Best Prebiotic for Kids

As parents, we want nothing more than to provide our children with the best possible care and nutrition to help them grow and thrive. An often-overlooked aspect of overall well-being is gut health, which plays a critical role in various bodily functions, including digestion, immunity, and even brain development. 

A balanced gut microbiome is essential for maintaining optimal health, and prebiotics like Sunfiber are a fantastic way to support your child's gut health. In this blog post, we'll delve into why Sunfiber is the ultimate prebiotic for kids and explore its many health benefits.

What’s the Best Prebiotic for Kids

When it comes to choosing the best prebiotic for kids, it's important to consider their unique nutritional needs and preferences. Some top prebiotic options for children include:

• Fruits and Vegetables: Bananas, beans, garlic, onions, asparagus, and leeks are all excellent sources of prebiotics that can be easily incorporated into a child's diet.
  
• Whole Grains: Oatmeal, wheat bran, and whole-grain breads provide prebiotic fibers and are great options for a balanced breakfast or snack.
  
• Breastmilk: For infants, breastmilk contains oligosaccharides that act as natural prebiotics, promoting the growth of healthy gut bacteria.
  
• Supplements: If dietary sources are not enough, prebiotic supplements such as inulin or oligosaccharides can be considered in consultation with a healthcare provider. Our top pick for prebiotic supplements is Back to Balance plus due to it's ease of use and ease of tolerance.

It is essential to remember that individual needs may vary, and parents should consult a healthcare provider or pediatric dietitian before making significant dietary changes or adding supplements to their child's diet.

What are prebiotics?

Prebiotics are types of dietary fiber that serve as a food source for the beneficial bacteria (probiotics) living in your gut. These non-digestible carbohydrates, such as fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), and inulin, stimulate the growth of good bacteria in the digestive system, leading to improved gut health.

We can get prebiotics from getting a variety of diverse fruits, vegetables, beans and grains in the diet. For those that have challenges getting diversity in the diet, sometimes supplemental prebiotics can be helpful.

What is Sunfiber?

Sunfiber is one of two main ingredients in our Back to Balance Plus. Sunfiber, also known as partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG), is a unique, soluble dietary fiber derived from the guar plant.

Unlike other prebiotics, Sunfiber has a low viscosity and slow fermentation rate, making it gentle on young digestive systems. Sunfiber is tasteless, odorless, and colorless, which allows it to be easily incorporated into a variety of foods and beverages without altering their flavor or texture.

Benefits of Sunfiber for Kids

• Supports a Balanced Microbiome: A diverse and balanced gut microbiome is vital for overall health, and Sunfiber helps maintain this balance by nourishing beneficial bacteria in the gut. As a prebiotic, Sunfiber serves as a food source for these microorganisms, enabling them to thrive and maintain a healthy ecosystem. A well-balanced microbiome can help prevent digestive issues, strengthen immunity, and even promote brain health.
  
• Alleviates Digestive Discomfort: Children may experience various digestive problems, such as constipation, diarrhea, bloating, and abdominal pain. Sunfiber helps ease these issues by normalizing stool form and frequency. Its excellent water-retention capacity adds bulk to the stool, promoting regular bowel movements and reducing constipation. Conversely, Sunfiber's gel-like consistency helps absorb excess water in the digestive tract, alleviating diarrhea.
  
• Supports the Microbiome: the Sunfiber in back to balance helps encourage the growth of probiotics lactobacillus and bifidobacteria which are helpful gut bacteria that support gut health.
• Supports bloating relief: Not only does sunfiber help with reduced bloating and abdominal pain, but the probiotic strain we include in back to balance plus can also help provide relief. Read more about it on the back to balance page if you are curious.
• Supports Immunity: Approximately 70% of the immune system resides in the gut, so maintaining a healthy gut microbiome is crucial for a robust immune response. By supporting beneficial bacteria, Sunfiber contributes to a resilient immune system that can better protect your child from infections and illnesses.

What Makes Back to Balance Plus the Best Prebiotic for Kids

As dietitians at Gut Love, we always promote a food first approach with prebiotics because you can't replace the dynamic power of prebiotics alongside the phytocompounds we get from colorful fruits, vegetables, and grains. However, we are also fans of using supplemental prebiotics to aid meeting fiber goals and to support gut health when needed.

Kids may often struggle to get in the variety they need due to food preferences and texture concerns. Also, many of the kids we see in our private practice also have gut conditions like Crohn's, Ulcerative colitis or IBS which makes getting in diversity even more of a challenge.

We often use Gut Love Back to Balance as a way to help bridge that gap while improving gut health along the way!

Versatility and Ease of Use

One of the top reasons we have used Sunfiber with kids it's that it's easier to use than other prebiotics. I don't know if you've ever tried giving your kid a chalky fiberous drink before - but it can be challenging at best and next to impossible for some.

What I love about Sunfiber is that it's the only prebiotic that completely dissolves in water and is relatively tasteless. 

Adding Sunfiber to your child's diet is easy and hassle-free, thanks to its versatile nature. Sunfiber can be mixed into water, juice, smoothies, or even soft foods like yogurt or applesauce without altering their taste or texture. This simplicity allows for seamless incorporation into your child's meals and snacks without any fuss.

Suitable for Sensitive Digestive Systems

Sunfiber's low viscosity and slow fermentation rate make it an ideal choice for children with sensitive digestive systems or food sensitivities. Its gentle, non-irritating properties mean it's less likely to cause gas, bloating, or other discomforts associated with some prebiotic fibers.

Sunfiber is an exceptional prebiotic for kids, offering numerous health benefits that contribute to overall well-being and growth. By supporting a balanced microbiome, alleviating digestive issues, boosting immunity, and promoting brain health, Sunfiber sets your child up for a healthy future.

Incorporating this versatile prebiotic fiber into your child's diet is a simple yet effective way to optimize their gut health and enable them to thrive. Consider adding Sunfiber to your child's meals and snacks to unlock a world of health benefits and give them the best possible start in life.

Best Prebiotic for Kids

Trying to find new ways to bring in more color and fiber overall is key when it comes to supporting gut health for kids. However, if you need an additional aid for prebiotic support, consider talking with your doctor or healthcare professional about trying out Back to Balance Plus. 

Back to Balance plus is manufactured here in the united states and is formulated by dietitians with over 10 years treating gut health conditions. To check it out, go to our shop tab and check out the linked research on it on the products page. Also, be sure to sign up for free shipping. 

Remember, your own personal healthcare professionals are best suited to provide medical advice for you and your family and a blog should never replace this. If you do want to work together with us to support your childs gut health, please reach out. Our dietitians are digestive health experts and we love to help our patients find symptom relief!

If you liked this article, let us know in the comments. If you'd like for us to cover any other new content, let us know what you'd like to see next! 

 

References:

Wiertsema SP, van Bergenhenegouwen J, Garssen J, Knippels LMJ. The Interplay between the Gut Microbiome and the Immune System in the Context of Infectious Diseases throughout Life and the Role of Nutrition in Optimizing Treatment Strategies. Nutrients. 2021 Mar 9;13(3):886. doi: 10.3390/nu13030886. PMID: 33803407; PMCID: PMC8001875.