Chronic constipation can be relieved by eating a daily serving of a 20p fruit, researchers have found.
A new study led by King’s College London found that eating two to three kiwis daily for at least four weeks can alleviate constipation.
Scientists looked at three random control trials involving 192 people, and found that the hairy green berry ‘significantly increased’ bowel movements by 0.36 movements per week.
The findings, which are part of the first ever evidence-based dietary guidelines for adults with chronic constipation, also identified rye bread and high mineral-content water as good for getting bowels moving naturally.
The guidelines, which have been published in the Journal of Human Nutrition & Dietetics and Neurogastroenterology & Motility, also show that taking psyllium fibre supplements, certain probiotic strains and magnesium oxide supplements can help to improve constipation.
However, other widely recommended approaches—namely ‘high-fibre diets,’ and senna supplements—were found to lack strong evidence of effectiveness.
The guidelines are endorsed by the British Dietetic Association (BDA), who hope that they will transform the way this common condition is managed by doctors, nurses and dietitians in clinical practice.
Furthermore, they can allow people suffering from constipation to better self-manage their symptoms through food and drink choices.
A daily serving of kiwi fruit can help beat constipation, a new study has found
Dr Eirini Dimidi, Reader in Nutritional Sciences at King’s College London and lead author, said: ‘Chronic constipation can have a huge impact on someone’s day-to-day life.
‘For the first time, we’ve provided direction on what dietary approaches could genuinely help, and which diet advice lacks evidence.
‘Being able to improve this condition through dietary changes would allow people to self-manage their symptoms more and, hopefully, improve their quality of life.’
A high-fibre diet has long been heralded as a way to prevent the onset of numerous diseases—as well as keep bowel movements regular.
It has been proven to help lower cholesterol, regulate blood sugars and decrease the risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers.
Fibre is vital for the healthy and normal functionality of the digestive system, as it helps digested food move through the intestines and bowel until it is expelled from the colon.
Dr Dimidi added: ‘Eating a high fibre diet offers many benefits to overall health and has been a go-to recommendation for constipation.
‘However, our guidelines found that there simply isn’t enough evidence to suggest it actually works in constipation specifically. Instead, our research reveals some new dietary strategies that could indeed help patients.
Constipation can cause painful bloating (file photo)
‘At the same time, we urgently need more high-quality trials to strengthen the evidence on what works and what doesn’t.’
According to a spokesperson from Kings College, what sets the new guidelines apart from existing recommendations is that they are based on numerous rigorous systematic reviews and meta-analyses.
A multidisciplinary panel of experts, including dietitians, and a nutritionist, gastroenterologist, gut physiologist, and a GP, reviewed over 75 clinical trials to create 59 recommendation statements and identify 12 research priorities.
The recommendations focus on constipation outcomes such as stool frequency, stool consistency, straining and quality of life/.
This makes them more practical for personalised care based on the specific symptoms each individual experiences.
And, to make sure that as many people as possible benefit from them, a clinician-friendly tool has also been developed to support the adoption of these guidelines in everyday practice across the world.
Around one in seven people suffer regularly with constipation, according to a major review of studies in the American Journal of Gastroenterology.
It is defined as passing stool less than three times a week; passing dry and hard stools (which might look like pellets or rabbit droppings); needing to push or strain; and having a swollen or full-feeling gut, even after going to the toilet.
Constipation is twice as common in women than men; this is due to a number of reasons, including women have slightly longer colons (so things simply take longer to move through); fluctuations in sex hormones that can slow the gut down and changes to the pelvic floor following pregnancy.
While constipation is common and often harmless, a persistent change in your usual bowel habits (especially if it comes with blood in your poo, unexplained weight loss, or ongoing tummy pain) can be a sign of something more serious.
