REASONS FOR CONSTIPATION
red meat
Red meat is a rich source of iron and poor source of fiber. A match made in heaven to trigger constipation. In addition to the already existing high dosage of fat it contains much tougher protein fibers which in combination makes it way longer for the GI tract (digestive tract) to process the food. Tip: try adding fiber-rich foods like beans, lentil, peas or salad along with red meat to avoid constipation.
Caffeine, technically not an addictive, is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant. Coffee, when consumed, stays in the blood for about 5 hours or longer. During this time it may dehydrate the colon from inside and make it tough for stool to pass smoothly. It is not recommended for heart patients, pregnant or lactating women to consume caffeine products as a natural laxative. Tip: always drink a glass of water before and after consuming your coffee to keep the water levels balanced.
coffee
liquor
Like coffee, liquor can increase the amount of fluids lost through your urine, causing dehydration and ultimately resulting in constipation. This may also irritate the bowel or drastically slow down the digestion process. Frequent consumption of alcohol without enough intake of water can take your constipation to the next level. Tip: try to limit your alcohol intake and drink water or energy drinks in between your alcoholic drinks.
Chocolate may cause constipation to some people. It is not because of the presence of cocoa but other ingredients like Milk, Caffeine & High Sugar that makes it one of the sources of constipation. Milk makes the metabolism slow, caffeine causes dehydration and sugar is tough on bowels and harder to breakdown for digestion. Tip: avoid taking chocolate for a few days and observe your bowel behavior. If the problem still continues and seek a doctor's advise.
chocolate
lactose
All the dairy products - milk, cheese, yogurt and ice cream have one thing in common - Lactose. The presence of lactose (rich in fat and low in fiber) in the body leads to the swelling of the intestinal lining. This leads to a binding feeling in the stomach eventually resulting in constipation. On the contrary, those who are lactose intolerant are likely to have severe diarrhea or stomach pain. Tip: try taking soy milk instead of cow's milk and observe bowel.
Processed grains (wheat flour) and its products such as white bread, white rice and white pasta or Pizza are low in nutritional value. That is because the bran and germ parts of the grain are removed during flour grinding or milling process. This process also reduces most of the protein, vitamins. In particular, the bran contains fiber, a nutrient that adds bulk to stool and helps it move along. Tip: try switching to brown bread, brown rice, whole wheat pasta or whole grain products.
white flour
banana
One needs to be careful while choosing the right color banana. Unripe bananas have high levels of resistant starch which is hard for the colon to digest. As bananas age their antioxidant level increases and slowly starch brakes down into sugar changing its color from green to yellow to brown. A fully brown banana might be high in sugar but is an antioxidant powerhouse. Yellow bananas contain high fiber (pectin). One medium sized banana contains about 3 grams of fiber. It draws water from the intestines toward the stool and improve its movement through our digestive tract.
Broccoli is calciferous vegetables and high in sulfur compounds. This makes it hard to digest and resulting in gas in your stomach. A diet rich in sulfur can lead to flatulence with a higher percentage of hydrogen sulfide. Broccoli also contains a fair amount raffinose. Human enzymes cannot break down raffinose into sugar. The bacteria in the colon turn raffinose into a gas called methane. It can easily slow down the digestion and cause bloating and discomfort of releasing gas frequently.Tip: Small amounts of broccoli (steamed) shouldn’t be a problem for a healthy digestive system.
broccoli
supplements
These days it not uncommon to be moderately depending on some kind of dietary supplements. People with anemia usually depend on iron supplements, pregnant women on calcium to avoid osteoporosis, office goers on Vitamin D to compensate the lack of sun exposure. All these supplements have been proved to cause mild to severe levels of constipation among those who consume it regularly. Tip: consume plenty of water so that the supplement residue and be washed out from your body everyday.
Frozen Meals are often proved to be the last minute life savers for a few of us but it can do more harm than good in the long run. In order to make food last longer in that box, the manufactures have to take out extra thread of fiber present in it. Further, it needs a heavy coating of an unhealthy oil and sodium to protect it from bacteria. All of these ingredients are hard to digest the same day and can easily cause constipation. Tip: try to replace frozen meals with more freshly made take away meals which may be a little extra on your pocket.
