Constipation in children: the best foods and recipes to avoid it

Constipation is a fairly common nuisance among the little ones. Experts say that one in 20 children suffers from this problemat any age, there can even be constipation in babies.

Here I will tell you what are the most common causes of constipation in children, how to modify the diet to avoid it and what are The best foods for constipation that children like.

I will also give you some high fiber recipes ideal for them.

Causes of constipation in children

By constipation we understand when the child goes to the bathroom less than three times a week, the stools are hard and dry and evacuation is difficult. On some occasions it can be a symptom of some other problem, but in most cases constipation in children is due to one of these causes:

A inadequate dietpoor in fiber and fluids. Changes in diet, such as when the introduction of solids.Children retain their needs because they prefer to continue playing, they are not at home or they are afraid of pain.A change of routinefor example during a trip or because we started removing the diaper too early.

when to worry

In most cases it is a temporary problem that we can solve, but we must exercise caution if constipation is accompanied by:

Fever Loss of appetite or weight Blood in the stool Abdominal pain.

In these cases it is necessary seek expert advice.

Diet for constipation in children

If the cause is food, instead of introducing laxatives, it is necessary to make changes in the diet, include more fiber-rich foods and base your diet on real, unprocessed foods such as fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts and seeds.

We also have to make sure that the child drinks enough water and has enough movement.

High fiber foods should be gradually included, since if we add too much fiber at once this can cause digestive problems. Therefore, it is most recommended make a change in diet each time, wait a couple of days, and only then make another change. For example: we replace white bread with whole wheat bread, wait a bit and, in a couple of days, add an extra serving of vegetables; then we change breakfast, etc.

Many children refuse to try new, more natural foods. To help them modify their diet it is important to:

Explain to them well why we are making the changesWhy is nutrition so important?Prepare the dishes in a fun way.Choose foods and dishes that they already like and know, for example, making a homemade pizza with whole wheat flour, adding vegetables to hamburgers or croquettes, making a pasta dish with a sauce rich in vegetables, etc.

Foods for constipation in children

Some foods are especially suitable to help children go to the bathroom, either because they are foods rich in fiber, fats or probiotics. But in addition to introducing foods like these, it is essential make sure children drink enough waterespecially if we start to include more foods rich in fiber.

With older children we have to make sure that they take their bottle of water to school, to the park and after school, and that at home we leave the bottle on your table. We often offer water to younger children. If you don’t want to drink we can try playing: offer it in different containers (sometimes they accept it from a doll’s cup or a large casserole), with straws, ice…

We can also try add herbs to water like mint, either a couple of berries or pieces of fruit like blueberries, raspberries, a couple of lemon or orange slices to make flavored water.

Here you also have a list of foods that are especially good for improving constipation in children:

Coconut and extra virgin olive oil: Children need fat for growth, brain development, vitamin absorption, hormone creation, and even more so if they are constipated. Prepare food with good quality fats such as coconut or olive oil, add oils like flax, walnuts or hemp to salads and, if you do eat dairy, feel free to use full-fat dairy instead of skimmed.Avocado: Avocados help coat the digestive tract and work as a natural laxative. Add the avocado to salads, offer it cut as is into cubes, prepare an avocado toast or guacamole to dip baked potatoes. If the kids are resistant to the color green, mash the avocado with cocoa, a tablespoon of maple syrup and a little hazelnut almond butter to prepare a delicious chocolate spread.Chia seeds: They are champions in fiber. add them to yoghurts, cereals, porridge or make a chia pudding. Let the child help you and use flavors and toppings to your liking; so he will eat it happier.

Oatmeal: Rolled oats are an amazing source of fiber. Try adding oats every day, you can try different ways to incorporate them such as porridge, pancakes, bread, making energy bars, cookies, using oatmeal in pastries and to bind hamburger doughs instead of breadcrumbs.Whole wheat bread and pasta: Replace white bread and pasta with its integral version and prepare all pastry dishes such as biscuits, cookies or muffins with integral flour. Buy all the foods like wraps, sticks, whole grain cookies.. At first it may be a little different, but kids get used to it in a couple of days. Thus, in addition to fiber, you add more vitamins and minerals to your dietWhole grain cereals: Change the white rice for its integral version, prepare quinoa or buckwheat in salads, soups, burgers or as a garnish.Blueberries and other berries: They are some of the best fruits for small bellies. Offer berries to the little ones to snack on, add them to cereals, prepare natural fruit yogurt by crushing the fruit with a date and yogurt. You can also try making a smoothie to relieve constipation with fruits of the forest, mango, kefir or yogurt, a little coconut oil and a tablespoon of seeds such as flax, chia or hemp. If they don’t like it, you can try freezing it and offering them a lolly.

