Foods That Prevent Constipation

Constipation is defined as painful excretion of hard or palletized stools, less frequent than normal. It has many causes, from mild to life threatening. It may be chronic or acute. Constipation mostly does not have any consequences other than a lingering anal pain for less than 3 or 4 days. Sometimes however it can cause injury and bleeding. If it is severe, the colon can get blocked.

Diet as the Main Cause

Fiber intake is important to prevent constipation. Fiber has water absorbing capacity like a sponge. It prevents the colon from absorbing water and helps the digested food retain it. This makes stools softer and bulkier, thereby making it easy for them to be excreted.

Constipation Preventive Foods

1. Foods that are rich in fiber effectively prevent constipation. Hence, fiber should be made an important part of the diet. Replacing cereal with oat meal is making the right start. Oat is rich in both insoluble and soluble fiber. Soluble fiber helps get rid of bad HDL or bad cholesterol. Insoluble fiber or roughage absorbs water and makes stools softer. Barley is another very rich source of fiber. Barley water has been used as remedy for constipation for centuries.

2. Whole grain is better than polished grain as consumption of processed grains, mainly rice, is associated with constipation. The fiber in the rice grain is concentrated on the outer husk. Eating whole grain not only prevents constipation but is also more nutritious.

3. Increasing intake of vegetable salads prevents constipation. Vegetables are a store house of vitamins, minerals and fiber. They are best when eaten raw. Cooking and processing destroys the fiber in them. Processed foods contain chemical additives which not only destroy nutritional value of foods but also cause colon damage.

4. While dairy products such as butter and cheese can cause constipation, butter milk can help. It gets rid of the pain associated with constipation.

5. Fruits like grapes, guava, papaya and mango are rich in fiber. If regularly consumed, they reduce constipation and the risks problems like hemorrhoids.

6. Water intake should be increased by several times when consuming fiber rich food, as fiber is ineffective otherwise. It can form blocks in presence of little or no water and can worsen constipation.

7. Consume figs and almonds. These are rich sources of fiber. Almond effectively prevents constipation when it is taken early morning. Fig is a rich source of Iron and eliminates the need to take Iron supplements, which cause constipation.

8. Castor oil has laxative properties. When 2 to 3 teaspoons are taken every month, it cleans the colon and makes stool formation easy.

9. Spinach, cabbage and carrot can be juiced to make a fiber shake. Taking this in the morning prevents constipation and also helps the body meet its requirement of vitamins without the need for any supplements.

10. Baked food can cause constipation, but wheat bread does not and should be made part of your diet.

In order to prevent constipation, good food apart, an individual should get plenty of exercise and sleep. Constipation can also be a result of malfunctioning metabolism. Sleep and exercise are factors on which metabolism depends. A clean colon also prevents constipation. Colon cleansing products should be used regularly to prevent blockage.