Portion | Amount of Fiber |
| Cow peas (blackeyes), cooked | 1 cup | 11 g |
| Pigeon peas, cooked | 1 cup | 9 g |
| Peas, split, cooked | 1 cup | 16 g |
| Peas, green, frozen | 1 cup | 14 g |
| Peas (edible podded), cooked | 1 cup | 5 g |
Green, the Color of Fiber
| Food | Portion | Amount of Fiber |
| Turnip greens, cooked | 1 cup | 5 g |
| Mustard greens, cooked | 1 cup | 5 g |
| Collard greens, cooked | 1 cup | 5 g |
| Spinach, cooked | 1 cup | 4 g |
| Beet greens, cooked | 1 cup | 4 g |
| Swiss chard, cooked | 1 cup | 4 g |
Squirrel Away Nuts and Seeds
| Food | Portion | Amount of Fiber |
| Almonds | 1 ounce | 4 g |
| Pistachio nuts | 1 ounce | 3 g |
| Cashews | 1 ounce | 1 g |
| Peanuts | 1 ounce | 2 g |
| Walnuts | 1 ounce | 2 g |
| Brazil nuts | 1 ounce | 2 g |
| Pinon nuts | 1 ounce | 12 g |
| Sunflower seeds | 1/4 cup | 3 g |
| Pumpkin seeds | 1/2 cup | 3 g |
| Sesame seeds | 1/4 cup | 4 g |
| Flaxseed | 1 ounce | 8 g |
Play Squash
| Food | Portion | Amount of Fiber |
| Crookneck squash, cooked | 1 cup | 3 g |
| Summer scallop squash, cooked | 1 cup | 5 g |
| Hubbard squash, cooked | 1 cup | 7 g |
| Zucchini squash, cooked | 1 cup | 3 g |
| Acorn squash, cooked | 1 cup | 9 g |
| Spaghetti squash, cooked | 1 cup | 2 g |
Brassica or Bust
| Food | Portion | Amount of Fiber |
| Kale, cooked | 1 cup | 3 g |
| Cauliflower, cooked | 1 cup | 5 g |
| Kohlrabi, raw | 1 cup | 5 g |
| Savoy cabbage, cooked | 1 cup | 4 g |
| Broccoli, cooked | 1 cup | 5 g |
| Brussels sprouts, cooked | 1 cup | 6 g |
| Red cabbage, cooke | 1 cup | 4 g |
Hot Potatoes
| Food | Portion | Amount of Fiber |
| Russet potato, flesh and skin | 1 medium | 4 g |
| Red potato, flesh and skin | 1 medium | 3 g |
| Sweet potato, flesh and skin | 1 medium | 4 g |
Everyday Fruit Basket
| Food | Portion | Amount of Fiber |
| Banana | 1 medium | 3 g |
| Pear | 1 medium | 6 g |
| Orange | 1 medium | 4 g |
| Apple | 1 medium | 4 g |
| Prunes, | dried 1/2 cup | 6 g |
| Raisins | 2 ounces | 2 g |
| Peaches, dried | 1/4 cup | 3 g |
| Figs, dried | 1/2 cup | 8 g |
Exotic Destinations
| Food | Portion | Amount of Fiber |
| Jicama, raw | 1 cup | 6 g |
| Chayote fruit, cooked | 1 cup | 4 g |
| Starfruit (carambola), raw | 1 cup | 4 g |
| Asian pear, raw | 1 fruit | 4 g |
| Hearts of palm, cooked | 1 cup | 4 g |
| Guava, raw | 1 cup | 9 g |
| Straw mushrooms, canned | 1 cup | 5 g |
| Abiyuch, raw | 1/2 cup | 6 g |
| Lotus root | 10 slices | 4 g |
| Persimmons, raw | 1 fruit | 6 g |
| Breadfruit | 1 cup | 11 g |
| Avocado, raw | 1/2 fruit | 9 g |
| Edamame, frozen | 1 cup | 6 g |
| Taro, sliced | 1 cup | 4 g |
Fiber Fortification Power
| Food | Portion | Amount of Fiber |
Nature's Own Double Fiber
Wheat Bread | 1 slice | 5 g |
| Wasa Crispbread, Fiber Rye | 2 slices | 4 g |
Weight Watcher's
Flakes 'N Fiber | 1/2 cup | 9 g |
| Silk Soy Milk Plus Fiber | 1 cup | 5 g |
Bob's Red Mill Organic
High Fiber Hot Cereal | 1/3 cup, dry | 10 g |
Tropicana Orange Juice
With Fiber | 1 cup | 3 g |
| Gnu Foods High Fiber Bar | 1 bar | 12 g |
| Fiber One Yoplait Yogurt | 4 ounces | 5 g |
Another plus...I was watching Dr. Oz earlier in the week (it was on how to lose weight according to your body shape), and for the pear shapes like myself taking in more fiber is the number one things I should be doing. Here's to 10 pounds by December 29th!
