The biggest shortfall in most Americans’ diets isn’t vitamins or minerals. It’s fiber. Experts say adult women should get 25 grams a day while men should get 38 grams. Yet we average a paltry 15 grams.
Our kids aren’t doing any better. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that children ages 1 to 3 get at least 19 grams of fiber a day, and children ages 4 to 8 get 25 grams. The AHA says girls ages 9 to 18 require a minimum of 26 grams, and boys in the same age group should get 31 to 38 grams. Most children’s diets don’t provide nearly what they need.
Why worry? Because fiber has so many health benefits. High-fiber foods fill tummies up on fewer calories, so eating plenty of them is a key to maintaining a healthy weight. Fiber has been shown to lower bloodstream cholesterol levels and reduce heart attack danger. (These aren’t big threats to a 6-year-old, sure, but excellent eating habits now can set your child up for a lifetime of good health.) It also appears to protect against type 2 diabetes, which is a growing problem among American children, as well as certain cancers. And in the category of less scary but quite uncomfortable conditions, fiber relieves constipation.
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