What Food to Eat for Constipation
When you have constipation, it is important to eat foods that have the potential to ease your symptoms. The best foods for constipation are those that offer increased doses of dietary fiber, due to the effect that fiber has on the makeup of stool. Understanding what fiber does and which foods are good sources of fiber can help you to make food choices that will help to keep your system moving. The nicest part of all of this is that foods that are good for constipation are also foods that are really good for your overall health. It's important to keep a balance, though, as eating too much fiber can cause bloating and diarrhea. Here is what you need to know about eating for constipation:
The most important aspect of eating to ease constipation is to slowly increase your intake of dietary fiber. Fiber is the part of plant material that we cannot digest. Fiber is helpful for constipation because it serves to both add bulk and softness to the stool. Soluble fiber absorbs water and binds with fatty acids, forming a gel-like substance that keeps stools soft. Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water, thus providing bulk to the stool. Since both types are found in all plant foods, it is not necessary to try to remember which foods are a good source of which type of fiber. Just focus on eating a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes and whole grains. For the treatment of constipation, it is recommended that you increase your fiber intake to 20 to 25 grams per day.
Fruits
Many fruits are an excellent source of dietary fiber, along with a whole host of other nutritional benefits. Although there is no hard science in regard to this, people with constipation predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-C) report that eating fruits that have been cooked, stewed or dried is less irritating to their intestinal system. Here are some good choices:
- Apricots
- Figs
- Papaya
- Peaches
- Pears
- Pineapple
- Prunes
Vegetables and Legumes
Vegetables are also a wonderful source of many important nutrients in addition to providing a healthy dose of dietary fiber. As is the case with fruits, you may find that your body responds in a more comfortable way to cooked rather than raw vegetables.
Beans: Canella, garbanzo, kidney, navy and pinto.
Greens: Chard, kale and spinach.
Vegetables: Artichoke hearts, asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, green beans, peas and squash.
Whole Grains
Buyer beware! Many products are advertised as being 鈥渕ulti-grained鈥? but are actually poor sources of whole grains. The only way to know for sure is to carefully read the ingredient list. In order to be a good source of whole grains, the very first word in the list should be the word 鈥渨hole.鈥?
Another caution should be applied to whole wheat products that contain bran. For some people, bran is irritating to the digestive system. You should carefully assess your body鈥檚 ability to tolerate bran before using it as a source of dietary fiber.
Here are some examples of whole grains that may help to ease constipation:
- High fiber breakfast cereals (look for at least 8 grams of fiber per serving).
- Whole grain breads
- Brown rice
- Barley
- Millet
Flaxseed are the tiny, golden seeds from the flax plant. There is research to support that incorporating ground flaxseed into your diet can ease constipation, bloating and abdominal pain. Flaxseed also serves as an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, as well as of other important vitamins, minerals and phytoestrogens.
Ground flaxseed is relatively easy to find in grocery stores, but if you can't find it, grinding flaxseed is a simple process with the use of a small coffee grinder. Flaxseed has a nice nutty, taste and can be sprinkled on cereal or yogurt, added to baked goods, and mixed into smoothies. Whenever you eat flaxseed, be sure to drink a large glass of water so as to make the most of flaxseed鈥檚 stool-softening benefits.
Remedies and How to Treat Constipation in Babies
There are many things you can do to help relieve baby's constipation. You can change baby's feeding pattern and/or engage in some physical exercises.
Exercises to Help Relieve Infant Constipation include:
Tummy Massage - Gently massage and rub baby's tummy in a clockwise direction. Place your hands at baby's navel and massage in a circular motion, moving your hand(s) out and away from the center of baby's belly.
Bicycle Legs - Place your baby on her back and lightly hold her legs in a half-bent position. Gently begin to move your baby's legs as if she is riding a bicycle. Alternate "Bicycle Legs" with Tummy Massage. *"Bicycle Legs" also may help to relieve a baby who is gassy.
A Warm Bath - Some medical professionals suggest giving your constipated baby a warm bath. The thought is that this may help relax baby and "get things moving" again. Give a tummy massage as you are drying baby.
Relieving Constipation in Babies Younger than 4 Months:
Try giving one to two ounces of diluted fruit juice such as grape, prune or apple-prune twice daily and practice some of the above exercises. (Always consult your pediatrician about the appropriateness of new foods/liquids to help alleviate constipation) Learn about Fruit Juice in your baby's diet.
Relieving Constipation in Babies 4 Months to 12 months + by Changing the Food Diet
Adding more fiber to baby's diet may help get things moving again. Try strained foods that contain high fiber such as:
apricots
prunes
peaches
plums |
pears
peas
spinach |
For older infants who are just beginning solid foods, you may want to avoid baby foods such as rice cereal, applesauce and bananas as these may aggravate constipation.
If your baby is constipated, reverse the BRAT diet
The BRAT diet is used for the treatment of diarrhea in infants because these foods help firm up stools. An easy and natural way to remember how to help alleviate baby's constipation is to cut out the foods that contribute to it! BRAT stands for
Bananas,
Rice,
Applesauce and
Toast
If you ever forget which foods to cut out, remember BRAT and cut out those foods!
Barley or oatmeal cereals, prunes, peaches, plums, apricots and most vegetables are preferred when baby has constipation.
Juices are helpful, especially apple or prune, but use in moderation, as they are not as nutritious for babies as formula or breast milk.
Why can I give my baby apple Juice but NOT applesauce when baby is constipated?
There is a difference in the amount of sugars and pectin in apple juice and applesauce:
Apple juice contains more sugars and liquids so it helps relieve constipation.
Applesauce is the whole of the fruit. It may contain a higher level of pectin - which firms up stools and may thus lead to constipation.
"Apple juice also has a mild laxative effect that may help provide relief from constipation commonly experienced by little ones."
Apples contain pectin, which will add bulk to your stools, and their cleansing action will encourage bowel movements. They have a laxative effect yet are also used for to help people get back on a regular diet after suffering bouts of diarrhea.
The pectin in the apple fiber apparently is why whole apples will firm up bowel movements. Think of Kaopectate - a popular over-the-counter diarrhea remedy. Kaopectate , actually contains an oxidized form of pectin. Also, that same fiber pectin is what dietitians have been telling us for decades is necessary to keep us regular and to prevent constipation. While it will help prevent constipation by helping to keep the bowels regular, it will not help alleviate constipation.
When it comes to bowel regularity, apples contain two types of fiber; insoluble and soluble. The insoluble fiber works like roughage, while the soluble fiber (pectin), which is found primarily in the skin, acts as a stool softener by drawing water into the stool and increasing stool bulk. Because pectin firms up an excessively loose stool, it鈥檚 also used to treat diarrhea.
