Five fruits high in fiber

The importance of fiber to ease constipation

To prevent and treat constipation, it is very important to include a lot of fiber in your diet. Fiber are substances present in the cellular wall of vegetables, which act by increasing fecal volume, which in turn increases the reflex stimulation that activates the peristalsis that pushes feces to the last portion of the big intestine (the colon). Moreover, fiber retains liquid, which makes feces become softer and can be expelled easily.

What is peristalsis?

The digestive process works constantly to provide our body with the nutrients it needs. Peristalsis is an important automatic process that happens in the body in which the muscles present throughout the whole digestive system are contracted and relaxed in a coordinated manner in order to mix foods with digestive liquids, pushing waste material until they are ready to be expelled.

Constipation can present itself when peristalsis fails and waste is not expelled normally.

Having a diet high in fiber favors the weight increase of fecal matter and acts by softening the feces, facilitating its expulsion and alleviating constipation.

Fruits: source of fiber

Fruits, other than being rich in minerals and vitamins and being beneficial for our organism, they are an excellent source of fiber collaborating to regulate bowel function and fighting against constipation. Within this group, we give you the properties of five fruits that possess high levels of fiber.

Raspberry:

This fruit provides a great amount of fiber (8g of fiber per cup (raw)). Also, it is a good source of vitamin C and minerals that are beneficial to the body, such as, potassium, magnesium, and calcium.

Pear:

Pear is a delicious fruit that provides a lot of water and of consumption for everyone. The amount of fiber a medium sized pear possesses is, raw, 5,5g.

Plum:

The plum is rich in water and carbohydrates, such as, sorbitol, which helps stimulate bowel muscle activity. It is ideal to include during breakfast, they can be eaten fresh, as prunes, in compote, or jam. Its fiber supply is 100g, for prunes it is 16g.

Apple:

The apple is one of the most complete fruits, it has great hydrating power because it contains a great amount of water and provides 4.5g of fiber per medium unit. It should be eaten raw and with the skin.

Orange:

The fiber supply of a medium orange is 3.0g. It is a highly recommended fruit for pregnant women, since in addition to preventing constipation it provides folic acid, a vitamin essential for the proper development of the baby.

It is important to consume fruits in their natural state, without peeling those that can be eaten with the skin and not exceeding the daily fiber intake (20-30g.) so as to avoid discomfort, such as gas and bloating.

Constipation