Hey there, viewers! Today, we’re going to talk about poop.
That’s right. Or lack thereof actually. How often do you deal with constipation?
Doctors define constipation as having bowel movements less than three times a week.
This has a direct relationship with what you’re putting in your stomach.
In today's video, let’s discuss 12 foods to avoid if you have constipation.
Is bread on that list? What about cheese and other dairy products? Let's discuss it all.
1. Bananas
This fruit creates confusion when it comes to constipation.
Let's clear it up. Your banana needs to be ripe. An unripe banana, often called plantain,
is responsible for “blocking your pipes”, if you will. As a result, what comes in, won’t go out.
This is because of the starch in bananas. The more ripe it is, the less starch there will be.
Another compound called pectin, a specialized dietary fiber, can absorb water from your stool.
This is why having bananas when you're dehydrated can be a pretty bad idea.
So if you have a banana milkshake before bed, you’ll have a tough time emptying
your gut the next morning. Babies can also get constipated when they have bananas.
How do you like to eat bananas? Sound off in the comments below,
and start a conversation with our Bestie community...
2. Red Meat
Sorry, steak lovers. With your stomach being sensitive,
you’ll have to keep your hands off that juicy piece of steak.
Red meat is bad for the body in many ways. It's not good for your heart, liver, or your colon.
Red meat has too much fat and tough proteins. The fiber in it is also pretty low. The entire
thing is a stubborn lump that refuses to move through your gut. This makes it hard to digest.
Red meat is extremely rich in iron. Foods high in iron can generally be constipating.
Swap red meat with white meat or lean protein.
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3. White Bread
White bread is tasty for sure, especially with those sandwiches and burgers. It may
taste great on your tongue, but might not be that awesome for
your gut. That's why most health freaks have started eating multigrain bread.
Whole grains help relieve constipation, while white bread acts the opposite way.
The huge amount of starch present in white bread can back you up. Choose your bread wisely. This
goes for other bakery breads that use all-purpose flour-like bagels, crackers, pretzels, etc.
The fiber in whole grains makes the multigrain loaf so much better. Plain white flour has
no fiber whatsoever. Processing takes away any healthy stuff you might get.
The white flour will have no fiber to add bulk to the stools,
which keeps it from moving through. Studies have shown that adding one
gram of fiber to your diet can reduce constipation by 2 times the amount.
However, some folks may not benefit from this additional fiber, which can make things worse. If
you’re already eating lots of fiber despite being constipated, you might want to have less of it.
4. White Rice
It’s no secret that Asian, Italian, American and Mexican diets all love rice.
It's difficult to remember family get-togethers without a pot of rice on the dinner table.
White rice is a culinary playground that can provide comfort food to anyone.
But in reality, this white rice can cause constipation.
Go for a portion of brown rice instead. Brown rice is an unprocessed grain. Taste-wise,
it’s more or less similar to white rice. Nutrition-wise, it’s far better.
Just 1 cup of brown rice will contain 3.5 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein.
5. Alcohol Is your dinner always accompanied by
a few beers or a bottle of wine? You might want to slow down a little if it’s making you constipated.
Alcohol is a known dehydrator. It takes all the water from your body and throws
it out in the form of urine and sweat. It can also slow down your digestion,
irritate the bowels, and worsen your symptoms.
With no water in the gut, your stool is bound to harden and can’t pass out of your body smoothly.
This is why it’s always wise to watch how much you chug. Having a glass of water in
between two drinks will help. You can also try energy drinks to stop loading up on booze.
Alcohol isn't great for your liver either. Here are 6 early signs of liver damage you
need to know about. Now back to our discussion on 12 foods to avoid if you have constipation...
6. Persimmons (per-simmon)
Never heard of it? Well let’s fill you in. Persimmon is a relatively new fruit
to America. It’s popular in East Asian countries.
The sweeter the persimmons are, the higher amount of tannins it
will have. This chemical slows down the movement of food in your gut,
allowing it to stay there for a long time. This makes you constipated.
7. Caffeine
Coffee can be a double-edged sword. It's really surprising how it can
make a few people run to the bathroom, while causing constipation in others.
