Your child's health care provider recommended a high-fiber diet for your child. Fiber can help make poop softer, which can help with constipation (hard, difficult-to-pass poops) and other medical conditions.

Fiber is the part of the food that is not digested (broken down) by the body. Good food sources of fiber include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans.

Here are some suggestions to help your child get the fiber they need.

Aim for about 25 grams of fiber a day for kids and 30 grams of fiber a day for teens. This is usually around 5–10 servings of high-fiber foods, such as: 

• Fruits and vegetables
• Nuts and seeds
• Whole grains, such as 100% whole-wheat bread, brown rice, and oatmeal
• Cooked dried beans, such as black beans, lentils, and split peas

Read nutrition labels. The amount of fiber in most foods is shown on the nutrition label. Use this information to choose foods that are high in fiber.

Make simple diet changes. Help your child to:

• Drink plenty of water to help move fiber through the intestines.
• Choose whole-grain bread (instead of white bread), brown rice (instead of white rice), and whole-grain pasta (instead of regular pasta).
• Eat fruits and vegetables with every meal and at snack time. Whole fruits contain more fiber than juice, so they are a better choice for a high-fiber diet.

 Be creative. Add high-fiber options to foods your child already likes. You can:

• Top yogurt, cereal, or oatmeal with fruit and nuts.
• Put vegetables like lettuce, tomato, or avocado on sandwiches.
• Add beans to soups and salads.
• Add bran to baked goods.

Start slowly and adjust. When adding fiber to your child's diet, do so slowly over about a week. If your child's poop is soft and easy to pass, they're probably getting the right amount of fiber. If they have diarrhea, bloating, gas, or cramps, they may be getting too much fiber too fast. Lower the amount of fiber in their diet until the symptoms get better.

Your child has:

• Signs of constipation
• Blood in the poop
• Diarrhea that lasts longer than 2 days 
• Severe belly pain

What are the benefits of a high-fiber diet? Fiber can help make your child's poop softer and more regular. This helps with constipation and some other medical conditions. Experts think it can also help lower cholesterol; control blood sugar; and lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.

Can my child take a fiber supplement to get enough fiber? It's best for kids to get their fiber from foods rather than from pills or other supplements. Foods have nutrients and vitamins that are important for health. If your health care provider does recommend that your child take a fiber supplement, give it as directed.