What are the best foods to harden stool?
Sometimes, we need a little help in order to regulate our bowels. There are a varietie of things that can wreak havoc upon our gastrointestinal tract.
This includes taking too much alcohol, caffeine, spicy cuisine, stress as well as other illnesses.
If you are dealing with occasional diarrhea, you will need to harden your stool. So what are the best foods to eat to harden stool?
Advertisement
BRAT Diet
If you have not heard of this name, it represents the foods that can help in combating diarrhea. This diet will also helps in calming the discomforts that comes with overactive digestive systems.
In this article, we are going to look at the best foods that will not only help in hardening your stool but also ensure that your body stays nourished.
These foods are nutrient dense and easy on your digestive system, ensuring proper nutrient absorption, enhancing your immune system as well as keeping you hydrated and energized. These foods include:
Probiotic Foods
For many years now, the Probiotic rich foods are recommended by doctors to help in the treatment and prevention of diarrheal diseases. Various health experts in journals have documented its benefits. For instance, according to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology, the S.Boulardii and Lactobacillus Probiotic stains are confirmed to be essential in diarrhea treatment.
In this study, these strains were shown to have the ability to reduce the diarrhea duration by up to one day. These foods are great in offering the body with the good bacteria while fighting the infections that cause diarrhea.
Some of the Probiotic rich foods that assist in combating diarrhea include:
- Yogurt
- Apple cider vinegar
- kombucha
- Cultured vegetables such as kimchi and sauerkraut
While it is true that conventionally processed dairy is hard to digest, raw cultured dairy such as yogurt contains a high number of Probiotic’s which are great in dealing with various digestive problems.
Bone Broth
Bone broth is nutrient-rich, enabling it to support both your digestive and immune systems. This diet will assist in the growth of Probiotics in the gut as well as ensuring healthy inflammation levels in your digestive system.
What’s more, this diet is easy to digest and will soothe your digestive system, making it a perfect pick especially when you have diarrhea.
Consuming Bone broth on a regular base will benefit you from its healing power as well as ensuring that your body gets the nutrient it needs for proper functioning and growth.
Additionally, since it is available in liquid form, it takes a little time to be broken down and it is easy on your stomach. It is also easy to incorporate it into other foods especially when you use the protein powder made from bone broth.
Bananas
Bananas are not only nutrient-rich but also easy to digest, no wonder they are part of the BRAT diet. These fruits also contain high levels of potassium which helps in replenishing the electrolytes that are lost when we diarrhea.
According to a research published in the Gastroenterology journal, a rice-based diet that contained bananas helps to minimize diarrhea, especially in infants. This research attributes this to the digestive-resistant starches green bananas, which will feed the good bacteria in the stomach.
Oats
Soluble fibers help in absorbing the excess fluids in the gut, allowing the stool to harden. One of the best foods that contain gluten-free soluble fiber is oats. You oats assist in firming up the stool by sweeping your digestive system of the excess fluids as well as pulling the toxins.
Before preparing the oats, it is advised to soak them overnight, as this will reduce the enzymes and anti-nutrients that may disrupt digestion and absorption.
Sweet Potatoes
Health experts agree that sweet potatoes are a delicious vegetable that comes with a high nutritional value. This versatile vegetable is packed with potent anti-inflammatory properties, a high dose of vitamin C, potassium, vitamin A, as well as Vitamin B6.
Incredibly, by taking only 180 grams of this vegetable you will get up to 692 percent daily dosage of vitamin A.
When comparing them to white potatoes, the sweet potatoes are not only more nutritious but also offer you with insoluble fiber that helps to harden your stool. Additionally, the sweet potatoes contain a lower glycemic index than the white potatoes. This allows the body to absorb its sugar slowly.
Vegetable Juice
Diarrhea makes your body lose crucial vitamins and nutrients, which are crucial for your immune system. For this reason, the BRAT diet is recommended to ensure that it replenishes the lost nutrients. Consuming Vegetable juices will offer your body with the crucial minerals and vitamins.
However, there is a catch; there are some vegetables that are great for softening the stool, which may worsen the condition.
This is why we recommend taking root vegetables as they will not only help in hardening the stool but also soothe your digestive system. You can make this juice by combining various vegetables such as carrots spinach, celery, and ginger. These ingredients will also help in removing the toxins.
Flaxseed Oil
Flaxseed oil is a miracle worker when it comes to ensuring proper digestion. In fact, this is one of the few ingredients, which will help in relieving both diarrhea and constipation.
