by Peter Sedesse

Created on: March 15, 2010

Constipation is the reduction in frequency of bowel movements in an individual.  Constipation is caused when not enough water is present in the stool and the stool becomes hard.  There are a few different reasons for this happening that are related to the foods we eat.  The first major cause of constipation is dehydration.  If a person is dehydrated, the body will pull extra water out of food as it passes through the large intestines.  This will result in the stool becoming hard.  Another nutritional cause of constipation is not enough fiber in the diet.  Fiber is not digested, but instead passes through the intestines.  When fiber is present, the body is able to pass food at an appropriate rate.  Lack of fiber in the diet slows down the passage of food and allows too much water to be extracted.  The final cause of constipation is that certain foods just do not move quickly through the intestines.  These foods if eaten in high amounts, can cause the intestines to back up.

Dehydration is a major cause of constipation, therefore foods that contribute to dehydration will cause the stool to become hard and difficult to pass.  Excess salt is a big contributor to dehydration.  If the body contains excess salt, it uses water to flush that salt out of the body in urine.  Other foods that contribute to dehydration include coffee, tea, carbonated beverages and excessively sweet food.  In the same way as salt, all of these foods contain substances that the body needs to get rid of.  The way the body does this is through excessive urination resulting in dehydration and constipation.

Red meat is a food that is a leading cause of constipation.  Both the fats and proteins found in red meat are hard to digest, this causes them to enter the large intestines more intact than most foods.  Because of the way the large intestines work, the fat found in red meat is not pushed through the intestines at a fast rate, which causes excess water to be pulled from the food.

In much the same way dairy products are a food that contribute to constipation. This is especially true of many types of cheeses.  The cheese is not digested quickly enough by the stomach and small intestines, and enters the large intestines where it is not pushed along quickly. Other dairy products have a similar effect, but to a lesser extent.

The final food type that causes constipation is processed food.  Again, the body just does not digest the food quickly enough and it enters the large intestine slowly. The main reason for this is the body does not have digestive enzymes that target man-made foods.  Once in the large intestines, the food moves very slowly as water is extracted.

The best way to avoid constipation is to make sure your body is hydrated and to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables which contain fiber.  Fiber is not digested, but unlike the foods mentioned above, when fiber enters the large intestines it moves at a rapid rate and pushes other food along.  Because of this, the correct amount of water is removed from the food and constipation is avoided

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