Constipation is a prevalent health problem in the United States. An estimated 4 million people experience bowel movements fewer than three times per week, the formal symptom that defines the disorder, according to the National Institutes of Health. Additional symptoms include sluggish, painful, hard and dry stools. Constipation ranges from minor discomfort to life-threatening illness; most instances of constipation are mild to moderate in severity. Nutrition is a factor that supports healthy digestion. Rhubarb is a vegetable that provides nutrients to stimulate normal bowel movements and constipation relief.
Water
Water in your diet provides an important constituent that regulates healthy digestion. Hydration in the intestines creates loose, pliable stool that exits the body more readily, compared with the hard, dry stool that characterizes constipation. Two stalks of rhubarb provide 92 percent water, or 3.2 oz. Including rhubarb in your diet hydrates the body and improves digestion.
Fiber
Fiber in your diet creates a pliable consistency in stool that stimulates frequent elimination. It also provides bulk in the digestive tract that puts pressure on the walls of the intestines to stimulate peristalsis, the contractions that push waste through the digestive tract. Two stalks of rhubarb provide 1.8 g of fiber, or 7 percent of the 25-g daily value recommended by the Food and Drug Administration. Including rhubarb in your diet helps the body create stool consistency favorable for elimination.
Potassium
Potassium is a mineral that supports fluid balance and muscle contractions in the intestines, important for regulating digestion and relieving constipation. Two stalks of rhubarb provide 294 mg of potassium, or 8 percent of the 3,500-mg daily value. Including rhubarb in your diet renders the conditions in the digestive tract amenable to frequent and healthy elimination.
Magnesium
Magnesium is a mineral included in several laxative products. It relaxes the intestinal muscles and attracts water to the intestines. The 12 mg of magnesium in two stalks of rhubarb is equal to 3 percent of the 400-mg daily value. Adding rhubarb to your meals hydrates the digestive tract and relaxes muscles that may be inhibiting elimination.