Some believe that having too much coffee can give you symptoms similar to that of diarrhea.
This is good news for those struggling to go to the bathroom, but it’s not necessarily true.
Coffee is considered a diuretic. This means drinking too much can leave you
dehydrated by removing excess water from your body. Your body will now
require even more water to flush out that hardened waste sitting in your colon.
8. Gluten
Gluten is a type of protein found in most grains like wheat, barley and rye.
Some people experience really bad constipation after eating these foods.
People who are sensitive to gluten, or have gluten intolerance, will generally have celiac disease.
It's also quite possible that you have non-celiac gluten sensitivity,
so in that case, you need to consult your doctor and make the necessary changes.
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that requires you to follow a gluten-free
diet. Your immune system attacks the gut and affects the way it functions.
Give your gut a break from gluten-rich foods and allow it to heal. Spend a couple of extra
minutes at the grocery store and pick out those products that have gluten-free labels on them.
It’s the best way to replace traditional bread and pasta.
9. Chewing Gum
A breath freshener can be a lifesaver, especially after lots of garlic.
Having one or two pieces in a day is totally safe. But you should never exceed the number.
If you swallow it by mistake, that’s where the real problems start. There were so many
gross stories growing up about swallowing chewing gum. People would say it takes years
to digest and go through your system. Good thing most of these stories aren’t true.
However, if you swallow too many pieces of gum in a very short time,
it leads to constipation. Chewing gum cannot be digested completely, just like the seeds
of fruits and vegetables. When you’re done chewing your gum, make sure you spit it out.
10. Chocolate
Most of us love a good piece of chocolate,
but we don’t realize just how bad it is for us at times. The reason chocolate bars
are so tasty is because of the high amount of fat mixed in during their preparation.
Chocolate is an off-limit food for constipated people,
especially those suffering from irritable bowel syndrome.
The food you eat is pushed forward by synchronized muscle contractions called peristalsis
(paris-stall-sis). The fat in the chocolate will affect digestion by slowing down this
parasitic movement. As a result, the undigested waste products will not be pushed ahead easily.
It's alright to have a piece or two once in a while,
but having a few slabs of chocolate in one sitting can be punishment for your colon.
11. Dairy Do you make your
kids drink glasses of milk just to level up on calcium? This practice isn’t always good for them.
Children, infants, and toddlers have shown sensitivity to some of the proteins in cow's
milk that cause constipation. A study showed that replacing cow's milk with soy milk eases
out the symptoms of constipation in many kids. This is also shown to work on adults.
It can be difficult to cook without using milk products like cheese, yogurt, butter,
etc. But try your best to look through the grocery store for alternatives.
12. Processed Food
Junk foods like chips, cookies, burgers and fries are plainly addictive.
It requires lots of self-control to understand when to stop having them.
These foods are fried and have lots of fat that your body doesn’t require.
With too much fat and low fiber content, it's difficult to get things moving in your gut.
Not only does junk food lack fiber, it lacks most of the nutrients as well. Despite this,
it does not stop us from mindlessly filling ourselves up on junk food.
Frozen dinners are nice for when you don't have the time to cook. But having them
regularly can be harmful to the body. It's not just because they lack fiber,
but also because they’re high on salt. Too much salt can be bad for your heart.
Instead, plan all your meals at the beginning of the week.
You can make burger patties at home from ground turkey or even veggie patties. Don't forget to
slip it in between whole-grain wheat buns. Swap those oily potato fries with baked sweet potato
fries. The skin’s high fiber will give you great results. Just snacking on raw veggies
and fresh fruits can be so satisfying. It matches the crunch of those potato chips.
It takes real courage to say no to junk food. But do eating fruits and veggies guarantee
you great health? Let's keep the conversation going, with a couple of more videos, shall we?
Watch 13 easy ways to control food cravings and lose fat quicker.
Or 8 healthy fruits you should be eating, and 8 you shouldn’t!
Go ahead, click one. Or better yet, watch both, and learn more about eating
right. Do you know any other foods that cause constipation? Let us know in the comments below!