When a child is constipated, we all know that we should give our children foods with high dietary fiber content, but after eating a lot of vegetables and fruits, the child still can't pull them out, why is this?
In fact, this is because you are giving your child the wrong dietary fiber.
1. What kind of dietary fiber to eat for smooth bowel movements?
First of all, many people don't know that dietary fiber is divided into two categories: soluble and insoluble.
Soluble dietary fiber refers to fiber that can be dissolved in water, and foods containing soluble dietary fiber include kiwifruit, apples, carrots, etc. They have a higher moisture content and a very delicate taste, which makes them easier for the body to digest and absorb.
Insoluble dietary fiber is fiber that cannot be dissolved in water, and foods containing insoluble dietary fiber include pineapple, celery, corn, wheat bran, etc. Since they are insoluble in water, they have a rough texture and feel like dregs.
Soluble dietary fiber has the property of water absorption and expansion, that is to say, it has a strong ability to absorb water, and the water it can absorb can reach 1.5~25 times its own weight.
It can not only allow the feces to absorb water, increase the volume, promote the formation of feces, and make the texture softer, but also because the solubility and viscosity of soluble dietary fiber are better, it will be easier to be fermented and decomposed by the bacteria in the intestines, which on the other hand promotes the growth of flora, increases the volume of feces, promotes the peristalsis of the large intestine, and better promotes defecation.
However, its premise is that the body has enough water to absorb it, and when the body does not consume enough water, the soluble dietary fiber cannot obtain enough water, and it will begin to absorb the water of the intestines, and the dry intestines will not be able to defecate smoothly.
Although insoluble dietary fiber is very rich in various nutrients, it is not easy to be decomposed, and it is easy to absorb food residues left in the intestines, thus forming bulky poop.
As a result, under the interaction between the two, large poop will dry up in the intestines and be difficult to expel it.
This is also the reason why the child has the desire to defecate, but cannot pull it out.
Therefore, only by consuming enough soluble dietary fiber and supplementing with sufficient water can children have a smoother bowel movement.
2. Why is the baby consuming enough soluble dietary fiber, or is he constipated?
As mentioned earlier, soluble dietary fiber needs to be supported by enough water to work together to make bowel movements smoother, so children seem to have eaten a lot of foods rich in dietary fiber, but they are still constipated, and the root cause is that they do not replenish water in time.
When the amount of fluid in the body is insufficient, the body will be dehydrated, so that the water in the stool will be absorbed by the large intestine, and the result will be very dry and indurated.
The stool is dry and hard, and it lacks the effect of lubrication, so it is difficult to pass smoothly through the rectum and anus. This can cause painful bowel movements, cause damage to the anus, and over time, constipation can form.
Therefore, even though dietary fiber has the function of defecating the bowel movement, it is inseparable from the help of water.
3. How much dietary fiber and water should I consume every day?
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the daily intake of dietary fiber is:
The daily intake of babies over 1 year old is 5g;
For babies over 2 years old, in addition to adding 5-10g of dietary fiber to their age, the total intake does not exceed 25g.
Make sure your child eats a balanced diet that includes foods high in fiber, such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables. At the same time, it is necessary to avoid excessive intake of a certain type of dietary fiber. Only in this way can the constipation problem in children be effectively relieved.
The amount of water replenished each day is:
Babies up to 6 months of age, whether exclusively breastfed or mixed, do not need to add additional fluids unless the doctor has special advice.
For children of other ages, please refer to the daily water intake recommendations given in the Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022):
For children aged 2-3 years, drink 600-700 ml of water per day.
Children aged 4-5 years should drink 700-800 ml of water per day.
For children aged 6-10 years, the daily water intake should be 800-1000 ml.
Children aged 11-13 years should drink 1100-1300 ml of water per day.
It should be noted that the amount of water you drink here includes the baby's milk, soup and water in the food, and drinking water.
In short, if you want your baby to have normal bowel movements every day, we must not only supplement a balanced diet with dietary fiber, but also replenish water in time, especially in the dry autumn and winter, we should pay more attention to it!
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