Best and Worst Foods for Hemorrhoids

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

• 2 Kinds of Fiber
• Beans, Lentils, and Nuts
• Grains
• Fruits and Vegetables
• What Not to Eat

“Eat more fiber.” “Stay hydrated.”

That’s the advice everyone gets about hemorrhoids — and it’s good. But what does it mean in real life, when you’re at the grocery store or deciding what to put on your plate?

Let’s take a look at specific foods that can help this painful problem and ways to work them into your meals. And on the flip side, what you may want to stay away from.

Soluble fiber dissolves in water to form a gel-like goo. (Picture what happens to oats when you mix them with water.) You want this stuff. It makes your stool soft, well-formed, and easy to pass. No constipation, little irritation. Sounds like the Holy Grail of poop, right?

Insoluble fiber is what your grandmother would call “roughage. ” It doesn’t dissolve. (If you drop a chunk of celery in water, it just sits there.) It helps to keep things moving through — and out of — your system and to balance the chemistry in your intestines.

Many “high-fiber” foods have both kinds.

You should aim for 25-30 grams or more of fiber every day from what you eat, about twice what most Americans get. In general, you’ll want about a third of that to be soluble (more when you have diarrhea).

Too much fiber too fast can cause gas and bloating, so add a little bit to your diet at a time if you’re not used to it. You’ll also need to drink more fluids to help your body use that fiber: 8-10 large glasses (at least a half-gallon) of water every day.

You’ll get a lot of bang for your bite with the legume family. Just 1/2 cup of beans — such as kidney, navy, lima, or black beans — will cover about a third of your daily goal. It will have between 7 and 10 grams of fiber (both soluble and insoluble), depending on which variety you choose.

About 20 almonds or pecans have around 3 grams of fiber. A 1/2 cup of edamame does, too, and it only has about half the calories.

Instead of using just meat in chili and soups, add or substitute beans. You can also use beans and nuts in salads. Try Indian and Middle Eastern recipes, which often call for beans, lentils, and peas.

Swap white breads, pastas, and crackers for versions made with whole-grain flours, buckwheat, stone-ground cornmeal, or rye to boost the amount of insoluble fiber you’ll get. Cooked oats and barley will give you soluble fiber, too.

Instead of a plain white bagel for breakfast, have a packet of instant oatmeal — with twice the fiber for less than half the calories. Reach for no-butter popcorn when you get the munchies. Sprinkle oat bran or wheat germ on salads and soups.

You can’t go wrong with plant foods. Keep the skins on when they’re thin, like on apples, pears, plums, and potatoes. That’s where the insoluble fiber is, as well as compounds called flavonoids that can help control hemorrhoid bleeding.

Brightly colored produce — berries, grapes, tomatoes, and kale and other dark, leafy greens — are generally rich in flavonoids. And the fresher, the better. Try to keep them whole and not damage the skins or leaves until you’re ready to eat them. Avoid cooking to the point that their color fades.

A serving of fruit is often good for at least 10% of your daily fiber, usually 3 to 4 grams. A cup of leafy greens, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, winter squash, or green peas will get you 4 to 5 grams of fiber.

Some veggies and fruits have fiber plus a lot of water. Cucumbers, celery, mild bell peppers, and watermelon are mostly water — more than 90%.

Make a habit of adding another fruit or vegetable to any meal, like berries or bananas in your cereal, apple chunks on your salad, spinach in your omelet, or grated zucchini in your spaghetti sauce.

Snack on dried fruits like figs, apricots, and dates. Swap sugary baked desserts for fresh fruit — raw strawberries rather than strawberry pie.

Foods with little fiber can cause or make constipation (and therefore hemorrhoids) worse, so it’s best to limit how much you eat of them.

• White bread and bagels
• Milk, cheese, and other dairy
• Meat
• Processed foods such as frozen meals and fast food

Iron supplements can cause constipation and other digestive problems, so talk to your doctor before you take them.

Top Picks

Best and Worst Foods for Hemorrhoids

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

• 2 Kinds of Fiber
• Beans, Lentils, and Nuts
• Grains
• Fruits and Vegetables
• What Not to Eat

“Eat more fiber. ” “Stay hydrated.”

That’s the advice everyone gets about hemorrhoids — and it’s good. But what does it mean in real life, when you’re at the grocery store or deciding what to put on your plate?

