Foods To Prevent Constipation
Modifying eating habits and exercising regularly are two of the best ways to prevent constipation.
Constipation is a very annoying condition characterized by difficulty in evacuating food waste from the body. In fact, many people who tend to suffer from this problem end up getting used to it. In this article, we tell you what you can do to prevent constipation.
Now we are about to offer you a series of recommendations for suitable foods to prevent constipation. However, we always advise visiting the doctor and telling him if we have this problem, before modifying the diet.
Take no chances
In general, people who suffer from constipation prefer to self-medicate. They do it even before visiting their trusted doctor. This practice carries a very high risk and, even so, it is widely practiced in cases of constipation.
Doctors recommend that self-medication not be used and that a series of foods be included in the diet that will help us fight it.
Foods to prevent constipation
Eating a proper and healthy diet is the best weapon to prevent constipation, especially if it is a diet rich in fiber. Here are some of the most recommended foods according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases .
Whole grains
Whole grains can help prevent constipation, since their high fiber content produces a great increase in peristaltic movements, at the bowel level, and a greater ease in the evacuation of stools. On the other hand, cereals are very rich in minerals essential for our health.
Vegetables and greens
These are also foods that are very rich in fiber and are rich in vitamins and minerals. Thanks to their high water content and their fiber content, vegetables and greens increase the volume of stool and, therefore, stimulate the intestine to later promote evacuation.
Vegetables
According to the Spanish Nutrition Foundation, lentils stand out for their great nutritional value and bio-active components. What interests us now, would act as a laxative. In fact, lentils would be a natural laxative par excellence, thanks to their high fiber content.
On the other hand, it has been shown that eating lentils regularly would help prevent diseases, such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases and even cancer.
Fruit
Fruits provide a lot of fiber to our body, thus making it advisable to include them in the diet for constipation. Ingesting fiber would not only have a positive effect on constipation, but would also help lower cholesterol, control blood sugar and prevent colon cancer.
Dried plums or prunes
These types of plums are usually about five times richer in fiber than fresh plums. For this reason, they would be appropriate for our anti-constipation diet. In addition, it is believed that they would be helpful in retention problems or diverticulitis, consuming well-chewed dried plums or drinking their juice.
Figs
Figs are popular for their high fiber content and therefore for their laxative properties. A recommended recipe to combat constipation is the following: boil three figs in water for a quarter of an hour and drink the resulting liquid. You could also eat dried or tender figs in the morning.
Macadamia nuts
Their lubricating properties would make them an interesting ingredient to prevent constipation. It is believed that they would exert this effect in the intestine due to their high omega 9 content. Thus, they would improve intestinal transit.
Rhubarb
It becomes or is considered a slightly astringent delicacy and even very suitable to counteract diarrhea. However, consuming it in moderate amounts, rhubarb would have the opposite and even laxative effect.
Foods to avoid in a diet against constipation
In case of suffering from constipation, you must take good care of your diet. To do this, nothing better than taking into account what foods you should avoid:
- Those with a high fat content : such as whole milk, cheese, meat, eggs, ice cream and French fries, among others.
- The food wheat for its difficult digestion and decomposition would not be advisable to include them in the diet.
- Processed foods : because they could cause constipation. This is a compelling reason not to consume them.
If you suffer from constipation, consult your doctor. Perhaps with a few simple changes in your eating habits, you can improve your intestinal transit. One last tip? Increase your daily water consumption.
