Foods That Cause Constipation
There are quite a few foods that cause constipation, and unfortunately most of them happen to be the ones that we absolutely love. There are two ways that food will affect the proper function of your digestive systems, the first of which is a lack of nutrients in the foods that we choose. Empty foods, as they are often called, offer a whole lot of fat and heavy, useless additives with hardly a speck of nutritional value. Your body needs to recognize the worth of the foods that you ingest, and it needs to know what to do with it once it is in the stomach and blood stream. If there are no vitamins, minerals, or natural nutrients in the foods that you eat, but a whole lot of work needs to be done to pass them, your digestive system will slow down, and constipation along with other complications can occur.
These empty foods that cause constipation are usually classified as junk foods, and will include almost any processed, deep fried, or sugar laden snacks and meals. Hamburgers, bacon, French fries, cakes and pies will all cause constipation if they aren’t countered with other foods at an equal or greater amount. It will still be ok to eat these tasty treats, but as with all good things they must be taken in moderation. Try to limit your fast food intake to once per week, and make an honest attempt to keep your sugary, fatty snacks down to two or three per week. This will help to regulate your bowels and intestines, especially when vegetables and fruits are adding in place of the old stuff.
Meats make up the next set of foods that cause constipation, and we need to use good judgment when deciding on our daily meals when this uncomfortable condition is a part of our lives. Though these foods are higher in nutrition content than the “junk food” items are, the meats which have more fat in them are usually a culprit. Namely beef and pork will give you more problems than chicken breast will, so again, try to limit your intake of fattier, more dense meats. Likewise, cheeses of all types are nutritious, but they do slow the digestive tract and are a big contributor to constipation.
The other foods that cause constipation on a regular basis include milk, breads, pasta, corn, pizza, and potatoes. All of them offer either too much starch or too much dairy, and they should not be consumed on a regular basis by those who are sensitive. You can counter many of these foods, should you decide that you can’t live without them, by eating plenty of greens and fruits in between as part of your daily routine.