Let’s take a look at specific foods that can help this painful problem and ways to work them into your meals. And on the flip side, what you may want to stay away from.

Soluble fiber dissolves in water to form a gel-like goo. (Picture what happens to oats when you mix them with water.) You want this stuff. It makes your stool soft, well-formed, and easy to pass. No constipation, little irritation. Sounds like the Holy Grail of poop, right?

Insoluble fiber is what your grandmother would call “roughage.” It doesn’t dissolve. (If you drop a chunk of celery in water, it just sits there.) It helps to keep things moving through — and out of — your system and to balance the chemistry in your intestines.

Many “high-fiber” foods have both kinds.

You should aim for 25-30 grams or more of fiber every day from what you eat, about twice what most Americans get. In general, you’ll want about a third of that to be soluble (more when you have diarrhea).

Too much fiber too fast can cause gas and bloating, so add a little bit to your diet at a time if you’re not used to it. You’ll also need to drink more fluids to help your body use that fiber: 8-10 large glasses (at least a half-gallon) of water every day.

You’ll get a lot of bang for your bite with the legume family. Just 1/2 cup of beans — such as kidney, navy, lima, or black beans — will cover about a third of your daily goal. It will have between 7 and 10 grams of fiber (both soluble and insoluble), depending on which variety you choose.

About 20 almonds or pecans have around 3 grams of fiber. A 1/2 cup of edamame does, too, and it only has about half the calories.

Instead of using just meat in chili and soups, add or substitute beans. You can also use beans and nuts in salads. Try Indian and Middle Eastern recipes, which often call for beans, lentils, and peas.

Swap white breads, pastas, and crackers for versions made with whole-grain flours, buckwheat, stone-ground cornmeal, or rye to boost the amount of insoluble fiber you’ll get. Cooked oats and barley will give you soluble fiber, too.

Instead of a plain white bagel for breakfast, have a packet of instant oatmeal — with twice the fiber for less than half the calories. Reach for no-butter popcorn when you get the munchies. Sprinkle oat bran or wheat germ on salads and soups.

You can’t go wrong with plant foods. Keep the skins on when they’re thin, like on apples, pears, plums, and potatoes. That’s where the insoluble fiber is, as well as compounds called flavonoids that can help control hemorrhoid bleeding.

Brightly colored produce — berries, grapes, tomatoes, and kale and other dark, leafy greens — are generally rich in flavonoids. And the fresher, the better. Try to keep them whole and not damage the skins or leaves until you’re ready to eat them. Avoid cooking to the point that their color fades.

A serving of fruit is often good for at least 10% of your daily fiber, usually 3 to 4 grams. A cup of leafy greens, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, winter squash, or green peas will get you 4 to 5 grams of fiber.

Some veggies and fruits have fiber plus a lot of water. Cucumbers, celery, mild bell peppers, and watermelon are mostly water — more than 90%.

Make a habit of adding another fruit or vegetable to any meal, like berries or bananas in your cereal, apple chunks on your salad, spinach in your omelet, or grated zucchini in your spaghetti sauce.

Snack on dried fruits like figs, apricots, and dates. Swap sugary baked desserts for fresh fruit — raw strawberries rather than strawberry pie.

Foods with little fiber can cause or make constipation (and therefore hemorrhoids) worse, so it’s best to limit how much you eat of them.

• White bread and bagels
• Milk, cheese, and other dairy
• Meat
• Processed foods such as frozen meals and fast food

Iron supplements can cause constipation and other digestive problems, so talk to your doctor before you take them.

Top Picks

Nutrition for hemorrhoids. How diet can alleviate your condition

One of the important etiological factors in the development of hemorrhoids is malnutrition, which contributes to impaired stools and frequent constipation. An illiterately selected diet can lead to an aggravation of the process, injury to the mucous membrane with hard feces and the development of complications in the form of infection or bleeding. Any doctor begins the treatment of hemorrhoids by explaining the principles of the new menu for the patient.
Proper nutrition helps to achieve the following goals:

• Stool normalization. This measure is one of the most important in the treatment of hemorrhoids. Regular soft stool helps to reduce the manifestations of the disease (in the initial stages) by reducing the tension of the muscles of the perineum during the act of defecation and pressure on the wall of the rectum.
• Elimination of the problem of overweight and obesity. Too much body fat puts pressure on the intestines, impairing its blood circulation and slowing down the passage of feces.
• Maintaining the good functioning of the immune system, which is achieved by the optimal content of vitamins and trace elements in the food consumed. With complications of hemorrhoids, such as fissures in the anus, bleeding, and others, sufficient activity of the compensatory systems of the body is necessary, which will eliminate the manifestations of anemia and inflammation as soon as possible.

