Constipation is a very common daily stomach problem faced by several people, especially consumers of dairy butter. But why does butter cause constipation? Well, butter is a rich source of saturated fat.
You will get 51.4 grams of saturated fat per 100 gram serving of salted butter (1). Studies have shown that more than 30 grams intake of saturated fat per day increases the risk of constipation (2).
That’s why you may get constipated after consumption of dairy butter. Furthermore, margarine is also high in saturated fat and it is also another contributor to constipation or bowel problems.
To get rid of constipation problems nowadays people go for nut butter as the majority of nut butter is low in saturated fat. However, butter prepared from nuts can make you constipated also.
Let’s discover why nut butter cause constipation and which nut butter are safe to consume.
Can Nut Butter Cause Constipation?
All types of nut butter are a popular alternative to normal butter prepared from milk. Also if you are a keto lover, nut butter can replace saturated fat rich margarine on keto. Some popular nut butter are almond butter, peanut butter, macadamia nut butter, and cashew butter.
However, not all kind of nut butter is good for constipation relief. For example, peanut butter can cause constipation in adults who are suffering from peanut allergies. Also, cashew butter can make you constipated because of its high saturated fat density.
On the other hand, almond butter is not constipating for adults. In fact, almond butter is probably the safest option for preventing bowel problems. Almond butter can also act as natural laxative for constipation relief.
Moreover, controlled intake of macadamia nuts are safe for constipation relief. That’s why macadamia nut butter can also be a perfect vegan butter for achieving a smooth bowel movement.
Also, pine nut butter is another well-known nut butter that contains low saturated fat. Because of this, pine nut butter can also be beneficial to fight constipation disorders.
Considering all of these facts, we can say the majority of nut butter does not cause constipation. However, you should be careful during intake of peanut butter and cashew butter, as both of these nut butter may trigger constipation.
Are Nut Butters Hard To Digest?
Healthy nut butters are not hard to digest because of their low saturated fat content. However, too much consumption of nut butter may be hard to digest because of fat overload. But what is the relation between fat and digestion?
Studies have shown that intake of fat-rich foods causes gastrointestinal problems (3). As nut butters are high in fat, you may get affected with digestion issues after surplus consumption of nut butters.
Another cause of nut butter constipation is its high fiber component. Too much consumption of high fiber foods causes phytobezoar formation in the gastrointestinal tract. According to studies, phytobezoar can cause small bowel obstructions (4).
However, a controlled intake of nut butter can aid in digestion. It’s because nut butter contains one kind of amino acid called glutamine. Glutamine is able to maintain intestinal barrier function in animals and humans (5).
As, intestinal barrier integrity is essential for the absorption of nutrients and health in humans and animals, nut butter can be beneficial for digestion.
Can Nut Butter Cause Bowel Obstructions?
Too much intake of fiber-rich nut butter can cause phytobezoar formation. This phytobezoar formation is a well-known reason behind small bowel obstruction. That’s why surplus consumption of nut butter can cause bowel obstruction.
On the other hand nut butters are packed with fats. As high fat intake is associated with gastrointestinal problems, fat-rich nut butter can cause stomach disorders which may lead to bowel obstruction.
Moreover, some nut butters like peanut butter and cashew butter are high in saturated fat. The high saturated fat component can also trigger bowel obstructions in healthy adults. Also, nut butter prepared from peanuts can cause bowel obstructions for people with peanut intolerance.
However, nut butters like almond butter and macadamia butter are low in saturated fat and contain a moderate amount of dietary fiber. Fiber can aid in smooth bowel movement by increasing stool frequency and softening it (6).
That’s why a normal intake of both almond butter and macadamia butter can be beneficial for people with bowel obstructions.
How To Get Rid of Nut Butter Constipation?
Nut butter constipation mainly arises due to:
- Fiber overload because of excessive consumption
- Too much saturated fat from uncontrolled intake
- Nut allergy or intolerance
These reasons can be overcome easily by following some rules. The main rule to kick out nut butter constipation is limiting your daily intake of nut butter. Even people with nut intolerance can rarely get constipated with limited consumption of nut butter.
However, if you are getting constipated frequently after consumption of nut butter you should avoid it. Alternatively, you can go for chia seed butter as chia seeds can act in constipation relief.
Final Thoughts
Nut butters are rich in nutrients and can be beneficial for health. However, nut butters are rich in fiber and saturated fat, excess consumption of these nutrients can cause bowel obstructions or constipation problems.
Although, a controlled intake of nut butter is not constipating too much consumption can do the reverse. That’s why you should be careful during too much nut butter consumption to get rid of constipation problems.
