There’s no more unpleasant location in the entire body quite like the gut, and that applies especially to the section between the large intestine and the rectum. It’s a smelly, somewhat nasty stretch but the reality is what goes on in there is an absolutely essential part of human body function. You need to eat, and while the nutrients from that food are needed, the actual bulk from the food is not. Fortunately your gut has the ability to extract nutrients from food and process what’s left into waste. It’s not perfect at doing that, and some material may remain. So what nutrient clears out the digestive system?
Well, that’s an easy question to answer and if you’re a big fan of bran muffins or raisin bran cereal then you’re already ahead of the curve with keeping the walls of your digestive system as clean as possible. Why is that? Well it’s because bran is one of best sources of fiber. Fruit and vegetables are good sources too, and generally if it’s grown and pulled from the ground before being washed and eaten then it is going to be a good source of fiber. What nutrient clears out the digestive system best? It’s fiber, and if you’re getting plenty of it in your diet then you likely have the cleanest gut of anyone in your neighborhood.
Of course there is no way of determining that realistically, but there are signs of poor gut health and there are reasons why people go and have a colon cleanse or colon hydrotherapy if they have reason to believe there are contents that have overstayed their welcome in there. That is beneficial, but the digestive system is more than just one part and residual buildup can occur anywhere along it. That’s why knowing the right food for digestive cleaning may be helpful and that’s what we’re going to look at here along with what nutrient clears out the digestive system.
Ask any dietitian and they will tell you that the vast majority of people in society don’t get anywhere enough fresh fruit and vegetables in their diet, and without those natural sources of the nutrient we’re promoting here they are going to be fiber-deficient too. Granted, the prices for fresh fruits and vegetable are going to be way too high for people, but in these instances what they may want to do is supplement their Vitamin C and Vitamin B levels plus take some type of fiber laxative product.
Metamucil is one of the more well known ones, and what these types of fiber laxatives are made up of is psyllium husks. Most people will have heard of them, but it is likely most won’t know that psyllium husks come from the Plantago ovata plant. Yes, people will usually take a product like this when they have sever constipation and are unable to have a bowel movement. But what some people will do if they want relief from certain gastrointestinal problems is take a more moderate amount of a fiber laxative a few times a week. Or more often than that depending on what’s needed.
So along with what nutrient clears out the digestive system you may want to know that are the signs of a digestive system that needs that clearing in the first place. It is not exclusive to using fiber, but getting more fiber is definitely the easiest and most natural way to clean out your guts. Here are signs that you need more fiber:
We now know what nutrient clears out the digestive system best and that it can be acquired through your diet or through supplementation if that’s an easier or more affordable way for you. But let’s look at another part of food for digestive cleaning that’s also a powerhouse when it comes to keeping intestines and colon as clean as they can be. Roughage is the parts of plant foods that your body is unable to digest. Because you’re not able to break them down, they pass through the gut as they are and it it is a darn good thing they do.
In much the same way as insoluble fiber, roughage will scrape the intestine walls much more effectively to keep the passage clean. But that’s not all it is good for when it comes to promoting better gut health and having better digestion. It increases the bulk of stools, decreases constipation, and feeds beneficial gut bacteria. The last part of that is the reason people take probiotics, so if you are taking probiotics you’ll be keeping those helpful gut bacteria happy by supplying them with roughage through your diet.
What nutrient clears out the digestive system most reliably? It is definitely insoluble fiber.