Does Dates Help With Constipation?
Today constipation is a common problem which almost every person is having. Constipation now becomes part of their routine life which they think it is normal and they don’t take medicine for it. But when this constipation causes there gastrointestinal tract upset than they think they should consult a doctor, and a doctor gave them a lot of medicines which act as laxatives. But these medicine effects are only temporary, show effects only when taken and then after this constipation come back with an aggravated form.
For solving this problem, one should deal it with the natural products like dates. Dates are said to have a good effect on relieving constipation. Not only with constipation, but it also had many other marvellous health benefits. When eating dates regularly many questions comes in mind that what are benefits of eating dates in the morning, what is the best time to eat dates, what benefits will get if dates are eaten empty stomach and what food should be avoided when constipated. Those who are reading this article will get all the answers of their question related with does dates help with constipation or not?
What is Constipation?
Constipation is defined as an ineffectual and unsatisfactory urging for the hard stool. Those people who have constipation always complains of straining while passing stool, with a sensation of always incomplete or partial evacuation of stool, with a perianal or abdominal discomfort. This discomfort may vary in person to person in form of different type of pain or heaviness in abdomen. When this constipation remains for prolong time than this may give rise to many other gastrointestinal diseases and other medical disorders.
Causes of Constipation
There are many causes for constipation. One of the major causes is modern living style due which our diet is not full of all essential requirement which is needed for the body for proper functioning. Here are the other causes for constipation
Gastrointestinal Disorders
- Dietary Factors - It includes a lack of fiber or fluid intake in the diet.
- Motility - It includes slow transit constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, drugs and chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction.
- Structural - It includes colonic carcinoma, diverticular disease, hirschsprung disease.
- Defecation - It includes obstructed defecation, anorectal diseases.
There are even many non-gastro intestinal causes are also present in which constipation is one of the symptoms.
What are Dates?
Dates are dry fruits of date palm tree. It is said to be the oldest cultivated fruits in the world. The shape of the fruit is oval or cylindrical in shape. There are many varieties of dates are present which can be categorized under three groups on the basis of sugar content in them. They are soft, semi dry and dried dates. These dates are almost the same but the difference is just in taste and size.
Does A Date Help with Constipation?
Those who know the benefits of eating dates will surely say yes dates help to deal with relieving constipation. The reasons are
- Dates are said to have a rich source for the dietary fibers which helps in the movement of bowel in the gut and thus relieve in constipation. Fibers in diet help in movement of food inside the intestine.
- This fiber content present in dates covers the fiber content which is required in our body for the passage of the stool and thus prevents the person from constipation.
- This fiber content present in dates adds the bulk to the stool which than help for the easily passage of the stool.
- These dates add water content in the stool which prevents stool from being hard and the consistency loose which then easily comes out and prevents constipation.
- For those who are chronic constipation sufferer, if they eat dates daily then these dates help in passing stool by making the passage of colon clear and removes the obstruction.
- These dates contain nicotine in them which helps in inhibiting the growth of the entire harmful organism which causes distress in the abdomen, and it promotes the growth of the entire organism which is helpful in the digestion of the food.
- These dates also contain amino acids in them which further helps in digestion and prevents constipation. Thus helps in absorption of all the essential nutrients required for the body.
- Dates are the dietary fibers which are rich in staple nutrients which help to relieve constipation and thus clear the passage of bowel.
- Not only dates contain fibers, they also have other essential nutrients like calcium, iron and potassium and many more with essential vitamins which all helps in digestion and prevent constipation.
- Dates are brown in colour, it is said that the food products which are brown in color help in improving the digestion, as they contain low glycaemic index means low sugar level which helps in preventing constipation and helps in proper absorption of food.
Dates not only for the people in constipation but also for the chronic constipation sufferer can have in their diet. As it acts as a natural laxative and prevents constipation. Those who are constipation sufferer besides going with heavy allopathic medicine, just start with dates regularly in their diet, they will know the benefits of eating dates. As this constipation is responsible for many other diseases also which are not even connected with the gastrointestinal tract.
What are The Benefits of Eating Dates in Morning?
Dates are rich in insoluble fibers which help in digestion of food. For constipation, it acts as a natural laxative. This laxative property helps in the normal bowel movement which relieves constipation because in the morning the process of assimilation is rapid. So it is advised to eat dates regularly and in empty stomach to get its benefits. So that one can avoid going with allopathic laxatives.
The best time to eat dates is in the early morning empty stomach so that the essential nutrients and insoluble fibers can be absorbed in the body properly.
Foods Avoid During Constipation
Next question which comes in the mind is what food should be avoided when constipated. So here is the list which everyone should know
- Unripe banana.
- Alcohol
- Gluten containing foods like wheat, barley, rye, spelt
- Processed grains like white bread, white rice and white pasta, cake, cookies, doughnuts, pizzas.
- Milk and milk products like cheese, milk, ice creams, yogurt
- Processed meat like bacon, hot dogs, sausage, and bologna.
- Fried foods
- Red meat
Best Dates for Constipation
For constipation, the best dates which are advised to have in which there is more amount of insoluble and soluble bulk of fibers. These fibers act as a laxative in a natural way. Beside this those dates which contain less amount of sugar content in it are said to be best dates for constipation.
So one should include dates in there morning breakfast which must be soaked in water for an overnight. It can be taken with warm milk, one can make shakes with dates and can enjoy a nutritious and healthy breakfast. By including dates in their routine life, one can prevent constipation. Constipation not only causes gastrointestinal distress but it also has an impact at a mental level too. So having dates in their diet one can easily understand the benefits of dates in the morning but they should eat dates in the empty stomach so that they can know the benefits of dates in empty stomach and this morning empty stomach is the best time to eat dates. With this, one should also know which food should be avoided when constipated otherwise this constipation can become a major health issue in their life.