Reviewed by: Dr. Christine Carter-Kent on Oct. 23, 2026
For good gut health, build your child’s diet around foods that are grown from the earth.
Gut health refers to taking care of your digestive system, which includes the esophagus, stomach, small and large intestines. Dr. Christine Carter-Kent, an Akron Children’s pediatric gastroenterologist, explains how to help your child maintain a healthy gut. She also answers common questions about probiotics.
What foods and beverages are good for gut health?
Build your child’s diet around foods that are grown from the earth – fruits, vegetables and natural sources of fiber. When we think about beverages, the best option is water.
What are good sources of fiber, and how much should my child have?
Fruits and vegetables are natural sources of fiber. You can also get fiber from things like brown rice, whole-grain bread and steel-cut oats (not highly processed instant oatmeal).
As for the number of daily grams of fiber your child should have, take their age and add 5. If your child is 5 years old, add 5 to reach 10 grams of fiber. For a teenager, we recommend approximately 20 grams a day.
What foods and beverages do not support gut health?
Highly processed foods often contain added sugars, excess sodium, preservatives and other additives. Some of these ingredients may affect the balance of bacteria in the gut, particularly when these foods make up a large portion of a child’s diet. Items considered kids’ food – such as French fries, fast food burgers and chicken nuggets – are not healthy.
Sugar-containing beverages, including sports drinks, aren’t the best for your child’s gastrointestinal tract. Limit those to 8 to 12 ounces or less a day. And be mindful of your teens drinking specialty coffees that have significant amounts of sugar and caffeine.
Dr. Christine Carter-Kent
What are probiotics?
Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts. They may help to balance your digestive system and boost your immunity to fight infections. They already live in your body, and probiotics can add to your existing supply of “good” bacteria.
Are probiotic supplements safe for kids?
Probiotics are not the same, so it’s important to be careful when choosing one for your child. If you’re not sure which probiotic is best, you can send a photo of the bottle to your child’s doctor through MyChart and ask for their advice.
Probiotics can put good bacteria back into the gut after a child gets sick from an infection like salmonella – or when we had the cyclospora outbreak in early 2026. The most effective strains are L. rhamnosus, S. boulardii and L. reuteri. These strains may also be effective for prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. But for children who are immunocompromised, adding extra bacteria may cause their immune system to react in a harmful way.
What other ways can I give my child probiotics?
Many yogurt drinks have good probiotics in them, but check the label for products with lower sugar content. Other options include fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi and kefir drinks. Just be sure to read the label, or better yet, check with your child’s provider first.
Why is it important to read food and supplement labels?
Understanding food content is super important, so you know what you’re putting in your child’s body. Here are some tips:
Do not assume something is good for you just because it states that on the packaging.
Look at the serving size. Your teen might buy a beverage and think the whole bottle is a serving – but it could be 2 or 3 servings. That’s a lot of sugar and carbohydrates all at once.
Check the sodium content. Too much sodium can raise blood pressure and increase calcium loss through the urine, potentially increasing the risk of kidney stones. A teaspoon of table salt is about 2,300 milligrams of sodium, and that’s the recommended daily limit for kids 14 and older. Younger kids should have considerably less salt. Babies under a year should not have any added salt.
My kids are busy with sports and after-school activities. What suggestions do you have for healthy snacks and drinks?
Life is hard and busy, but you can be creative about taking snacks to your child’s activities.
Apples and other high-fiber fruit: provide natural fiber and energy with grab-and-go convenience.
Popcorn – homemade or certain prepackaged kinds: healthier than a bag of chips, and the fiber will keep your child fuller longer.
Drinks: unless your child is playing or practicing for 2 straight hours, they don’t need a sports drink. Young kids don’t need a sugary juice box after a 20-minute game; they should just drink water.
What else is important for parents and caregivers to know?
Nutrition is part of a child’s success – and part of that success is treating your gut right.
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