Cherries are delicious and sweet little fruits that taste wonderful on their own, in a fruit salad, or on top of a sundae. Other than providing a relatively healthy way to satisfy a sweet tooth, do cherries have other beneficial elements such as laxative properties?
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Are Cherries a Laxative?
Cherries have laxative properties for many animals and many humans. Some humans may not have the same reaction to the laxative property as others, but these properties exist in the fruit nonetheless.
What Are Laxatives?
Laxatives are a type of medicine that many people use to treat constipation. Another widespread use of these types of medication is to soften someone's stool.
When you're at your local pharmacy, you can purchase over-the-counter laxative medication if you're struggling with either or both of these situations.
When you look at the ingredient list on over-the-counter laxatives, you'll see a number of things. But the main ingredient in laxative medications is Sorbitol.
Why Would You Need a Laxative?
We've already mentioned that laxatives are used to soften stool and give someone relief from constipation, but what causes constipation, and do you need a laxative in the first place?
A number of things can cause constipation or hard or dry stool. For example, some medical conditions are more prone to constipation than others, such as diabetes.
Other reasons you may be finding it difficult to go to the restroom could be dehydration, not enough fiber in your diet, or a significant change in diet or your routine.
What is Sorbitol?
If Sorbitol doesn't sound familiar, it's sometimes called Glucitol. Sorbitol is a naturally occurring sweetener that comes from glucose. You'll find this property in a lot of sugar-free or reduced sugar foods so that they still taste relatively sweet.
Besides the sweetening properties that Sorbitol has, it also acts as a laxative.
As a result, many manufacturers of laxative medications use Sorbitol as their primary ingredient.
While Sorbitol can help elevate constipation or hard stool symptoms, you'll want to be careful how much you consume. Consuming more than 50 grams of Sorbitol a day can cause someone to have diarrhea.
How Do Laxatives Work?
So laxatives work to relieve someone of constipation and soften their stool, but how? Most laxative medications work by drawing water into the intestine track.
This allows stool to absorb more water, making it easier for you to go to the bathroom.
Sorbitol encourages this to happen whether you're taking a laxative tablet or eating something that naturally contains Sorbitol.
Do Cherries Have Fiber?
Cherries are high in vitamins and minerals that make them a healthy but sweet snack. However, something you may not know about cherries is that they're very high in fiber.
Most cherries contain one and a half to three grams of fiber per cup.
This amount of fiber isn't enough to see a noticeable increase in bathroom trips for most people. But, the fibrous properties can make consuming cherries when you've been constipated a welcomed solution.
What Makes Cherries a Natural Laxative?
Cherries are a natural laxative. The main ingredient in many laxative medications, Sorbitol, can be found in many fruits, including cherries.
If you find yourself constipated or with hard stool, consuming cherries may be a solution before heading to the pharmacy for over-the-counter medicine.
In addition to having naturally occurring Sorbitol, cherries are high in fiber. The combination of Sorbitol and fiber in cherries makes for the perfect natural remedy for constipation and dry stool.
Do All Cherries Have High Fiber and Sorbitol?
Yes! All varieties of cherries contain some amount of fiber and Sorbitol. Most of your favorite types of cherries contain around three grams of fiber per cup.
But Rainier Cherries actually have four grams per serving. Morello Cherries have close to five grams of fiber per serving if you're looking for cherries with even more fiber.
Constipation can be uncomfortable and if your stool is dry, sometimes even painful. So if you find yourself in a position where you need to go but can't, cherries may be your new best friend.
You may need to eat quite a bit of them before their laxative properties work for you, but they're a tasty way to try and relieve your symptoms.