How many dates to eat per day for constipation?

In this article, we are going to answer how many dates to eat per day for constipation, what is a date, what is considered constipation are dates healthy to eat, and what diet you should follow when you have constipation. 

How many dates to eat per day for constipation?

According to one study that was published by the British Journal of Nutrition, scientists found out that people who consumed about 7 dates per day for a specific amount of time; 21 days in this case, showed improvement in stool frequency and increase in stool quantity compared to those who didn’t eat dates. 

What are the dates?

Dates are a fruit that comes from date palms and are among the sweetest fruits. They are native to the middle east where they have been eating dates for centuries. 

Dates can be sold fresh or dried and are very famous to add to some desserts and salads. Fresh dates are the ones that are most easily found in the United States and they contain more sugar content than dried dates. 

Medjool dates are more expensive than fresh or dried dates because their harvests take more time and work. Medjool and Deglet are the most common varieties of dates that you can find in the supermarket or local stores.

What is considered constipation?

Constipation is defined as when you have less than three bowel movements a week. There are no regular or common amount of times a person goes to the bathroom and it differs a lot from person to person. Some common features of constipation have include

  • Stools are dry and hard to come out
  • Bowel movements are painful 
  • Stools are difficult to pass
  • You have a feeling that you haven’t fully emptied your bowel movements. 

Some people have constipation just once in a while but there are people that have constipation everyday and it might interfere with their daily life activities. Some causes of constipation are

  • Not eating enough fiber
  • Not drinking enough fluids, especially water
  • Not moving enough, exercise is very important
  • Ignoring the urge to go to the toilet
  • Change of diet or routine
  • Side effects from some medications
  • Stress
  • Anxiety
  • Depression

Some people might need to use laxatives with food that helps their bowel movements to get better or medication. Laxatives as medications normally work between one to three days. 

Are dates healthy to eat?

Yes, dates are a super healthy and nutritious fruit to add to your diet. According to the USDA, a single fresh date contains 20 calories, 5.33 grams of carbohydrates, and no fat while one dried date contains 66 calories, 18 grams of carbohydrates, and no fat.

Dried dates have almost three times more carbohydrates than fresh fruit because in the process of drying fruit water is lost and sugar content increases. 

Fresh dates are a better option for you to keep you satisfied for longer, control blood sugar levels, and help you with constipation without eating the high amount of sugar you can eat with dried dates. 

Fresh dates are also an excellent source of calcium, iron, magnesium, and zinc. Also, the USDA has proven that fresh dates have a high concentration of antioxidants which brings a lot of benefits to your health. They might especially help prevent heart disease and some types of cancer. 

Fresh dates are a better option than dried dates for diabetic patients. Even if fresh dates do have a high amount of sugar, they are full of fiber, and paired with proteins glucose can be controlled. 

What diet should you follow when you have constipation?

When you suffer from constipation the general recommendation is to eat a diet high in whole carbohydrates, fruit, and vegetables, choose vegetable proteins over meat proteins and drink plenty of water. Also, try to exercise because it helps to move your bowels. Some food that helps with constipation are

  • Prunes
  • Apples
  • Pears
  • Kiwi
  • Figs
  • Dates
  • Spinach and other greens 
  • Legumes
  • Yogurt and kefir
  • Water
  • Whole cereals such as wheat bread, cereals, and pasta
  • Blackberries
  • Wheat bran

Follow this link for more information on eating healthy to avoid constipation.

Other FAQs about Dates that you may be interested in.

Should you keep dates in the fridge?

What are the benefits of dates?

How To Preserve Dates

Conclusion

This article answered how many dates to eat per day for constipation, what is a date, what is considered constipation are dates healthy to eat, and what diet you should follow when you have constipation. 

Citation

https://www.everydayhealth.com/digestive-health/diet/foods-that-help-relieve-constipation/

https://see.news/3-dates-everyday-for-1-week-your-body-will-surprise-you/

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