Thus, a well-chosen diet helps not only compensate for the disease, but sometimes completely eliminate the manifestations of the disease.

Basic principles of nutrition

An important condition in the preparation of a diet is not only her diet, but also the peculiarities of eating food during the day. The following principles are recommended.

• Fractional meals 5-6 times a day in small portions with approximately equal breaks between meals. This mode will help to avoid overstrain of the gastrointestinal tract from large portions 3 times a day.
• Dinner should be no later than 2-3 hours before bedtime.
• Consumed food should have a temperature of 37-40 degrees, so as not to irritate the walls of the gastrointestinal tract.
• One should try to divide dishes into small pieces, eat slowly and chew food thoroughly. This facilitates the work of the intestines and contributes to the normalization of the stool.
• A very important condition for a proper diet for hemorrhoids is the use of sufficient amounts of water (2 liters per day). This helps to give the feces the desired soft consistency and, accordingly, facilitate their discharge. Preference should be given to pure mineral non-carbonated water. This condition should be observed with caution by people who have diseases of the cardiovascular system and kidneys.
• Do not add too much salt and spices to food when cooking. When moving through the gastrointestinal tract, such a food lump will cause irritation of its walls, which can lead to inflammation.
• The diet should be balanced, contain a sufficient amount of essential nutrients, as well as vitamins and trace elements to maintain the tone of the body as a whole.

What foods should not be eaten

Some foods are prohibited on the menu of a patient suffering from hemorrhoids.

• Alcohol and carbonated drinks – they irritate the intestinal wall, increasing inflammation.
• Starches and simple carbohydrates (confectionery, pastries) – these products can cause fermentation in the intestines.
• Milk. With age, the activity of the lactose enzyme, which is able to curd it, decreases in a person, so fermented milk products should be preferred for hemorrhoids.
• Strong black tea and coffee due to too much caffeine.
• Legumes (lentils, beans, peas) can cause too much gas in the intestines, causing flatulence and bloating.
• Mushrooms are too hard and take a long time to digest in the gastrointestinal tract, and therefore their consumption is also recommended to be limited.
• Citrus fruits, pears and grapes, as well as most berries, should also be used with caution.

Despite the seemingly strict list of restrictions, a patient with hemorrhoids can sometimes (no more than once a week) include in the diet “forbidden” foods (for example, eat one bun or eat potatoes as a side dish).

What can you eat with hemorrhoids

The list of permitted products is quite rich and varied. It may include the following foodstuffs:

• Bran. They contain a huge amount of natural fiber, which helps the passage of food and the formation of feces of the required consistency. But it is important to remember that an excess of this product can also cause fermentation, and therefore it should be consumed in small quantities (about 30g per day).
• Fresh vegetables which are also high in fibre, but hot peppers and sorrel should be avoided as a large amount of essential oils and acids contained in them can irritate the intestinal wall.
• Soups without potatoes in low-fat fish or meat broth.
• Fruit. Preference should be given to moderately ripe fruits, because overripe or sour fruits can cause diarrhea. Dried fruits, persimmon, kiwi, peaches have a moderate laxative effect.
• Lean meats and fish are a valuable source of protein. It is best to steam them or bake them in the oven; frying is not recommended.
• Eggs. Best eaten as an omelet or boiled.
• Vegetable oils (add to salads, cereals). The presence of this important nutritional component helps the formation of soft feces.
• Dairy products. They help to maintain the necessary balance of intestinal microflora and do not cause fermentation.

Thus, the list of permitted products is quite extensive, and the patient will be able to choose the optimal diet for himself without feeling any dietary restrictions.

It must be understood that even strict adherence to a diet cannot eliminate the pathological changes that are characteristic of hemorrhoids. All patients should be regularly observed by a doctor, undergo an examination prescribed by a specialist, and strictly follow all medical recommendations.

