The best fruits and vegetables for constipation

​ What is CONSTIPATION? It is generally defined as infrequent or difficulty passing stools. Whatever keeps a person comfortable is physiologically acceptable, whether this means a bowel movement after every meal, once a day, or only once a week. However, when constipation becomes an ongoing problem with symptoms like headache, loss of appetite, nausea, and abdominal distension, it needs to be addressed to normalize the bowel movements. These symptoms of constipation are caused not by toxins but by distension of the rectum. The longer that fecal material remains in the large intestine, the more water is absorbed and the harder and drier the feces become, making defecation more difficult and sometimes painful. Decreased motility of the large intestine is the primary factor causing constipation. One of the factors increasing motility in the large intestine, and thus opposing the development of constipation, is distension. What is FIBER? Fiber is the indigestible residue of plants. They are complex carbohydrates made in such a way that are not digested by the enzymes in the small intestine, so it passed on to the large intestine, where its bulk produces distension and thereby increases motility. Fiber has important health effects. It binds water and ions in the lumen of the colon, softening the feces and increasing their bulk for easier and rapid passage. This reduces the risk of hemorrhoids, varicose veins, and hiatal hernia. It supports the growth of bacteria in the intestine for better digestion and reduces the conversion of primary into secondary bile acids, which are potential cancer promoters. It absorbs more bile acids and dilutes them within a larger stool mass, thus protecting against colon cancer. The bile becomes more soluble with the fiber and less likely to form gall stones. Fiber protects against pancreatitis by preventing biliary sludge. Fiber reduces fat absorption and lowers cholesterol levels, thus reducing the risk of coronary heart disease. Fiber can be soluble that dissolves easily in water; and insoluble that passes almost unchanged through the intestines. Both soluble and insoluble fiber helps make stools soft and easy to pass. Water insoluble foods include wheat bran cereals, wheat products, brown rice, cooked lentils. Partially soluble foods include kidney beans, navy beans, green beans, green peas, barley, oats. Water soluble foods include apples, bananas, citrus, carrots.

The most common cause of CONSTIPATION is lack of dietary FIBER. Sources of dietary fiber include whole grains, bran, vegetables and fruits. Grains and cereals contain insoluble, poorly fermentable fiber. Their ingestion shortens bowel transit time and increase stool bulk. Bowel transit time is time of ingestion of food until its elimination via defecation. Shorter transit times are related to lower risk of colon cancer. A healthy transit time is 18-24 hours. The average transit time in a non-constipated person is 30-40 hours, but up to a maximum of 72 hours (3 days) is still considered normal. In women transit time can be longer than men and may reach up to around 100 hours (4 days). Fruits and vegetables contain more water-soluble fiber that make moist stools but have less effect on transit time. Daily intake of 20-60g of dietary fiber is sufficient. The best source of dietary fiber is whole foods, but which foods have the highest content of fiber? The grains, legumes, and tubers provide a high fiber diet. Fruits: 1 medium serving of apple with skin has 3.5g of fiber. 1/2 cup serving of raspberries has 3.1g of fiber. 1/4 cup serving of raisins has 3.1g of fiber. 3 serving of prunes has 3.0g of fiber. 1 medium serving of orange has 2.6g of fiber. 1 medium serving of banana has 2.4g of fiber. Raw vegetables: 1 medium serving of tomato has 1.5g of fiber. 1/2 cup serving of bean sprouts has 1.5g of fiber. 1/2 cup serving of mushrooms has 1.5g of fiber. Cooked vegetables: 1 cup serving of parsnip has 5.4g of fiber. 1 cup serving of brussels sprouts has 4.6g of fiber. 1 cup serving of carrots has 4.6g of fiber. 1 cup serving of broccoli has 4.4g of fiber. 1 cup serving of zucchini has 3.6g of fiber. 1 medium serving of sweet potatoes has 3.4g of fiber. Legumes: 1/2 cup serving of baked beans has 8.8g of fiber. 1/2 cup serving of cooked kidney beans has 7.3g of fiber. 1/2 cup serving of dried cooked peas has 4.7g of fiber. Nuts: 10 nuts serving of peanuts has 1.4g of fiber. 10 nuts serving of almonds has 1.1g of fiber.

References Hoffmann, David. Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine. Rochester, Vt.: Healing Arts Press, 2003. Lee, John R. Optimal Health Guidelines. BLL Publishing, 1999. Vander, Arthur, et al. Human Physiology: the mechanisms of body function. McGraw Hill, 2001. Bowel transit time. Bowel transit time (ucsfhealth.org).