Juicing for Constipation
There are many different kinds of juice that you can drink to relieve or prevent constipation. But which ones are best?
The best 'juice' for constipation is good old water. One of the main causes of constipation is dehydration. Water is the foundation of good health and it helps to flush toxins from our bodies. If you're looking for a simple way to ease lingering constipation, drink lots of liquids daily. Drinking water can be the key element in your plan to "get things moving" again. Plus it's easy enough that anyone with an unhealthy bathroom routine should have no problem to.
Prune juice is one of the best-known juices to improve constipation and its unpleasant side effects like bloating, gas pains, and irritability. Prunes contain sorbitol which has a laxative effect on the gut.
Like prunes, apples also contain sorbitol. However, the effect on the gut is gentler so apple juice is better for children with constipation. On the opposite side of the coin, if you have diarrhoea, eat a whole apple as the pectin (removed in juicing) helps firm up your poo!
Pear juice is another great juice for constipation as it has 4 times more sorbitol in it than apple juice. It is another great choice for children with constipation due to its sweeter taste. A completely unrelated, but interesting and little known, fact is that pear juice can relieve hangovers after a night on the town.
Lemon juice is a great way to prevent constipation. It’s also high in vitamin C and other nutrients that help with digestion, so it can be used as a healthy form of detoxing too! The citric acid found in lemon juice helps stimulate the muscles lining your intestines to push waste through more quickly,
Add lemons to your regular juices for a tangy flavour and to boost the benefits. Or you can add lemon juice to your daily water.
Pineapple juice is a delicious and refreshing drink. However, it can also help to relieve constipation. This is because of the bromelain in pineapple juice, which is a natural enzyme that helps break down proteins.
Drinking the juice from two kiwis a day for two weeks can help with healthy bowel movements and looser stools
Another well-known go to for constipation is the good old fig. Figs contain plenty of fibre. They also have enzymes that are known to speed up how fast waste travels along the bowel. The enzymes also help to relieve the pain of constipation.
Spinach is a mild tasting vegetable that is packed full of nutrients that can help ease constipation. It also has lots of fibre which we have already learnt can also help move things along. The delicate flavour means it can be added to many juices without altering the flavour. So it is another great ingredient in your juice tool box to deal with digestive issues.