Index
THE BENEFITS OF KIWIFRUIT AGAINST CONSTIPATION
Constipation
La constipation or chronic constipation strikes between 15-20% of the Italian adult population, especially the women (approximately 80% of cases) with an average age of fifty years.
- Constipation causes a slow transit of faeces in the intestine, or a difficulties in their evacuation (rectal constipation), a very annoying condition that leads sufferers to go to the toilet less than three times a week.
- It happens more frequently in the elderly - in women, it often occurs due to loss of tone in the pelvic muscles - and, if it persists over time, tends to become a chronic condition.
- Intestinal motility disorders, such as constipation, lead to a worsening quality of life of sufferers as they are characterised by annoyance, abdominal bloating constant, hard and difficult to excrete stools, a excessive evacuation effort which still leaves a feeling of incomplete bowel emptying, etc.
So let's see what we can do to counteract, or improve, constipation.
Drink more water
The first and most important intervention against constipation is changing, or rather improving, our lifestyle habits. This concerns, first and foremost, the amount of water that we drink every day.
- Although it has been shown that reducing fluid intake is definitely due to reduced faecal volume and decreased frequency of evacuations, however, its increase does not seem to lead to significant changes. We must therefore maintain an adequate water intake, without, however, exaggerating the daily amounts of water (e.g. more than 2.5 L per day).
- The recommended quantity is approx. 1.5-2 L of liquids per day, which can be easily achieved by drinking water (bottled or tap), but also vegetable broth, tea, infusions and herbal teas, preferably without adding sugar. Bear in mind that fruit and vegetables are also rich in water: about 85% of kiwis is actually water!
Move more
There are no data demonstrating the effectiveness of increasing physical activity in people with chronic constipation. Rather, there is evidence that inactivity leads to a slowing of the transit time of faeces in the intestine, It is therefore a good rule to engage in physical activity (aerobic and anaerobic) of light to moderate intensity, which is not excessively tiring for the over-65s.
- One walking for 20-30 minutes a day helps correct intestinal function. Other options could be: running or jogging, cycling, low-intensity swimming, cross-country skiing, but also exercise bikes and treadmills.
Eat the right amount of fibre
A low-fibre diet is very often associated with constipation. On the other hand, however, the effectiveness of an increased consumption of dietary fibre in the treatment of constipation is not proven by solid data from the scientific literature. There are two types of fibre: those insolubles accelerate intestinal transit, while soluble fibres, if taken with water, increase faecal volume and frequency of defecation. If taken in excess, however, they can be poorly tolerated by the body and lead to worsening abdominal bloating and flatulence. The different types of fibre are often considered to be a homogenous group with the same characteristics but, in reality, they are very different in terms of solubility, fermentability and viscosity, with effects on the gastrointestinal tract different from person to person. We must therefore personally identify the right amount of daily fibre, bearing in mind that the generally recommended amount (25 g of fibre per day according to the EFSA DRV 2019) may be a little difficult for some people to achieve. Fibre is mainly found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seeds and nuts, such as walnuts or almonds. A particularly interesting source of fibre for maintaining proper intestinal transit are kiwis, as:
- A 150 g portion of yellow kiwifruit, the quality richest in fibre, covers up to 18% the recommended daily intake levels of fibre (AI) for the adult population (DRV EFSA 2019).
- Some bioactive components of kiwifruit (antioxidants, phytonutrients and enzymes) are able to provide functional and metabolic benefits for the body and gut. Studies have shown that regular consumption of kiwifruit has been associated with an increase in frequency of evacuation, volume, stool softness and ease of defecation, while not adversely affecting abdominal bloating and flatulence.
- The fibrous component of the kiwi has a particularly high water retention capacity and this can facilitate the hydration of stools and promote their transit. In addition, the kiwi contains the’Actinidine, an enzyme protein that improves protein digestion and decreases gastrointestinal transit time, thereby promoting peristalsis - the contraction of intestinal muscles that facilitates the transit of ingested food - and evacuation.
- Finally, green, yellow and red kiwis are rich in vitamin C, a vital antioxidant for our health. Suffice it to say that just one 150 g portion of green kiwis covers more than 100% of the recommended daily intake levels of vitamin C (AR) for adults (DRV EFSA 2019). In addition to fibre, kiwis also contain a wide range of other important nutrients, such as the potassium, folates and vitamin E. In this article you can discover all the other beneficial nutritional qualities of kiwis.
We can therefore state that the daily consumption of at least 200 g kiwi can significantly improve bowel movements and soften stools. Although this effect is probably due to the high fibre content, kiwi consumption can have extensive beneficial effects on our intestinal motility, including a mild anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect on the barrier and intestinal microbiota. The interaction between kiwi consumption and modulation of the gut microbiota, which is of great interest for preventive and clinical purposes, is currently the subject of much scientific research. Unlike many laxatives for the management of constipation, kiwi consumption has no contraindications and should be included in a healthy, balanced diet. Finally, remember that the fats in kiwi pulp are for the 55% polyunsaturated, including alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) a omega-3 precursor essential fat. Kiwi seed oil, in fact, is rich in omega-3. Furthermore, there is a belief about (fruit and vegetable) seeds that they can worsen intestinal diseases such as diverticula. This belief leads many people to forgo the valuable benefits of fruit and vegetables, but in reality, seeds do no harm, as scientific research shows.Scientific collaboration Dr Raffaella Cancello, Nutritionist Researcher, Department of Medical and Rehabilitative Sciences with an endocrino-metabolic focus, Laboratory of Research in Nutrition and Obesity, IRCCS-Istituto Auxologico Italiano Milan Publications https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Raffaella+Cancello Essential bibliography
- Drummond L, Gearry RB. Kiwifruit modulation of gastrointestinal motility. Adv Food Nutr Res. 2013;68:219-32. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-394294-4.00012-2. PMID: 23394990.
- Ford, A.C., et al, American college of gastroenterology monograph on the management of irritable bowel syndrome and chronic idiopathic constipation. Am J Gastroenterol, 2014. 109 Suppl 1: p. S2-S26.
- Chang, C.C., et al., Kiwifruit improves bowel function in patients with irritable bowel syndrome with constipation. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr, 2010. 19(4): p. 451-7.
- Rush, E.C., et al., Kiwifruit promotes laxation in the elderly. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr, 2002. 11(2): p. 164-8.
- Montoya, C.A., et al., Actinidin from kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa cv. Hayward) increases the digestion and rate of gastric emptying of meat proteins in the growing pig. Br J Nutr, 2014. 111(6): p. 957-67.
