Foods and Ingredients That Help With Bowel Movements

Constipation is one of the common problems of modern people. Bad living habits and unhealthy daily diet lead to an increasing incidence of constipation. In daily life, you must learn to adjust your diet, achieve a reasonable diet, and a combination of meat and vegetables, so as to keep the intestines smooth. Let's take a look at the foods and ingredients for bowel cleansing and defecation. Why are there some foods? The ingredients are especially able to promote smooth bowel movements?

Dietary fiber.

Some dietary fibers are soluble in water and some are insoluble. Soluble dietary fiber, such as pectin, can increase the water content of stool, while insoluble dietary fiber, such as cellulose and lignin, can increase the weight of stool, and can also mechanically stimulate the inner wall of the intestine to promote peristalsis. Some dietary fiber can be utilized by intestinal microorganisms (fermentable type), such as β-glucan and inulin, etc., after decomposition, gas and some metabolites will be produced, which will also stimulate intestinal peristalsis. And those that cannot be utilized (non-fermented type) are firmly increased for poop.

For a good laxative effect, the best strategy is to eat a mix of soluble and insoluble fiber, fermentable and non-fermentable fiber.

Sugar alcohol.

The common ones are sorbitol, xylitol, erythritol, maltitol, lactitol and so on. In particular, sorbitol not only appears in sugar-free foods, but also in many natural fruits and vegetables. Sugar alcohols are difficult to digest. Mixing them in the stool can increase the water content of the stool and can also be fermented by intestinal microorganisms.

Fructose.

It is only useful for people with fructose enzyme deficiency problem, they cannot fully digest fructose, and the remaining fructose reaches the colon all the way, because it is very absorbent, it can also add a lot of water to the stool. Some people drink honey and have a good laxative effect, also because of the high fructose content in honey.

The above ingredients are found in many foods, but only a few foods can stand out and become the leaders in the thinning world. They either win by quantity, or they are masters of multiple ingredients. For example:

1. Prunes. Soluble dietary fiber + insoluble dietary fiber + sorbitol + phenolic substances.

Compared with fresh prunes, the effect of eating dried prunes is more obvious. Every 100g of dried prunes has 7g of dietary fiber (both soluble and insoluble), and as much as 14.7g of sorbitol. In addition, there are studies that suggest that chlorogenic acid, a phenolic substance contained in prunes, can be metabolized by intestinal microflora to form caffeic acid, which stimulates the proliferation of bifidobacteria, and also has a certain effect on preventing constipation. Phenolic substances are widely found in fruits and vegetables, grains, coffee, tea, and wine. Although they cannot directly cause changes in stool, they are related to the proliferation of intestinal flora. Many clinical trials have confirmed the laxative effect of prunes. On average, eating 1g of dried prunes can increase the stool by 1.7g, and the frequency of defecation also increases, and there is no obvious discomfort.

2. Kiwi. High in fiber + phenols.

Every 100g of kiwi contains 1.4g-3.0g of dietary fiber, of which 1/3 is soluble fiber, and the other 2/3 is insoluble fiber, and is rich in phenolic substances. There are also many clinical studies that have confirmed that kiwi has the effect of increasing the volume and frequency of defecation, and the usual dosage is 2 per day.

3. Dragon fruit. Dietary fiber + small black seeds.

Dragon fruit is rich in soluble dietary fiber, and the small black seeds, which have a compact structure and can basically be discharged as they are, also have the effect of promoting intestinal peristalsis.

4. Chia seeds flaxseed.

Chia seeds have up to 40% dietary fiber, and flaxseeds have 30%. Friends who have eaten chia seeds know that when they are added to water, they will absorb water and expand several times. This strong water-carrying ability is also the key to laxative.

There are also some formulas for smooth bowel movements, which will also be introduced to you:

Pear. High fructose + high sorbitol + high insoluble cellulose.

The insoluble fiber content of pears can be as high as 9%. And under the help of high fructose and sorbitol, especially used on an empty stomach, the laxative effect is excellent.

Konjac.

Konjac is rich in dietary fiber, among which a large amount of glucomannan is special, which is highly water-absorbing and highly viscous in dietary fiber, so the laxative effect is also excellent. In recent years, studies have shown that supplementation can effectively improve the symptoms of constipation in adults, children, and pregnant women.

I can understand why everyone is obsessed with thinning formulas. Indeed, constipation is a relatively common problem. You can occasionally use thinning formulas to relieve discomfort, but don’t think that thinning can bring weight loss, detoxification, and beauty effects. Excessive thinning can also bring health hazards. It is recommended to adjust the dietary structure, drink plenty of water, eat more whole grains, vegetables and fruits to increase the dietary fiber intake from natural foods, and exercise properly to prevent constipation. Also don't over diet, after all, if you don't eat anything, of course you have nothing to defecate!