Taking supplements for calcium and iron can also cause constipation in some people. Therefore, always make sure that you add a lot of fiber from fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet if you’re taking these supplements to avoid constipation.” Besides this, there are certain foods that may cause constipation when eaten in excess or at the wrong time.
You may have heard that bananas are full of fiber and help for easy motion, but we are talking about unripe bananas here. “Unripe bananas with the green skin can cause constipation as they are high in starch which makes your body work harder to digest then and therefore, they move sluggishly through the digestive tract.”
Can’t get through your day without too many cups of tea and coffee? It’s time to make a few changes. Too much caffeine can cause constipation. “Caffeine stimulates your colon but too much of it can also cause dehydration which can leave you constipated,”.
“White bread has a high content of starch and can lead to delayed digestion. This may slower your bowel movements and cause constipation. Opt for multi-grain or whole wheat bread if you want to. Also, instead of consuming plain buttered toast, make a sandwich with fresh veggies to add fiber to your meal.
Refined ingredients like white flour or maida, white rice and food items made with it such as cookies and pasta have little fiber and can contribute to constipation. Fiber-less refined flour basically acts like glue in your intestine which can hamper digestion and delay your bowel movements. “Limit your intake and when you have them try combing them with fiber-rich foods like pasta with sauteed vegetables or a vegetable pulao.
One of the most common symptoms of gluten intolerance may be constipation. Even if you are slightly averse to gluten, consuming foods that contain it may slow down your digestion which can ultimately lead to constipation. So, if you’ve been feeling constipated quite often, pay attention to all that you have been eating on a daily basis and a consult a doctor if you feel you could be gluten intolerant.
Apples are full or fiber and are great to relieve constipation when eaten early morning. However, when consumed at night, the same pectin fiber it contains interferes with your intestinal digestive functions and leaves you constipated in the morning. Eating too much soluble fiber can also cause constipation because it dissolves in water before being excreted. So, if you don’t drink enough water you may end up being constipated even after having a fiber-rich diet. Apple peels contain insoluble fiber while the flesh is full of soluble fiber. Therefore, there’s a higher chance of being constipated if you eat peeled apples at night.
You may be a chocolate lover, but anything in excess can affect your health. Chocolate is high on fat and contains almost no fiber. It can slow down your digestion process and the passage of food through the colon.
You should also avoid consuming too many processed foods as they contain high amounts of sodium, fats and sugars that take much longer to digest, can put an extra load on your kidneys and lead to constipation.
