Recently, there has been a lot of emphasis on the use of dietary fiber in regular diet. Dietary fiber has its own merits and has many health benefits. This has also given rise to the use of laxatives as supplements to aid quick weight loss. There are various types of laxative supplements that contain natural fiber like psylium husk, flaxseeds, etc.
These days, herbal laxative tea, also called the dieter’s tea or slimming tea has gained popularity as a weight loss product. There are different brands and various types available in the market. However, its usage, advantages and disadvantages should be carefully studied so as to avoid any possible harmful effects.
How does a laxative work?
Laxatives act on the bowel function and increase the motility. They act on the digestion process in the colon, where they prevent food and water absorption. They bind with toxins, fat and other harmful substances in your digestive tract. As a result most of the food contents, instead of being absorbed, are excreted as waste products. They thus add bulk to your waste. This explains why there are more bowel movements when you increase fiber content in your diet.
Using laxative supplements
While the use of laxative supplements can be effective, it is important to know about the risks involved in their use also.
- Researchers have suggested that long term laxative supplement usage can cause deficiency of vital nutrients and can also cause harm to the gastrointestinal tract or other organs.
- Laxatives use water from the digestive tract to makes stools soft; hence it is essential that you increase you water intake while using laxatives or else there is a risk of getting dehydrated.
It is therefore wise to add natural laxatives to your daily diet and safely enjoy the benefits.
Fiber rich food
You can increase the intake of fiber in your daily diet. A diet high in fiber is recommended in order to reduce the risk of major disease like heart disease, diabetes and some cancers also. Some of the foods that are rich in dietary fiber are:
Food sources:
- Oat & barley products
- Whole grains
- Vegetables, legumes, cluster beans and fenugreek seeds.
- Fruits like apples, guava, pear, oranges and pomegranate.
- Others like fenugreek seed, flaxseeds or linseeds.
Sample meal plan
Morning:
- 1 glass of water with 1 tsp psylium husk
Breakfast:
- 1 bowl of oats with milk
- 1 apple
In between:
- 1 glass of water with 1 tsp powdered flaxseeds
Lunch:
- 1 baked fish
- 1 slice multigrain bread
- 1 bowl sprouts with vegetable salad
- 2-3 petals of orange
In between:
- 5-6 fenugreek seeds soaked overnight
Dinner:
- 1 slice of lean chicken
- ½ bowl lettuce, cucumber, cabbage and peas salad with added powdered flaxseeds
- ½ mixed fruit salad of pomegranate, pear and strawberries
Night:
- 1 glass of water with 1 tsp psylium husk
In order to lose weight and be able to maintain it later, it is best to follow a healthy diet plan and add exercise as a part of daily regimen. Dietary fiber is a healthy part of the diet and should be treated judiciously. It is better to take an expert’s advice to choose the best laxative supplement.
