An estimated 4 million Americans experience frequent constipation, a condition characterized by fewer than three bowel movements each week. Diet is the most influential factor in constipation. It grants sufferers a prevention and treatment strategy -- consuming nutrients particularly supportive to digestive health. The vegetable fennel, which is similar in texture and flavor to celery and anise, provides several nutrients relevant to digestion. If consumed with enough frequency, fennel can help maintain normal bowel movements and prevent constipation.
Potassium
Potassium in the body balances fluid inside and outside of the cells, which prevents dehydration of the digestive tract. Consuming a significant quantity of vegetables such as fennel in the diet will provide you with enough dietary potassium to fulfills the 3,500 mg Food and Drug Administration recommended daily intake. A 1 cup serving of fennel contains 360 mg potassium.
Fiber
Dietary fiber in the form of indigestible vegetable protein contributes to healthy digestion because it fills the stomach and intestines and stimulates muscle contractions to move food along the digestive tract. A 1 cup serving of fennel provides 2.7 g fiber, which is approximately 10 percent of the 25 g FDA daily value.
Water
Getting enough water in your diet helps your body remove waste products from cells and also helps foster digestive health and regular elimination. Without a moist intestinal environment, intestinal motility may decrease and waste will remain in the colon for a longer period of time. While the lion's share of dietary sources of water come from fluid intake, foods supply the remainder. A majority of fruits and vegetables consist primarily of water, and fennel is 93 percent water.
Fennel Seeds
The volatile oil in fennel seeds known as anethole has a healing effect on digestion. It mitigates the gas and bloating that spicy food often causes. For this reason, Indian restaurants provide complimentary fennel seeds as a postmeal digestive aid. Fennel seeds balance the intestinal ecosystem and can soothe symptoms such as constipation. Check with a doctor before self-treating constipation or other digestive symptoms with fennel seeds.