In a study done earlier in the year 2015, it found that this oil had the capability of reducing the castor oil induced diarrhea in mice by about eighty-four percent while reducing the intestinal secretion by thirty-three percent.
Additionally, the flaxseeds are great sources of vital omega 3 fatty acids as well as vegetable-based oils.
Water
Did you know that dehydration is one of the main complications that lead to diarrhea? Severe to mild dehydration can lead to a low amount of fluids in the body. Drinking plenty of water ensures that your body is supplied with enough water.
As an adult, you should take at least, ten glasses of water daily although more is needed especially if you live in air-conditioned rooms or workout for long period. We have various researches that suggest that breastfeeding reduces the risk of dehydration which in turns assist to prevent diarrhea in infants.
Ginger
No wonder it is called a superfood. Ginger offers numerous health benefits including assisting in digestion. While you may know it as a great remedy got vomiting and nausea, various studies suggest that it can also inhibit diarrhea effectively.
In fact, we have other studies that suggest that it can also combat the spread of bacteria that are responsible for diarrhea. This tuber is effective whether you use it in your food, make a smoothie or inhale its diffused essential oils.
Peppermint Oil
Last but not the least, we have peppermint oil. This oil helps to soothe the digestive tract as well as minimizing bowel inflammation. The oil also offers the body with a cooling sensation that allows the body relaxes. Additionally, this oil will also soothe the gastric and colon lining thanks to its ability to reduce the muscle spasms.
How Fiber Helps Constipation
Well, most of the foods we have mentioned above have one thing in common; they all contain high concentrations of fiber. So how does fiber helps to harden stool? Well, fiber will not only help prevent diarrhea but also the issue of constipation.
When your stool is hard and dry, having a bowel movement is strenuous.
This will put pressure on your body, leading to various conditions such as hernias, hemorrhoids, as well as varicose vein. Consuming foods that have plenty of fiber will allow it to pull water from the colon. This will make the stool easy to pass.
On the other hand, the foods, which are fiber-rich, will also help with extreme diarrhea. Loose stool develops when there is too much water in the colon. The fiber, in this case, soluble fiber, will help in absorbing the excess water, firming your stool.
How Much Fiber Do You Need?
While most people consume about fifteen grams of fiber every day, this amount is too low. For men, you should take at least 38 grams while women should take about 25 gram.
Adding more fiber into your diet will improve your digestive system.
However, you should add it gradually to avoid bloating and cramps. Below is a simple way a woman can reach the daily target of fiber needed. If you are a man, you can increase the amount to reach your recommended amount.
- For breakfast, take a pear (4grams) and a cup of oatmeal
- For a snack, eat a large apple (4.5 grams)
- For lunch, make a salad that contains a quarter cup of celery (2grams), three cups of romaine lettuce (3 grams), and tomato (1.4) grams
- For dinner, you can make a side dish of half cup of spinach, cooked (7 grams)
Besides tinkering, the amounts listed above a man can also reach the daily requirement by taking a medium sized baked yam (6.8 grams) three dried figs (10.5 grams) in his meals.
Fiber Types
We have two types of fiber, the insoluble, and soluble. These fibers are different so you should eat the type that works best depending on the results you would want to achieve.
For instance, the soluble fibers will help in firming the stool, as they will absorb the water as well as adding bulk to it. On the other hand, the insoluble fiber (indigestible) will help with constipation but may worsen your condition if you have diarrhea.
In our case, you would want to consume the soluble fibers, which are contained in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Additionally, the soluble fiber also helps in controlling the blood sugar as well as lowering cholesterol. Besides the foods we have mentioned above, the following food also contains soluble fiber.
- Beans, peas, and other legumes
- Mangos
- Apples
- Berries
- Plums
- Peaches
- Figs
- Kiwi
While this is a subject for another time, it is worth mentioning the foods that are rich in insoluble fiber. These foods will help relieve constipation. They include:
- Fruit skin
- Seeds
- Potato skin
- Wheat bran and whole wheat
- Broccoli
- Brown rice
- Carrots
- Spinach
- Celery
- Cucumbers
- Zucchini
- Lettuce
- Tomatoes
Conclusion
Consuming supplements that help to enhance your digestive system will also help you in hardening your stools. However, you should also make sure you have taken your time to do proper research to find a supplement that contains natural products.
The best supplement should combine Probiotics, nourishing natural ingredients and digestive enzymes. Overall, consuming the foods above will do a great job especially for the individuals who are suffering from chronic diarrhea.
Eating the foods mentioned above together or interchangeably will give you the results you need. However, if you find that your condition is not improving even after following our tips, you should consult your doctor. All the best!
Comments are closed.