There are medications you can take to clean your colon, whether you plan to undergo a medical procedure that calls for it or you wish to detox your body for health reasons. If you do not wish to take pharmaceuticals, though, there is a natural way to clean your colon: eat foods high in fiber. Depending on your age and sex, you need somewhere between 25 to 38 g of fiber per day for good digestive health, according to the Mayo Clinic website.
Fruit
You can cleanse your colon without medication by eating fruit. Nearly all fruit contains fiber that will contribute toward the amount you need each day, but some fruits have more. A medium apple, for instance, contains 4.4 g of fiber, but consume the skin -- much of the fiber resides there. Avocados are another high fiber fruit, with approximately 9.8 g per cup. Other high-fiber fruit options include bananas, berries, guava, prunes and all dried fruits.
Vegetables
The fiber in vegetables is a good choice for colon cleansing. Carrots make a smart option for this purpose -- a cup of raw carrots contains 3.6 g of fiber. Also consider raw broccoli, which contains 2.4 g of fiber per cup. Other high-fiber vegetables appropriate to cleanse your colon include cabbage, eggplant and greens such as kale and collards.
Whole Grains
Whole grains are an important source of dietary fiber, useful for cleaning your colon. You can choose whole grains such as brown rice, buckwheat or millet as well as whole grain breads and pastas to get the fiber you need. A 1-cup serving of pearled barley, for instance, contains 6 g of fiber, while a slice of whole grain bread has 4 g. You can boost your fiber intake by combining whole grains with vegetables and fruits, such as eating a slice of whole grain toast layered with sliced avocado or a serving of whole grain pasta mixed with carrots.
Dried Beans
Include dried beans such as chickpeas or kidney beans to increase the fiber in your diet and clean your colon. Consuming a cup of black beans introduces 13.4 g of fiber into your diet, while eating a cup of lima beans adds 16.9 g of fiber. Combining beans with vegetables is an effective way to boost fiber intake. The fiber in dried beans is a good option for not just cleaning your colon but keeping it healthy as it helps prevent diverticulitis.
References
- Mayo Clinic; Dietary Fiber: Essential For a Healthy Diet; November 2009
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Apples, Raw, With Skin
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Avocados, Raw, All Commercial Varieties
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Carrots, Raw
- "The British Journal of Nutrition"; Effects of Carrot and Tomato Juice Consumption of Faecal Markers Relevant to Colon Cardinogenesis In Humans; K. Schnabele, et al.; March 2008
- Mayo Clinic; Whole Grains: Hearty Options For a Healthy Diet; July 2009
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