The material was prepared by
specialist of the medical center “URO-PRO”
Zvyagin Sergey Viktorovich,
proctologist, experience 21 years

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what can and what can not be eaten with hemorrhoids?

1. Causes
2. Manifestations
3. Prophylaxis
4. Conservative treatment of hemorrhoids
5. Diet for hemorrhoids
6. What can you eat with hemorrhoids?
7. Dishes to prevent constipation
8. Side dishes, appetizers, second courses
9. Vegetables and fruits, sweets
10. Drinks
11. What foods can not be eaten with hemorrhoids?

Image by user18526052 on Freepik

Hemorrhoids – inflammation of the vascular formations in the anus, which are called “hemorrhoids”. The prevalence of the disease is quite high. According to statistics, up to 15% of the adult population suffers from it. In this article, you will learn what hemorrhoids are, what factors provoke their development, what nutrition should be in people with such a diagnosis, and what foods should be avoided.

Causes

The disease occurs in connection with varicose veins of the anus. Hemorrhoids are treated by proctologists. Among the main causes of the pathology are an improper diet, indigestion and frequent constipation, a genetic predisposition, and numerous pregnancies in women.

People who spend a lot of time sitting are at risk of developing hemorrhoids. The same applies to those involved in power sports, work involving weight lifting. Hemorrhoids in teenagers are not as common as in adults. The reason for the development of pathology at a young age is a tendency to varicose veins, chronic constipation, damage to the vessels of the anus.

Manifestations

With hemorrhoids, external and internal hemorrhoids become inflamed. This leads to burning, itching and pain in the affected area. Many patients complain of a foreign body sensation in the rectum.

Discomfort is aggravated by bowel movements, physical labor and prolonged sitting. If an external venous node is affected, the patient can see negative changes during self-examination. A sign of the disease is a swelling of a burgundy-bluish color, similar to a bump. The knot becomes tight to the touch, and the touch causes pain.

If, when signs of pathology appear, a person does not turn to a proctologist, chronic hemorrhoids develop. It is dangerous with exacerbations. With them, hemorrhoids fall out, complications arise in the form of thrombosis and regular bleeding.

Symptoms of internal and external hemorrhoids coincide with other diseases of the rectum. If you experience anxiety symptoms, you should make an appointment with a proctologist. The patient is assigned an examination to confirm the diagnosis and an adequate treatment is selected.

Prevention

Experts emphasize the importance of preventing inflammation of hemorrhoids. Here is a list of recommendations that proctologists give:

• avoid inactivity that causes pelvic congestion;
• give up smoking, minimize alcohol consumption;
• with a tendency to constipation, it is necessary to identify and eliminate their cause, normalize the diet;
• avoid situations that can lead to damage to blood vessels and the appearance of cracks in the anus mucosa.

Conservative treatment of hemorrhoids

To prevent exacerbations, you must follow the recommendations on nutrition, regularly do special exercises. Drugs prescribed by a doctor help to eliminate the symptoms of the disease. For the treatment of the disease, tablets, suppositories and ointments are used. They have an anti-inflammatory effect, tone up blood circulation.

Diet for hemorrhoids

The success of the treatment of hemorrhoids can only be achieved if the patient is ready to change his lifestyle, follow the doctor’s recommendations. An important part of therapy for inflammation of hemorrhoids is the correct diet. The strongest restrictions are necessary during the period of exacerbation of the disease.

With inflamed hemorrhoids, you should carefully choose products and methods for their preparation.

Here are the basic principles for building a menu for hemorrhoids:

• foods that cause constipation and diarrhea should be excluded from your diet. The same applies to products that irritate the intestinal mucosa;
• in the daily menu of the patient must be vegetables, berries and fruits. The exceptions are too sour and sweet varieties, as well as those that strengthen the chair (unripe bananas and pears, persimmons, chokeberries). Fruit and vegetable products are consumed fresh, stewed and boiled. Useful for digestion are fermented milk products with live bacteria, viscous cereals, dishes with the addition of bran, unrefined vegetable oil. Such food saturates the body and stimulates the digestive process, has a positive effect on intestinal motility. High-fiber plant foods help prevent constipation;
• when building a menu, it is necessary to reduce the amount or completely abandon marinades and sauces with a high content of fat, salt and spices, smoked meat and fish, pastries from wheat flour.

