Are bananas the "feces pusher" of the intestines? You need these foods to have a pleasant poop

For people who often suffer from constipation, going to the toilet is the most painful thing, for fear that if they exert too much force, their "chrysanthemum will be broken and the ground will be covered with wounds." In order to relieve constipation, they seek various kinds of help, among which the most commonly used method is "eating bananas."

But experienced people will find that if you eat unripe bananas, the tannic acid contained in them will not only fail to relieve constipation, but will aggravate constipation.

In order to solve the pain of constipated people who are eager to poop, this article sorts out 6 major types of food. If you want to have a pleasant poop, eating them will be more effective.

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Foods rich in dietary fiber

If you want to avoid constipation, dietary fiber is a must in your diet. Dietary fiber is divided into water-soluble dietary fiber and insoluble dietary fiber, both of which play an important role in preventing constipation.

Water-soluble dietary fiber: It has the characteristics of absorption and expansion. After absorbing water, not only will the volume increase, but it can also keep the stool soft and promote the proliferation of beneficial bacteria in the intestines, which is beneficial to intestinal health.

Insoluble dietary fiber: Although it cannot absorb water, it can promote the mechanical movement of the intestines and thus promote the excretion of feces from the body.

Therefore, in order to prevent constipation, you must consume sufficient dietary fiber in your diet. According to the recommendations in the "2013 Edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents Nutrient Reference Intake", Chinese adults should consume 25 to 30 grams of dietary fiber every day. However, the "White Paper on Dietary Fiber Intake of Chinese Residents" shows that the dietary fiber intake of Chinese adults is generally insufficient and is showing a downward trend. The average dietary fiber intake per person is only 13.3 grams per day, and less than 5% of the population can reach the recommended amount. We really need to work hard in this regard.

Vegetables high in dietary fiber: celery, water spinach, leek, enoki mushroom, fungus, broccoli, kale, eggplant, and purple cabbage.

Fruits high in dietary fiber: kumquat, Korla pear, kiwi, carambola, guava, pomegranate, blueberry, banana, and pear.

Grains high in dietary fiber: bran, quinoa, wheat germ, barley, buckwheat.

Foods Rich in Beta-Glucan

β-glucan is actually a type of water-soluble dietary fiber. It can absorb water and swell, enhance satiety, promote gastrointestinal motility, and prevent constipation.

In addition, β-glucan can enhance insulin sensitivity and maintain stable blood sugar levels after meals; it can also lower "bad cholesterol" in the body, increase "good cholesterol", help control blood lipids, and prevent cardiovascular diseases.

Foods rich in β-glucan are recommended to be oats and barley. You can use them to replace 1/3~2/3 of the white rice, soak them in clean water the night before, seal them and put them in the refrigerator. When you cook them the next day, the texture will be chewy and super delicious.

Foods Rich in Inulin

Inulin, also known as inulin, is a type of soluble dietary fiber that can promote the proliferation of beneficial intestinal bacteria and improve the intestinal environment. Some studies have shown that inulin helps regulate blood sugar.

Inulin is also very helpful in improving constipation, and can effectively increase the water content of stool and increase the frequency of bowel movements. Data show that if constipated patients can consume 15 grams of inulin every day, they will feel smoother bowel movements after 2 weeks, and their constipation symptoms will be significantly relieved, and the odor will also be significantly reduced. [1]

For healthy people, consuming too much inulin may cause bloating if consuming 20g/day, and may cause diarrhea if the intake exceeds 30g/day. [1]

Garlic, dandelion petals, and asparagus shoots are all foods rich in inulin. Although garlic tastes spicy, it does not need to be eaten raw. When cooking, add more garlic and it will not be spicy when cooked.

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Foods rich in sorbitol

Sorbitol is found in many fruits and has an osmotic effect, which can increase the water content of feces, stimulate gastrointestinal motility, and promote defecation. However, if you eat too much, it can also cause diarrhea.

Foods rich in sorbitol include pears, apple pears, prunes, and peaches.

coffee

In life, many people need to drink a cup of coffee in the morning before they feel the urge to defecate.

Drinking coffee may help with bowel movements. One study conducted a small-scale test and recruited 16 volunteers. The volunteers were asked to drink 280 ml of espresso or warm water. The results showed that rectal tension increased by 45% 30 minutes after drinking coffee and 30% after drinking water. Although the difference between the two was not significant, it can also indicate that drinking coffee can irritate the intestines and affect bowel movements. [2]

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However, don't drink as much coffee as you can just because of this. Drinking too much coffee can cause insomnia, panic, temporary increase in blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, yellowing of teeth, and increased calcium loss.

The "Scientific Consensus on Coffee and Health" jointly issued by the Nutrition and Health Institute of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food Hygiene Branch of the Chinese Preventive Medicine Association and five other institutions recently recommended that the daily caffeine intake of ordinary adults should be controlled within 400 mg. This is equivalent to no more than 4 cups of pure coffee (150 ml/cup). If it is a small bag of 1.8-2g instant coffee, no more than 5 bags per day.

In addition, it is best for children and adolescents, the elderly, pregnant and breastfeeding people, people with hypertension, glaucoma patients, people with a genetic tendency to high intraocular pressure, and people with osteoporosis not to drink coffee.

water

If you want to defecate quickly, drinking water is also an important factor that cannot be ignored. Drinking more water can not only promote gastrointestinal motility, but also allow water-soluble dietary fiber to absorb enough water, so that the stool can be soft. If you drink very little water every day, the dietary fiber cannot absorb enough water, which will lead to dry and hard stools and difficult defecation.

According to the recommendations in the Chinese Dietary Guidelines, in a mild climate, women with light physical activity levels should drink 1,500 ml of water a day, and men should drink 1,700 ml of water, preferably boiled water. If you really don't like drinking tasteless water, you can also drink light tea or cut lemon slices and soak them in water.

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In addition to the 6 methods mentioned above, if you want to "poop" happily, you must insist on exercising, especially abdominal exercises, which can enhance the strength of the abdominal muscles, promote gastrointestinal motility, and help defecation; also, you must develop a habit of regular bowel movements, such as sitting on the toilet at 7 o'clock every morning, brewing the urge to defecate, don't look at your phone, concentrate on defecation, and after you get used to it, you will feel the urge to defecate at this time every day; if you don't feel the urge to defecate, don't wait too long.

In addition, do not hold your stool. If the feces are not discharged in time, the intestines will absorb the water in the feces, causing the feces to become drier and drier, increasing the risk of constipation.

Summary: If you want to poop without wearing the "mask of pain", these pooping methods that are more effective than bananas are all effective. Say goodbye to constipation!

References:

[1] Li Xuan, Luo Denglin, Xiang Jinle, Xu Baocheng, Li Peiyan, Xu Wei, Huang Jihong. Properties, functions and application progress of inulin in food[J]. Journal of the Chinese Cereals and Oils Association, 2021, 36(04): 185-192.

[2]Sloots CE, Felt-Bersma RJ, West RL, Kuipers EJ. Stimulation of defecation: effects of coffee use and nicotine on rectal tone and visceral sensitivity. Scand J Gastroenterol. 2005 Jul;40(7):808-13. doi: 10.1080/00365520510015872. PMID: 16109656.

Author: Xue Qingxin, registered nutritionist

Review | Zhang Na, Associate Researcher, Doctoral Supervisor, Peking University School of Public Health

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