What Are The Best Natural Laxatives?

If you happen to suffer from constipation or want to lose weight, you must try these natural laxatives. But stay tuned! You must be careful with the dose and avoid ingesting more than recommended, otherwise your digestive system will suffer disorders.

Once this is clear to you, don’t hesitate to read this article about the best laxatives nature can provide.

Foods that serve as natural laxatives

If you periodically consume these foods and add them to your diet, you will likely stop feeling the “bloating” sensation that comes from not being able to go to the bathroom every day. Therefore, consume these foods whenever you can:

bananas

Bananas are high in fiber and help to promote digestion, so they are an excellent natural laxative. In addition, they have a wonderful nutrient, potassium.

If you eat a banana a day, you’re restoring the electrolytes your intestinal tract needs. And, to top it off, bananas also contain fructooligosaccharide, a compound that forms (good) bacteria in your gut.

Apples

Apples are great natural laxatives that stimulate the intestines, as they have a high level of pectin and, in addition, they also have fiber. That way, you can eat between two and three raw apples a day to avoid constipation.

melons

Eating melon for breakfast is a great way to start the day as it is so easy to digest. That’s because it almost doesn’t “stay” in the stomach, it goes straight to the intestine.

Blackberries and berries

Blackberries are full of antioxidants and have different types of blackberries, one more delicious than the other. So, don’t forget to add strawberries, blueberries, cherries, among other red fruits to your diet.

plums

Prunes are the “number one laxative”, rich in potassium, vitamin A, fiber and iron. They provide beneficial bacteria for the intestines and are very good for colon cleansing.

Unprocessed apple cider vinegar

It helps to improve intestinal irregularity and, at the same time, removes toxins from the body. Contains pectin, potassium, malic acid, acetic acid, calcium, among other components. Organic vinegar is recommended as it has live nutrients and does not receive any further treatment.

aloe

Surely you didn’t know that aloe was a wonderful laxative. Yes! One of the most widely used medicinal plants also allows you to eliminate constipation. The pulp contains 99% water and the remaining 1% contains at least 75 nutrients. In this way, drink aloe juice every day on an empty stomach and you will get excellent results.

spices

Ginger, turmeric and cayenne pepper help with digestion and act as wonderful natural laxatives.

The first is consumed as fresh tea and keeps the digestive process regulated, the second stimulates liver detoxification and eliminates carcinogens from food, and the third stimulates the production of gastric juices and digestive enzymes.

citrus

Mainly oranges, but also lemons and grapefruit. Citrus fruits have great detoxifying power and help to “wash” the body of toxins.  That’s because vitamin C they contain turns toxins into digestible matter for the body. A single orange brings 15% of the recommended fiber for one day.

Carrots

Like apples, carrots have a lot of pectin, adding fiber to the digestive tract. Carrots can stimulate intestinal contractions and are detoxifying.

onions

Thanks to its component called quercetin, onions serve to eliminate waste from the body. In addition, it also contains folic acid, vitamin E and C, potassium and fiber.

Garlic

A small portion of this powerful food will bring in selenium and allicin, which help to clean the liver, washing away toxins. Add raw garlic to your preparations to also prevent stomach cancer.

A study published in the journal Molecular Nutrition and Food Research stated that high consumption of vegetables that contain the substance Allium can reduce the risk of gastric cancer. However, more research is needed to confirm the power of this food.

Broccoli and Cauliflower

Both vegetables increase the amount of glucosinolates in your body, so the liver produces more enzymes that soon expel toxins. They help to go to the bathroom naturally. Also, in the same group we can include cabbage which, in turn, softens the stool during bowel movements.

tomatoes

They are great natural laxatives, with lots of vitamins A, C and K. Tomatoes provide 10% of the daily fiber the body needs and contain lycopene, an antioxidant that protects against colon cancer.

Omega-3 fatty acids

They are present in flaxseeds, olive oil, avocado or hemp seeds. They serve to eliminate toxins and help to lubricate the bowel walls so that evacuation is easier.

green leafy vegetables

This group includes chard, spinach, chicory and arugula, for example. They are excellent natural laxatives as they contain fiber, magnesium, folic acid, calcium and vitamins C and K, elements that help digestion. These vegetables increase the secretion of bile, which allows the removal of waste from the blood and organs.

Coconut oil

Improves digestion and bowel function, relieves symptoms caused by hemorrhoids, reduces inflammation and repairs tissues. The best is extra virgin, unprocessed and raw.

Avocado

It’s full of nutrients like potassium, folic acid and vitamin K. By eating an avocado a day, you’ll get 30% of the fiber your body needs. In addition, it brings magnesium and lutein, which help improve the absorption of nutrients from other foods.

seeds

Raw seeds in your diet will help you digest your food better. They can be linseed, chia, pumpkin, sunflower, etc. These seeds contain a lot of fiber, zinc, protein and vitamin E. We can also add walnuts, almonds and pine nuts to this group.

Images courtesy of Sean MacEntee, Studio Tdes, Olga Berrios, Daniel R. Blume, Jinax, and Larry Jacobsen.