Digestive problems can be related to nutrition, disease, contamination or physical limitations. Smoothies can be an enjoyable way to introduce supplements into your digestive tract to combat certain gastrointestinal problems. Smoothies can help decrease hunger while increasing fluid intake during digestive upsets. All digestive problems should be assessed by a physician before using any nutritional supplements.
Nausea
When your stomach feels a bit queasy, but your body says it needs some food for energy, a smoothie may be the answer. Three herbs commonly used for digestive upset include peppermint, chamomile and ginger. Peppermint contains menthol, which can have an antispasmotic effect on your digestive tract. Chamomile can be used to treat stomach cramps, and ginger soothes motion sickness as well as nausea. All three herbs can be used individually in smoothies to combat nausea.
Constipation
Normal bowel movements for one person may be several times a day, but for others it may only be three times a week. If you're not moving your bowels often enough, the movements become harder, drier and sometimes painful; this condition is referred to as constipation, and is a common digestive ailment. Increasing fiber intake can help eliminate constipation. Fruits and vegetables, as well as ingredients like oat bran or flax seed, add fiber to your smoothie. Leaving the skin on foods such as apples and cucumbers during processing will increase the fiber in your smoothie.
Diarrhea
Temporary diarrhea can be treated with a bland diet and increased water intake. A smoothie can be consumed during a diarrhea attack, but should not contain any milk or milk products. Plain or vanilla yogurt can be added to smoothies two to three days after your digestive symptoms have stopped. Diluted juices and ice can be used in your smoothie to replenish fluids; ripe bananas or applesauce add nutrition. Cooked fruits and vegetables can be used, but raw foods should be added much later, because fiber can increase diarrhea.
Fiber
It is easy to increase the fiber content of your smoothies; just add fruits and vegetables. Psyllium, ground wheat bran, ground flax seed and cellulose can also be added to your smoothie as sources of fiber. The bulk of fiber keeps you from feeling hungry, and the substance itself cleanses your digestive tract by absorbing water and creating softer, bulkier stools, alleviating the symptoms of constipation, hemorrhoids and diverticulosis.
Probiotics
Probiotics, microbial cells affecting the health and well-being of their host, help digestive problems of gut permeability, mucosal immunity and intestinal inflammation. Therapeutic probiotics have had significant beneficial effects on antibiotic-associated diarrhea, gastroenteritis and traveler’s diarrhea. Natural sources of beneficial bacteria include yogurt, kefir, buttermilk and tempeh. Since most probiotics are destroyed during cooking, blending these uncooked foods into your smoothie is a viable way to consume them.
References
- Readers Digest: Stomach Soothers
- University of Maryland Medical Center: German Chamomile
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Ginger
- KidsHealth.org: Are Your Bowels Moving?
- Virginia Tech Schiffert Health Center: Upset Stomach and Diarrhea
- Hemorrhoid Medication/Treatments: Psyllium Fiber in Smoothies Helps Regulate Appetite and Bowel Movement
- Colorado State University: Dietary Fiber
- Best Practice & Research Clinical Gastroenterology: Probiotics -- What Are They? What Are Their Effects on Gut Physiology
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