Health tips: Fiber

I have to say feeding children is one of the hardest parts of parenting.  As a doctor, this is also one of the toughest issues I address with parents.  Fiber is an important part of a child’s diet.  Unfortunately, many children aren’t getting enough fruits, vegetables and fiber in their diets.  For children older than two years old, recommended fiber intake is 5-10 grams per day.  A great source of fiber for those children that are don’t like to eat vegetables is popcorn.  A 3-cup serving of air-popped popcorn contains 2 grams of dietary fiber. This is similar to the same amount of fiber in half of cup of sliced carrots or 1 peach.

Make sure your popcorn is air-popped.  We have loved this popcorn popper that my in laws introduced us to.  We drizzle with a little olive oil and salt and my kids gobble this up. Avoid the pre-made popcorn as these are coated in butter and additives.

Of note, the Institute of Medicine’s Food and Nutrition Board recommends that adult men should have 38 grams of dietary fiber daily, and women should consume 25 grams. Cleveland Clinic reports that over 66 percent of Americans eat less than 15 grams of fiber each day. Try adding some popcorn as a snack to add more fiber to your diet too!