Contents:
- Medical Video: Irritable Bowel Syndrome | IBS | Nucleus Health
- Not all types of chocolate are prohibited for people with intestinal irritation
- What are the limits of chocolate that can be consumed?
Medical Video: Irritable Bowel Syndrome | IBS | Nucleus Health
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or what is often referred to as irritable bowel syndrome is an abnormality in the digestive system which results in discomfort in the stomach accompanied by pain and disturbance during bowel movements. Many say people with intestinal irritation should not eat chocolate. Is that true?
Not all types of chocolate are prohibited for people with intestinal irritation
Reporting from the Healthline page, chocolate bars and chocolate candy are indeed not recommended for consumption by people with irritable bowel syndrome. Because the content of caffeine and sugar high in chocolate can lead to abdominal pain and constipation. Even so, some types of chocolate are low caffeine or maybe does not contain caffeine at all may be consumed by people with intestinal irritation.
In fact, a recent study shows that chocolate can act as a prebiotic, a component in food that can increase the growth of good bacteria in the intestine.
In addition, prebiotics are also believed to be able to relieve inflammation in the intestine while supporting calcium absorption. The researchers argue that the flavanol content in chocolate is more absorbed in the large intestine than in the small intestine. That way, flavanols that enter the large intestine will interact with good bacteria in the intestine and work to relieve inflammation.
This idea is supported by other studies that have found that regular consumption of drinks with high chocolate flavanol content for four weeks increases bacterial growth Bifidonacteria and Lactobacillus. Both of these bacteria are alleged to be beneficial for both the intestines and the health of the body.
Eating chocolate is also believed to prevent the emergence of disease-causing bacteria that normally grow in the lining of the human intestine, such as bacteria Clostridium.
But back again, each person who experiences intestinal irritation symptoms has different symptoms so that the type of food that must be avoided is not always the same. The most important thing for people with intestinal irritation is to adopt a healthy diet. If you have irritable bowel syndrome, you must have memorized exactly what foods can make your body worse, that's what should be avoided.
What are the limits of chocolate that can be consumed?
Although research has shown chocolate is safe for consumption by people with intestinal irritation, it's a good idea to keep limiting your consumption to prevent more severe digestive problems.
According to researchers from Monash University in Australia, the limitations of chocolate (both chocolate bars and chocolate powder) are still safe for consumption by people with intestinal irritation, namely:
- Black chocolate: 0.5-3 ounces in one serving
- Chocolate milk and white chocolate: approximately only 0.5 ounces
- Cocoa powder: around 2-4 teaspoons
- Chocolate drinks: the recommended portion of cocoa powder should not be more than 3 ounces
But if you experience intestinal irritation, you should consult further with your doctor to find out if you are allowed to eat chocolate and how much consumption limits are still safe for digestion.
