Apples Constipation
Could They Constipate?

Is there such a thing as apples constipation?
Yes, and no.  Let me explain.

Apples help to prevent constipation

• Apples are a good source of fiber, and can help to prevent constipation
  
  
• Apples feed the beneficial bacteria in the colon, which helps to prevent and relieve constipation
  
  
• Apple juice helps to relieve constipation

When Apples Cause Constipation

1. Apples and Fiber

Don't throw away that peal

Some people peel their apple before eating it. For a large apple that's throwing away 2.6 g of fiber, while keeping just 2.8 g. This greatly reduces the apple’s ability to help with constipation.

Even raw apples contain pectin, a binding agent. When the peal is removed, the pectin can counteract the benefits of the fiber, so that eating a pealed apple might contribute to constipation.

Eating apples when dehydrated

Even when a person is mildly dehydrated, the body will pull water from the stool to be used where it is needed more.

Apples are a good source of fiber, which works like a sponge to keep the stool moist. However, when the body retracts the moisture from the fiber sponge, the fiber creates a dry, bulky, stool.

So when you add fiber to your diet by eating an apple, make sure to drink enough water with it to stay hydrated.

Eating a lot of apples

Some time back my dad went on an all fruit diet. He was quite happy with his weight loss, but this type of diet can easily lead to constipation.

As mentioned above, too much fiber without enough water means bulky, dry stools. As you may already know, these are no fun to pass.

2. Cooked Apples

Cooked apples and pectin

Cooking an apple means more pectin, a binding agent.

To deal with diarrhea, the Cleveland Clinic suggests that one eat bananas, rice, applesauce and toast (or BRAT for short). The pectin in applesause helps the body to form a stool.

When a person has normal stools and eats applesause, pectin binds the stool tighter, forcing out moisture. This can cause constipation.

Applesauce has the peels removed

As mentioned above, when you remove the skin, an apple looses close to half of its fiber.

Applesauce is made from peeled apples, so it has less fiber. Add to this the added pectin, and there you go.

3. Everyone is Different

Everyone is different. While apples tend to fight constipation, a few people experience apples constipation.

Flax seed

I have personally observed this, not with apples, but with flax seed. For 99% of the population, ground flax seed gets the bowels to moving. My wife and I decided to start taking ground flax seed because of its wonderful nutrients.

Much to our surprise, we became constipated.

Great bowel movements

Now for us, we have had almost perfect bowel movements for many years, thanks to taking a daily valuable trace minerals, plus for the benefits of its magnesium. The flax seed, which is supposed to loosen the bowels, made us so constipated that we had to stop taking it.

So yes, everyone is different. Apples may free up the bowels of most people who eat them, while making another person constipated.

Go figure ☺

I hope this has answered all your questions concerning apples constipation. If you have any more constipation questions, please check out our home page.

(Return from Apples Constipation to Foods That Relieve Constipation)