This summer, many summer camps in Pasco County will get to see the Family Nutrition Program teach the Organ Wise Guys, a youth curriculum that gives “character” to our body’s organs. One of the main concepts the kids will take away from this is filling up on fiber to keep the intestines healthy. As a visual, the kids are shown a full tube of toothpaste and an empty tube of toothpaste, demonstrating how it’s hard to get the toothpaste out when it’s not full of toothpaste, implying how it’s hard for people to “get the garbage out” when the intestines are not full of fiber. The Institute of Medicine recommends, for all ages, that for every 1000 calories consumed, we should have 14 grams of fiber. Many Americans fall short of this. Fiber can be found in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and other foods and benefits the body in many ways, with intestinal health being just one of them. Teaching this message to kids helps them form healthy habits to last a lifetime.

S. Bresin

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