Some people find it difficult to have a regular bowel movement. They complain of different kinds of feeling and symptoms as a result of not regularly excreting the waste from their colon. This happens to be a result of constipation.
Constipation occurs when an individual has his bowel movement once in two days or a week. This is a usual challenge people face when they experience difficulty in having their bowel movement. Constipation happens to be a serious medical case, and it is at its height when the person has his bowel movement thrice or less in a week. In this case, constipation becomes severe and comes with multiple symptoms. Symptoms like pains while having bowel movement, gas, and being bloated. Other symptoms are more dangerous and can be as a result of constipation like heartburn, indigestion, and acid reflux.
It is necessary for people to know that constipation is a serious issue, and they must take percussion and care. This is the reason why we are going to be educated on the issue of constipation. In this article, we are going to know the various foods that we are consuming that could cause us constipation.
Then if we can identify such foods, we can try to avoid them or eat them healthily. Food is essential for the human body, and we literarily eat to live. Considering this reality, it might interest you to know that some food that we consume helps us stay healthy. Also, they help us stay away from constipation. However, some foods can be very harmful to the body as these foods can cause constipation and other sorts of health challenges. So let’s start with white rice.
White Rice
People that eat white rice are not of the notion that white rice can cause constipation. This is true simply because the white rice has been separated from the bran and husk. The just harvested bran rice also contains germ that has also been removed. This happens to be the major difference between the bran and the white rice. Bran rice, on the contrary, can relieve constipation.
Red Meat
Red meat is another food that a person can eat, and one would experience constipation. This is a meat that a person must avoid, and it has multiple health challenges it brings. The red meat is quite high in fat, and it also contains durable protein fibers. This makes it hard for the digestive system to digest the meat. These reasons show clearly that an individual can get constipated eating red. Red meat is rich in iron, and it can be constipating. When a person reduces her consumption of red meat, constipation can be avoided.
Unripe Bananas
When you hear bananas, what comes to mind? It is probably a healthy fruit that is good for the body, but that is not the case for unripe bananas. Unripe bananas can cause constipation simply because they contain a lot of starch, and the starch could be very difficult for the body to digest.
Unripe bananas also pull water from the intestine in the direction of the stool. This is because it contains dietary fiber, and in the cause of dehydration, bananas could make constipation worse. Too many banana consumptions could make your baby get constipated. Yes, babies can also get constipated. Ripe bananas could help an individual avoid constipation.
Chewing Gum
Ladies should take note when it comes to chewing gums. It is discovered that eating multiple pieces of gum in a little time frame can cause constipation. This would eventually lead to a block in the digestive tract, especially when the gum is swallowed with other indigestible foods. To keep your children safe, it is advisable that they don’t chew gums when they are less than five years. If you must chew gum, don’t chew more than two and when you are done chewing spit it out.
White Bread
Another food that can cause constipation is white bread as it is different for whole grain bread that can help relieve constipation. People should know that white bread and other kinds of foods that is made with white flour can cause constipation or worsen it. White snacks like biscuits, doughnuts and the likes, have no fiber and they are quite heavy with starch. So if the individual is already having constipation, white bread would worsen it.
Excess Consumption of Alcohol
Too much of alcohol can lead to constipation as it makes people dehydrated, and it also slows down digestion. When the process of digestion is slowed down, the individual will begin to experience irritable bowel syndrome, which happens to be a symptom of constipation. So it is healthy to reduce alcohol intake and drink water or energy drinks in between each bottle of alcohol you consume.
Chocolate
People that suffer from irritable bowel syndrome should stay away from chocolates. Chocolates are very high in fat, and too much fat can slow down the digestion process of an individual. Chocolate would also slow the movement of food in the colon as the peristalsis, which is the muscle contraction slows down. German researchers did a study on individuals suffering from constipation to know the major food that caused it. Chocolate happens to be mentioned often. So, chocolate is a no go area for people suffering from constipation.
Fast Food
Fast foods also fall into the category of foods that can cause constipation. Fast foods don’t have many nutritional values considering the fries and arm burgers that are low in fiber but heavy in fat. It is essential to take note of French fries and baked sweet potato fries and avoid them. If you must consume sweet potatoes, it is better cooked because it is rich in fiber and contains lots of nutrients.
Finally, it is clear now that most of these foods that cause constipation are foods we consume daily. People need to be aware of these kinds of food so that they could consume with caution. It is better to consume more fiber oriented foods as it aids digestion and prevents constipation.