Eating several kiwi fruit a day can help relieve constipation and is a better starting point than worrying about a high-fibre diet, according to new guidance on the condition.The advice says drinking water high in minerals is better for constipation than tap water, and magnesium oxide supplements are good for improving symptoms.Researchers from King’s College London, who looked at all evidence to date on what works and what doesn’t, said there are many more options for getting things moving than the standard advice to “just have more fibre in your diet”.Constipation that doesn’t go away affects one in 10 people and can have a major impact on someone’s quality of life.You are constipated if you haven’t had a bowel motion (poo) at least three times during the last week, or you’re going less often than usual, says the NHS.Straining on the loo or feeling like you haven’t fully emptied your bowels may also be signs of constipation – but these aren’t the only ones.”People can report up to 30 different symptoms of constipation,” says Dr Eirini Dimidi, lead study author and reader in nutritional sciences at King’s College London (KCL).The best remedy is to focus on fruit and drinks first, rather than worrying about the latest probiotic in the supermarket, she says.Dr Dimidi recommends eating two or three kiwis throughout the day or 8-10 prunes to improve constipation. Skin on or skin off …
