Constipation cure: Five cheap foods from 13p to add to your diet to help ease pain

Constipation affects people of all ages, and it can usually be solved by adding certain foods to your diet.

The NHS estimate that one in every seven adults, and one in every three children, has constipation at any one time.

According to the NHS, it defined as when you’re not passing stools regularly or you are unable to fully empty your bowel.

It can be caused by a change in lifestyle and eating habits - as often happens at Christmas - as well as having a fever, not doing enough exercise and not consuming enough fibre.

Eating more fibre is one of the best ways to tackle constipation, and it can be found in whole grains

While it is possible to purchase over-the-counter laxatives - a type of medicine that can help you empty your bowels - to help ease your symptoms, try adding these foods to your diet as an

easy and natural way to get your bowels moving.

Eating more fibre is one of the best ways to tackle constipation, and it can be found in high amounts in whole grains, fruit and vegetables.

Whole grain bread - which comes in at around a £1 a loaf - contains insoluble fibre which adds bulk to stools and is therefore thought to help them pass more quickly through the digestive

system.

Research has found that 77 per cent of people with chronic constipation benefited from increasing their fibre intake.

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The cheap fruit - often available for just 14p - is a quick way to combat constipation.

“Bananas are a great natural laxative, as they are high in fibre and promote easy digestion,” Shona Wilkinson, a nutritionist at superfooduk.com, told Express.co.uk.

“This fruit is high in potassium, so eating a banana a day will help restore valuable electrolytes to your intestinal tract.”

The 21p vegetable is packed with insoluble fibre which can improve regularity of bowel movements.

It also contains prebiotic fibre which can help your digestion - and stave off constipation - by nurturing the ‘friendly’ bacteria in the gut.

Research has found that particular probiotics, like galacto-oligosaccharides, can make stools softer.

The popular type of potato - an affordable 35p - can also help fight constipation-related pain.

“The vegetables is a great constipation reliever, as they contain water, fibre, magnesium and vitamin B6,” explained Shona.

“Magnesium has a soothing effect on the bowels, promoting its natural movement.

“The water and fibre in sweet potatoes will help to hydrate and push out waste.”

The fruit - which can be bought canned for 75p - is famous for getting stools moving.

It contains a natural laxative, sorbitol, and research has shown that this could be more effective against constipation than eating lots of fibre.

Around seven medium-sized prunes - or 50g - is thought to be the most effective dose.

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