No single food or drink, alone can treat or prevent hemorrhoids, also known as piles!
That said, consuming certain foods may contribute to the healing process and reduce the risk of developing hemorrhoids again. For instance; dates.
Eating dates — as part of a healthy diet — may help ease hemorrhoid symptoms and lower the risk of recurrence. This is mainly because dates are super rich in dietary fibre.
This article explains how dates can help you deal with recurring hemorrhoids.
Understanding Hemorrhoids
Hemorrhoids are a widespread problem. According to the Mayo Clinic; nearly three out of four adults will have hemorrhoids from time to time.
As per the definition made by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; hemorrhoids are swollen and inflamed veins around the anus or inside the lower rectum.
The exact cause of hemorrhoids isn’t entirely clear, however, experts believe that hemorrhoids in general caused by increased pressure in the blood vessels in and around the anus. Many things can increase the pressure in the area and may cause you to develop piles such as:
- straining during bowel movements
- sitting for long periods of time on the toilet
- chronic diarrhea and constipation
- being pregnant
- lifting heavy weights
The symptoms of hemorrhoids include pain, itching, rectal bleeding, and swelling around the anus. The Cleveland Clinic notes that hemorrhoids often improve with certain lifestyle and diet changes.
How Can Dates Help with Hemorrhoids (Piles)?
Dietary fibre and flavonoids are the dietary substances shown to help improve hemorrhoids. Dates contain both of these in high amounts. This is why eating dates seems logical when dealing with hemorrhoids or piles.
Please keep on reading to learn how exactly flavonoids and fibre found in dates can help with hemorrhoid symptoms.
How Does Dates’ High Fiber Content Help Hemorrhoids?
Increased pressure in the blood vessels in and around the anus is usually considered the leading cause of hemorrhoids. Many factors can increase the pressure in the region and constipation is indeed one of them.
Constipation often leads to straining to poo. The problem is that straining increases pressure on the blood vessels in the anal canal thus can cause them to swell. It bears repeating, hemorrhoids are swollen veins in the lower rectum. Therefore constipation is regarded as one of the leading causes of hemorrhoids.
Experts say; dietary fibre has the ability to relieve and prevent constipation. Because it adds bulk to stools and softens them.
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases confirms that eating foods high in dietary fibre helps treat and prevent hemorrhoids as fibre helps make stools softer and easier to pass.
Dates are one of the best sources of dietary fibre, hence, are thought to help relieve and prevent constipation. According to the U.S Department of Agriculture; 100 gr of dates provides 8 gr of fibre.
Even there is a study that found that the consumption of dates can significantly increase bowel movements, reducing the risk of constipation.
Note: If you need more detail on how dates can help with constipation, you can read this article: Dates can help relieve constipation.
How Might Flavonoids in Dates Improve Hemorrhoids?
A 2019 review of studies indicates that Date palm fruits (dates) contain a significant amount of flavonoids. And flavonoids were found to help improve certain symptoms of hemorrhoids such as bleeding.
For instance; A 2018 and a 2020 study showed that flavonoids may help with bleeding and irritation due to their anti-inflammatory effects.
Moreover, a 2020 meta-analysis showed that certain drugs made by certain flavonoids such as diosmin may improve the signs and symptoms of hemorrhoids.
In light of available studies on the potential effects of flavonoids on hemorrhoids, it can be said that consuming flavonoid-rich foods may help with the symptoms of hemorrhoids.
Other Foods Can Help Improve Hemorrhoids
Foods that are high in fibre and flavonoids seem to have positive effects on hemorrhoid symptoms. So eating foods that contain these nutritional components may help you treat and avoid piles (hemorrhoids).
Almonds and kiwifruit may improve hemorrhoids. If you need to know how they might do that you can click the links below and read the articles we published on this website.
Other Potential Benefits of Dates
Besides being potentially beneficial against hemorrhoids, eating dates may also provide the following benefits:
- may help treat and prevent constipation
- are rich in antioxidants
- may Promote brain health
- may support gut health
- may support bone health
- might be a useful sugar replacement
The Bottom Line
In this article, we explained how dates might help you if you suffer from recurring hemorrhoids.
Actually, the effects of eating dates on hemorrhoid symptoms haven’t been studied. However, their high fibre and flavonoid content suggest that dates may help ease the symptoms or reduce the risk of developing piles again.
Please note that hemorrhoid symptoms should go away within a couple of weeks with home treatments that can include eating high-fibre foods, drinking plenty of fluids, and avoiding straining when making a bowel movement.
If the symptoms persist or if you keep developing hemorrhoids, we encourage you to see your doctor about the situation.
Tarkan is an experienced health writer ( currently more than 600 articles ) and also the founder of this website namely www.neededforhealth.com. His expertise in health stems from in-depth medical research and knowledge which he obtained over the course of many years.
Tarkan enjoys sharing factual knowledge on health, psychology and nutrition. He always aims to deliver evidence-based recommendations, provide links to related scientific studies.
