If your child struggles to go to the toilet regularly, they’re not alone—constipation is a common issue. But it doesn’t have to be! With the right support, your child can feel lighter, happier, and more energised.

Popular advice for constipation is to eat more fibre-rich foods such as wholegrains. These are more fad than fact since there is no consistent evidence that fibre works. In fact, in some studies show having more fibre makes matters worse, not better!

The Science:

• In a study of 63 adults who suffered from chronic constipation and were on a high fibre diet and/or were taking fibre supplements, 41 were put on a no-fibre diet, 16 on a reduced fibre diet and 4 remained on their high fibre diet.

• Of those put on the no-fibre diet, frequency went from once every 3.75 days to once a day. Those on the reduced fibre diet went from once every 4.19 days to every 1.9 days while there was no change in those who stayed on their high fibre diet.

This study is one of quite a few which show no benefit, or worsening on a high fibre diet. A review on studies treating IBS sufferers with high fibre diets shows much the same thing, with an increase in regular ‘insoluble’ fibres found in wholegrain wheat, probably making matters worse not better. Linseed or flax seeds also contains insoluble lignins. Evidence of their benefit in studies of people with IBS is rather thin.

It’s soluble fibre your child needs

The good news! Most studies do, however, show a benefit for ‘soluble’ fibres which is what you find in oats and chia seeds.

• People given soluble fibres in studies were almost twice as likely to report benefit, with increased frequency and ease, over those on a placebo. What you want are fibres that absorb the most water, thus bulking up and lightening the contents in the colon.

• One way to increase your child’s intake of soluble fibres is to have a dessertspoon of chia seeds a day or a heaped teaspoon for younger children less than age 5. Another is to eat whole oat products. ‘Rough’ oatcakes have more fibre than ‘fine’ oatcakes or crackers. If you read the label it will tell you how much fibre there is – and how much sugar. The more fibre, the less sugar.

• Soluble fibres are also in vegetables, although somewhat destroyed by heat and hence prolonged cooking. Hence, raw or lightly cooked, steamed or steam-fried vegetables are best. They behave quite differently to, for example, wheat fibre.

Natural foods stay soft in the digestive tract because they contain fibres which absorb water and expand inside the digestive tract. Fruits and vegetables naturally contain a lot of water in themselves. Provided they are prepared properly, whole grains, such as oats and rice, absorb water and provide watery bulk for the digestive tract. Given that we are literally 65 per cent water, it makes sense to eat foods with a high water content.

How to Implement Change

Today’s Challenge: Watch this film ‘The Truth about Fibre’ here and explore the increase of chia seeds and oats in your child’s diet.

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