5 Fruits to Eat When You are Constipated

According to Medicinenet, constipation is defined medically as having fewer than 3 stools per week.

Constipation means different things to different individuals. For many people, it can simply means infrequent passage of feces. For others, however, it can mean difficulty passing stools (straining), hard stools, or a sense of incomplete emptying after a bowel movement. The cause of each constipation varies, so the approach to each type should be tailored to each specific patient.

5 Fruits to Eat for Constipation:

1. Berries

For a sweet constipation remedy, choose from the luscious blackberries, strawberries and raspberries. These are all examples of fruits that contain a good amount of fiber.

Just 1 cup of fresh strawberries provides 3 grams of fiber, 1 cup blackberries will provide 7.6 grams, and 1 cup raspberries 8 grams. Also, berries are low in calories, therefore you can eat a big bowl of plain berries with low-fat whipped cream for your dessert, add them into pancakes or into your breakfast cereal.

2. Kiwis

If slow bowels are your problem, research showed that the high-fiber kiwi fruit may be the fruit you are looking for. A study by researchers in the Pacific Asia reported that Irritable Bowel Symdrome sufferers who consumed 2 kiwis a day for 4 weeks experienced less constipation and a general lessening of IBS symptoms, as compared to those who did not.

3. Papaya aka Paw-Paw

Papaya are originally from Central America, but is being cultivated today in most tropical countries. It was called as the “fruit of the angels” by Christopher Columbus, and is a true nutritional powerhouse. Also, it is a great food to add into your diet if you are suffering from digestive issues, in particular constipation.

Papaya is known to be one of the best fruit sources of vitamin C, which helps soften the stool. Papaya contains even more vitamin C than oranges. But vitamin C is not the only benefit that makes papaya effective in promoting digestive health. Papaya contains papain, which is a known protein-digesting enzyme, as well as a number of other active compounds that have been reported to ease constipation. Papain is more concentrated in green unripe papaya, than in ripe papaya. Green papaya, which are readily available in Asian food stores, can be added into your salads.

4. Pears

Pears do not get enough credit, which is quite surprising considering these fruits are loaded with vitamins and antioxidants. Also, they are one of the most fibrous fruits, therefore adding them into your diet is another way to ease any discomfort you may be experiencing in the bathroom.

Just 1 medium pear with the skin on, will give you 5 1/2 grams of fiber, therefore if you eat 2, you are close to half of your daily fiber intake.

5. Prunes

Prunes, or if you prefer a tastier sounding name, dried plums are the first food you thought of, right? And there’s a reason prunes are famous.

First, prunes are rich in fiber. This nutrient is what increases the bulk of your stool, so it can move along on its way.

Just 1 prune contains about 1 gram of fiber, which is a concentrated amount. Also, prunes contain sorbitol and fructans, which are fermentable sugars that can have a laxative effect.