Kiwi's Effects on Relieving Chronic Constipation Explored by a Study

Many people suffering from chronic constipation swear by natural remedies for their discomforts, including various dietary modifications. While foods such as psyllium and prunes are time-tested options, evidence of the benefits of eating kiwi for constipation is still lacking.¹

As such, this American trial was conducted to shed some light on the effects of kiwi on chronic constipation in comparison to those of psyllium and prunes.

The Study

This partially randomized, 4-week trial was conducted by the researchers from Michigan Medicine, an academic medical center of the University of Michigan. They shared their discoveries in the 2021 edition of the American Journal of Gastroenterology.

The trial involved 79 adults with chronic constipation. They were split into three groups, each with a different treatment regimen:

• The prune group consumed 100 grams of prunes per day
• The psyllium group consumed 12 grams of psyllium per day
• The kiwifruit group ate 2 kiwis per day

Researchers were interested to see whether the treatment regimens will cause increases in bowel movements as well as improvements straining and stool frequency and consistency.

The Results

In terms of changes in bowel movements, a substantial increase in weekly bowel movements was reported in all three groups.

Participants in all groups also experienced a significantly improved straining, while those in the kiwifruit and prune groups reported positive changes in stool consistency.

Also, the kiwifruit group participants had improved bloating scores, the least amount of side effects, and the lowest dissatisfaction rate in comparison to those in the prune and psyllium groups.

What Does this Mean?

As can be seen in the results of this clinical trial, eating prunes, psyllium, and kiwi can effectively improve constipation symptoms.

While all three were equally effective for chronic constipation, eating two kiwis per day has shown to cause less side effects than prunes and psyllium. Kiwifruit treatment also caused less dissatisfaction among participants.

These findings are good news to those struggling with chronic constipation as kiwi is a delicious alternative to other constipation-relieving foods and can be easily added to an everyday diet.

Other herbs that are essential for smooth digestion are flax, oats, apples, and pears.