Tired of Watching Your Child Suffer? Try These High Fiber Foods for Toddlers with Constipation

May 22, 2021 Leave a Comment

Tired of watching your child suffer due to hard stools and extreme pain? Get quick relief with these High Fiber Foods for Toddlers with Constipation.

If you ask a parent about what would be a sight that would hurt them the most, they would reply that it’s the sight of their child suffering. None of us can bear to see our child in pain, and we wish we could take some of it from them.

Unfortunately that’s not possible, and the best thing we can do is help them deal with the pain, or better – prevent it in the first place. This is especially true of babies and young children, when they are particularly prone to incidents that cause them pain – like that of constipation.

What is Constipation?

Constipation is the condition when stools become hard and difficult to pass, leading to less frequent bowel movements. This can lead to a backup of accumulated fecal matter, causing pain, gassiness and discomfort. Constipation can be due to a variety of reasons, but in young children it’s most often due to a low consumption of fluids and a diet lacking in fiber.

To know if your child has constipation, look out for the following signs:

Hard stools that are dry and difficult to pass
Pain during bowel movements
Less than three bowel movements in a week
Consistent stomach pain
Blood spots on the surface of hard stools

Anyone who’s had constipation (which is all of us) knows the pain of straining and straining to no effect. What’s worse is the constant bloated feeling of being backed up. The more it gets accumulated in our body, the more uncomfortable it gets. Now imagine little babies or young children experiencing this, especially when they can’t express how they feel in words. Horrible, isn’t it?

That’s not all, constipation in children also reduces their appetite and can lead to more serious issues if left unaddressed. While medication may offer temporary release, it does not tackle the root cause. That’s why we constantly remind parents to check on their children’s fiber intake.

Fiber is the undigestible part of the plant-based food we eat, like fruits, vegetables, legumes and grains. There are two types of fiber – soluble and insoluble.

Soluble Fiber – Dissolves in water. Helps in slowing digestion, increasing satiety and making us feel full for longer.
Insoluble Fiber – Does not dissolve in water. Adds bulk to stool and helps push it through the digestive system

We need to include both kinds of fiber for healthy digestion and elimination as well as proper absorption of nutrients. The fiber intake should be in the required amount as well – about 5 grams a day for babies and about 19 grams for toddlers. In order to get this required amount, it is recommended to include these high fiber foods for toddlers with constipation.

5 High Fiber Foods for Toddlers with Constipation

1. Raw Kerala Banana

Source

One of the most traditional baby foods in our country, raw plantains or raw Kerala Bananas are known as a healthy weight gaining food for babies. But there’s much more to them! 100 g of raw plantains contain a good 2.3 grams of fiber. They’re also packed with other micro nutrients like Vitamins A, B6, C, potassium and magnesium. Check out our list of healthy Kerala banana recipes.

2. Brown Rice

We’ve often heard that whole grains are better than refined grains and the biggest reason is because of the fiber content. Take rice, for example. White rice is devoid of the outer covering of the grain, which makes it inferior to brown rice. Brown rice, on the other hand retains the covering, giving it an impressive 3.4 g fiber in just 100 g of rice. You can introduce brown rice to little babies with a Homemade Brown Rice Cereal.

3. Lentils

India is home to a wide variety of lentils and this means that there’s no excuse to be lacking in fiber since this is a food item that’s just bursting with fiber! With a whopping 31 grams of fiber in 100 grams of lentils, this is a must have food in your child’s diet, whatever her age. You can include any lentils including Black Urad Dal, Green Gram, Roasted Gram, Moong Dal, Masoor Dal and others.

4. Wheat Dalia

Just as brown rice is superior to white rice in terms of fiber, whole wheat is better than refined wheat flour or maida. Using broken wheat or wheat dalia ensures that you get all the fiber since it includes the germ, endosperm and bran. 100 grams of broken wheat contain 11.9 g fiber making it a great food to include in your little one’s diet. What’s more, broken wheat can be used in various recipes like broken wheat porridge, halwa, lapsi or porridge powder for babies.

5. Horsegram

Horsegram is a legume that is used in many traditional Indian dishes but is seen less in modern cooking. It is rich in protein and is packed with fiber – 100 grams of horsegram contain 5 grams of fiber. Additionally, it contains micronutrients like Vitamin C, iron and phosphorous making a crucial food for boosting immunity, reducing the risk of anemia and improving bone health.

Since toddlers are notorious for being fussy eaters, including all these foods individually can be a challenge. Some of us may also have trouble sourcing some of these ingredients. But what if you could have all these ingredients combined together in one dish?

Yes, you can – in our Banana Nutrimix! The Little Moppet Foods’ Banana Nutrimix contains all these ingredients and more, in a convenient format that helps you easily include in your child’s food. Make a porridge out of the powder, add it to batter or dough, cook and use it in milkshakes – the options are endless!

What’s more, all these ingredients are easily digestible and are sourced from places that grow them using only natural fertilizers. As always, what you see is what you get – there are absolutely no preservatives, additives or added flavors of any kind.

So if you want to prevent the pain and discomfort of constipation in your little one, you know where to look!