Apples and pears: They are the most popular fruit among children, ideal for snacking. Choose organic fruit and so you can give it unpeeled. This is much more recommended, since the skin contains more fiber and vitamins. Teach the little ones to eat the whole fruit.Legumes: Legumes are among the foods with the most fiber and you can eat them offer children daily. So that they don’t get bored, prepare the legumes in different ways: in stews, soups, hummus, burgers, make crispy baked chickpeas for snacks or add legumes to sweets and desserts.Peas: Peas are one of the best foods to combat constipation in children, since it is one of the richest vegetables in fiber and they tend to be successful. The type of fiber they contain, non-fermentable soluble fiber, is highly recommended to treat constipation, since it absorbs water and forms a gel that improves stool consistency. Add peas to the diet three times a week. You can try making hamburgers, purées, pâtés or offer them to snack on as a snack.Carrot: One of the most popular vegetables among children. To improve digestion, offer it raw as is or with dips like guacamole, hummus, tahini or peanut sauce. It is going well always have carrot sticks in the fridge (and cover them with water so they don’t dry out) for times when you’re making dinner and the kids want a snack.

Nuts and seeds: try to introduce daily any nuts or seeds. Offer the whole ones for older children or, if they are younger, in the form of butter or flours added to the pastry. There are many ways to give nuts and seeds to children.dried fruit: Prunes are a popular constipation remedy, but all dried fruit is high in fiber. Offer dried fruit along with nuts to snack between meals.sweet potatoes: Replace the potatoes with this tuber. prepare them with baked skin to obtain a garnish rich in fiber and other nutrientsFermented foods: Fiber is not the only thing we need to be regular. Add every day yogurt, kefir or fermented vegetables.Popcorn: They have a bad reputation, but it is a healthy and fiber-rich snack. You can prepare this snack for the little ones a couple of times a week.

4 fiber-rich recipes for children

These kid-friendly recipes combine many of the good foods to combat constipation that we have recommended in the previous section, so they are naturally rich in fiber, fat and probiotics.

Stockfood

1. Pasta with bean pesto

Preparation: 10 minutes – Cooking: 20 minutes

Legumes are very versatile. If you want a change from the usual spoon dishes, try this sauce, for example. Accompanied by wholemeal pasta and bRoccoli, one of the vegetables that contains the most fiber, we have a full plate. By the way, here are other broccoli recipes that kids will love.

Ingredients:

340 g of whole wheat pasta 1 broccoli 2 tablespoons of olive oil or butter

For the pesto:

250 g of white beans 1 handful of fresh basil 4 tablespoons of olive oil 3 tablespoons of nutritional yeast 1 clove of garlic 1 tablespoon of lemon juice 2 tablespoons of toasted pine nuts or almonds salt

Preparation:

cut the broccoli in florets and each floret in 2-3 slices.Put a pot of water to boil and cook the pasta according to the instructions.In a frying pan, heat the oil, add the broccoli, salt and cook over medium-low heat for 7-8 minutes.Blend all the pesto ingredients until you get a cream. Add a little more oil or vegetable drink if necessary. Try the point of salt.Drain the pasta, mix with the sauce and serve with the broccoli. Stockfood

2. Oatmeal Apple Muffins

Preparation: 15 minutes – Cooking: 20 minutes

some muffins easy to do, ideal to take as a snack or for a quick breakfast. In this recipe we use applesaucewhich not only makes them very juicy but also, and above all, helps to use less fat and provide more fiber.

Accompany the cupcakes with a natural yogurt for a complete snack.

Ingredients (12 muffins):

2 tablespoons of ground flax150 g of whole wheat flour100 g of fine rolled oats150 g of brown sugar2 teaspoons of cinnamon3.5 teaspoons of baking powdera pinch of salt120 ml of vegetable drink120 ml of applesauce4 tablespoons of light olive oil or coconut oil 2 Gaia apples 1 handful of walnuts 4 tablespoons of raisins or prunes (optional)

Preparation:

Preheat the oven at 200 degrees.In a small bowl, Mix 2 tablespoons of flax seeds with 6 tablespoons of water and let sit until a gel forms.core the apples and cut them into cubes.In a large bowl, mix flour, rolled oats, sugar, salt, baking powder and cinnamon.in another bowl, mix the flax gel with the vegetable drink,…