How much fiber should my child eat?

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends the following for children's daily fiber intake:

• 1-3 years: 19 grams per day
• 4-8 years: 25 grams per day
• Girls 9-13 years: 26 grams per day
• Boys 9-13 years: 31 grams per day
• Girls 14-18 years: 29 grams per day
• Boys 14-18 years: 38 grams per day

Fiber content can be found on the food label of any packaged food product. Examples of high fiber foods include:

Grain Products:

• Whole grain breads, buns, bagels, muffins
• Bran cereals, shredded wheat cereal, high fiber cereals
• Cooked cereal such as Red River and Oat Bran
• Whole-wheat pastas
• Whole grains such as barley, popcorn, corn and brown rice

Fruits:

• Dried fruits such as apricots, dates, prunes and raisins
• Berries such as blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries
• Oranges, apple with skin, avocado, kiwi, mango and pear

Vegetables:

• Broccoli, spinach, swiss chard, green peas and other dark green leafy vegetables
• Dried peas and beans such as kidney beans, lima beans, black-eyed beans, chick peas and lentils

Nuts and Seeds: nuts and seeds such as almonds, whole flaxseed and soynuts