When diagnosing “hemorrhoids”, fractional nutrition is optimal. It is advisable to eat 5-6 times a day in small portions. Food should not be very hot or cold. Food should be chewed thoroughly, so do not eat in a hurry.

Please note: when building a diet, you must take into account the general state of health. For example, bran and foods high in coarse fiber can be harmful in diseases of the stomach and duodenum. If a patient is diagnosed with cholelithiasis, the consumption of unrefined vegetable oil should be reduced.

What can you eat if you have hemorrhoids?

Experts advise including the following products in the menu:

• beets, salads and first courses with their addition;
• moderately fat kefir, yogurt, cottage cheese;
• bread with bran;
• pumpkin, cauliflower, eggplant and zucchini, tomatoes, lettuce.

Dishes to prevent constipation

With inflammation of the hemorrhoids, dishes from oatmeal and pearl barley should be added to the diet. They contain a lot of fiber and are useful for people with a tendency to constipation. You can cook friable and viscous cereals from oatmeal, and pearl barley is added to soups and side dishes. To improve intestinal motility, dried prunes, dried apricots, and other dried fruits can be added to oatmeal dishes. Barley porridge is consumed with fresh vegetables, vegetable oil.

For the prevention of constipation in the diet should be present first courses. The most useful for digestion are vegetable soups. Too fatty and rich meat broths should be avoided.

Side dishes, appetizers, main courses

Pasta and potatoes can be eaten in limited quantities. The same applies to any products with a high content of starch, which enhances the fermentation process. The usual side dish of mashed potatoes is desirable to use with fresh or stewed vegetables. It is worth giving up pasta made from premium flour, flour sweets with cream.

As a source of animal protein, in addition to dairy products, lean meat, fish and seafood are recommended.

Cheese with hemorrhoids should be used with caution. Hard cheese contains a lot of fat, casein and lactose. Such a product strengthens the stool, which is unacceptable for constipation. Safer are soft curd varieties and pickled cheeses: brynza, feta and suluguni. Unlike hard cheese, they have a mild laxative effect.

Eggs can be eaten soft-boiled.

Vegetables and fruits, sweets

With hemorrhoids, it is worth including peaches, apples, plums, melons and watermelons in the diet. Experts advise eating juicy fruits to prevent constipation. Underripe and too acidic fruits should be avoided. Such food can lead to upset stools, and diarrhea aggravates the course of hemorrhoids due to irritation of the mucous membrane. Overripe fruits are undesirable, as they contribute to the fermentation process, cause flatulence.

Dried fruits are useful for digestion, and nuts and seeds enrich the body with vegetable protein. From sweets, honey, jam, marshmallows, marshmallows, dry cookies are allowed. Sweets are consumed in small quantities, since simple carbohydrates lead to fermentation.

Drinks

It is important to drink enough pure water: without it, it is impossible to get rid of constipation. It is allowed to drink slightly carbonated mineral water, if there are no contraindications. Highly carbonated drinks should be avoided.

If possible, give up alcohol or reduce its consumption to a minimum. In the absence of exacerbations of hemorrhoids, you can drink a glass of light wine.

What foods can not be eaten with hemorrhoids?

The patient’s diet is quite diverse, but it is important to properly prepare the products. The most useful ways of cooking for hemorrhoids are boiling, baking, steaming. The amount of fried foods should be kept to a minimum.

Under the ban are fatty meats: pork, lamb, duck. Pickled and smoked foods, an abundance of spices in dishes can lead to an aggravation.

Butter pastries and dishes from legumes are not recommended by experts for people prone to flatulence and constipation. Yesterday’s bread is safer than fresh bread in this respect.

Too fatty – whole milk, cottage cheese and sour cream are replaced with products of moderate fat content. Ryazhenka and kefir can only be drunk fresh. After two days, they begin to fix the chair.

Mushrooms increase the load on digestion, so they should be excluded or consumed in limited quantities.

When preparing cereals and soups, it is better to refuse rice and semolina. These cereals contain a lot of fast carbohydrates and practically no fiber. This can lead to constipation. Under the ban is sorrel and other varieties of sour greens.

Kissel, lemonade, beer, kvass, cocoa are undesirable in the diet of a patient with hemorrhoids.