You should consider your diet if you are suffering from constipation and seeking relief. What you eat and drink or don’t eat and drink can have a considerable impact.
One of the best food groups for tackling constipation is vegetables, green leafy vegetables in particular. As well as being high in insoluble fibre, they contain many nutrients, minerals, and vitamins vital for good health.
If, like many people, you find it hard to digest certain vegetables, don’t worry. You can still get the desired benefits by cooking them.
The best vegetables to include in your diet when you suffer from constipation include:
• Zucchini
• Swiss chard
• Squash
• Spinach
• Red potatoes with skin-on
• Peas
• Lettuce
• Kale
• Green beans
• Carrots
• Cabbage
• Brussels sprouts
• Broccoli
• Asparagus
• Artichoke hearts
Another great type of food is fruit. Besides being high in nutritional value, most are excellent sources of the dietary fibre you need.
Dried or fresh, the choice is yours. Some, such as prunes, have the additional ingredient of cellulose. This is perfect for constipation as it increases the amount of water in your stools and encourages fermentation, which adds weight to the stool.
Others, like pears and apples, have pectin, which is known to increase the volume of water while increasing the speed of stool movements through your intestine.
Some fruit you should consider adding to your diet include:
• Strawberries
• Raspberries
• Plums
• Pineapples
• Pears
• Peaches
• Papayas
• Kiwis
• Grapes
• Figs
• Blueberries
• Apricots
• Apples
In addition, you should consider adding the following dried fruits to your diet:
• Raisins
• Prunes
• Dried figs
• Dried apricots
• Dates
