Eating several kiwi fruit a day can help relieve constipation and is a better starting point than worrying about a high-fibre diet, according to new guidance for doctors on the condition.
The advice says drinking water high in minerals is better for constipation than tap water, and magnesium oxide supplements are good for improving symptoms.
Dr Dimidi recommends eating two or three kiwis throughout the day or 8-10 prunes to improve constipation.
The fibre in kiwi fruit affects the gut in a way which increases the volume of stool, which can also induce contractions in the bowel.
Mineral water “is better than tap water” to drink, she says, although bottled water in the UK is lower in minerals than water available elsewhere, such as eastern Europe.
According to new guidelines for physicians on the condition, eating a few kiwi fruits each day can help relieve constipation and is a better place to start than worrying about a high-fibre diet.
It is advised that magnesium oxide supplements can help alleviate constipation symptoms and that drinking mineral-rich water is preferable to tap water.
The standard recommendation to “just have more fibre in your diet” is not the only way to get things moving, according to researchers from King’s College London who created the guidelines after reviewing all available data.
One in ten people suffer from persistent constipation, which can significantly lower one’s quality of life.
The NHS states that if you haven’t had a bowel movement (poo) in the past week or if you’re not going as frequently as you usually do, you are constipated.
Constipation symptoms can also include straining on the toilet or feeling as though your bowels haven’t been completely emptied, but these aren’t the only ones.
“People can report up to 30 different symptoms of constipation,” adds Dr. Eirini Dimidi, King’s College London (KCL) reader in nutritional sciences and lead study author.
According to the new recommendations, the best course of action is to prioritize fruit and beverages over the newest probiotic on the market or stuffing your diet with various forms of fiber, she says.
Dr. Dimidi suggests eating eight to ten prunes or two or three kiwis throughout the day to relieve constipation.
Does the kiwi have its skin on or off?
“It’s good and contains fiber even without the skin,” she says, adding that there’s no harm in leaving the skin on.
Because of the way the fiber in kiwi fruit affects the gut, it can cause bowel contractions and increase the volume of stool.
In addition, Dr. Dimidi states that “kiwis also increase water content into the gut which may soften stools.”.
The same effect can be obtained by snacking on 8–10 prunes per day along with some rye bread.
Despite the fact that bottled water in the UK has fewer minerals than water from other regions, like eastern Europe, she claims that mineral water “is better than tap water” to drink.
The laxative-acting magnesium is the essential mineral. And for that reason, the study found that taking supplements of magnesium oxide had many advantages.
These included easing bloating, straining, lower abdominal pain, and making bowel movements easier.
There is a lack of research on the effects of numerous probiotic strains, but the guidelines indicate that certain types may help with specific symptoms.
