Constipation is a common digestive problem. It can be caused by the food we eat or avoid, medication, lifestyle changes or diseases. This condition is characterized by less than three bowel movements per week.
When it comes to constipation as well as bloating, avocados can be one of the superfoods that can help.
Avocados offer a wide array of vitamins, minerals, plant compounds, and healthy fats. It’s also a low-fructose food, so it’s less likely to cause gas.
Avocado and Digestive Health
Half of the avocado contains 4 grams of fiber, which is essential for our diet since it helps alleviate the host of digestive disorders.
Studies have shown that increasing the amount of fiber we eat could increase the number of stools that we pass.
A high-fiber diet enables food to move faster through our intestines, help absorb water, and help us have soft, regular bowel movements thus reducing constipation and preventing the recurrence of inflammatory bowel disease and the progression of diverticulitis, a condition in which small pouches on our intestines become inflamed.
The flesh of this food is also packed with B-complex vitamins. These nutrients are known to support healthy digestion because they help the cells derive fuel from the food. For instance, vitamin B-6 helps the body metabolize protein, while pantothenic acid converts carbohydrates, fat, and protein into energy. Avocado also provides smaller amounts of other B-complex vitamins, including niacin, thiamine, and riboflavin.
Avocados contain vitamin C that is needed in making collagen which is the most abundant protein in our body and plays a role in the manufacturing of cartilage, tendons, ligaments, and skin. Aside from forming a scaffold to provide structure, collagen also wraps around the intestinal walls, giving the walls the strength to do their job.
It was found that half of an avocado has 6 milligrams of vitamin C, which is 6 percent of the RDA for adult men and 8 percent of the RDA for adult women.
Moreover, half of an avocado contains 345 milligrams of potassium, a mineral that is important in bowel movement. It is considered as an electrolyte that is needed for proper muscle movement and fluid regulation in the body. When the body is low in potassium, the muscles in the colon don’t move as much and can lead to constipation.
