No doubt now-a-days constipation is becoming a growing concern due to the changing food habits and the environment and lifestyle of most people. Constipation is infrequent bowel movements with passing of very hard, dry stools. It can be a very stressful process and may require enemas, suppositories, or laxatives to regulate normal bowel movements. Constipation can be considered as a symptom rather than a disease and can affect people of any age group.
What Can Cause Constipation?
- Less fibre intake
- Less water intake
- Few medications (e.g. Iron pills, calcium supplements, anticonvulsants, antidepressants, antihistamines, and diuretics)
- Hypothyroidism
- Parkinson’s disease
- Colon cancer
- Pregnancy
- Less physical activity
- Depression
- Eating disorders
12 Foods You Should Skip to Avoid Constipation
Diet changes can bring about a great difference in the health of your intestines and digestive system. Now here are 12 foods that you should definitely avoid if you are troubled with the problem of constipation.
#1: Chocolate
Chocolate should be an absolute NO. The fat present in chocolate can make the digestion process slow thereby slowing down muscle contractions and thus, the movement of food in bowel.
#2: Dairy Products
Dairy products like cheese, ice-cream and milk if consumed in large amounts can cause constipation. The high content of fat, low fibre content and the presence of lactose in the dairy products can cause bloating and gas. People suffering from constipation should thus be careful about the consumption of dairy products.
#3: Red Meat
Red meat contains high levels of fat and consists of hard protein fibres, both of which can make the work of digestive system tough. Red meat is also rich in iron which is the key constipation-causing element if present in more-than-required quantity in the body.
#4: Bananas
Depending on the ripeness, bananas can be a reason for constipation as well as for providing relief from it. Green or unripe bananas contain large amount of starch which is difficult for the body to digest and thus, cause constipation.
#5: Caffeine
Consumption of high amount of caffeine especially when the body feels dehydrated tends to cause constipation.
#6: Fast Foods
Fast foods like chips, pasta, fries, onion rings, frozen dinners, and hamburgers are processed foods containing no natural fibre content in them. Lack of fibre makes it difficult for the body to digest these food items easily thus leading to the problem of constipation.
#7: Cookies
Cookies and other refined carbohydrates like cakes and pastries are found to be low in fluid and fibre content and high in fat which again is hard work for the digestive system and can cause constipation.
#8: Iron-Rich Foods
High quantity of iron in the body can lead to constipation. Men especially should check their multivitamin supplements to know how much amount of iron these supplements contain. People suffering with the problem of constipation should avoid iron rich foods like liver, mussels, and oysters.
#9: Alcoholic Beverages
Constipation can also be caused by intake of excessive amount of alcohol. One drink for women and two drinks for men is generally fine.
#10: Laxative overuse
If stimulant laxatives are used for a prolonged period of time in order to manage constipation, then it’s not a good sign because your body will then totally rely on them to function properly. They should not be taken for more than the prescribed time.
#11: Antacids
Antacids are good against heartburns but few can lead to constipation, mainly those containing calcium and aluminium.
#12: Others
Foods containing white flour, white sugar, baking soda/ yeasted bread, white rice or baking powder should be consumed in limited amounts or else they can lead to digestive troubles.
By Aditi Tyagi, Editor at Tech-Hunt IT Innovation Pvt. Ltd. loves to read and share about healthcare. Aditi recommends interested readers to check out more amazing health tips at AarogyaData.
Photo By – Global Food Book
Hi Matt,This is what you’d expect from soneome who is in energy deficit. When you’re hungry, food reward/palatability goes up. The responder group probably would have seen the same response if they had followed them long enough to lose significant weight. This happens because the homeostatic system is connected to, and influences, the reward system such that it motivates you to obtain and consume food (particularly energy dense food) when energy stores are low.