Kiwi fruit as stool softener?

Yesterday the IBD nurse suggested kiwi fruit as a stool softener (I've gone from uncontrollable diarrhoea to slight difficulty starting to pass stool, presumably because of the pred).

I was amazed, as kiwi fruit is that little green thing full of seeds. If anybody on the street had suggested eating kiwi fruit with Crohns I'd automatically dismiss the notion, but it was an IBD nurse telling me this.

Has anybody else heard of this remedy or given it a try?

Kiwifruit is getting increasing interest and popularity for many different ailments in the nutritherapy community. according to some research, It would help for sleep disorders and high blood pressure.
suggested amount would be 2 to 3 kiwifruits a day one hour before going to bed (in case of insomnia). Its unclear whether the peel should be eaten or not. i havent found out yet.
Never heard of stool softener though.

I know when I eat meat products (no fiber inside), this makes my stool much harder to pass. Any fiber rich food should help passing stool more easily.

Can't say I like kiwi fruit, it's a giant gooseberry isn't it? Maybe you're meant to eat the flesh and not the seeds, though they seem to be mostly made up of seeds. I have to keep off fibre right now because of the flare, unfortunately. (I'd really love some wholemeal bread and not the cotton wool rubbish I'm eating nowadays.)

I never heard of that. When I was able to eat fructose (long ago), I had 1-3 dried plums, it's quite effective. You could also soak the dried plums into water to make them being even more effective.

Are plums OK if you can't eat high fibre? If so, I'll give them a try - though come to think of it, I've never come across dried plums anywhere.

Fibre might be an issue, I saw, they are relatively high in fibre unfortunately, but the values were for a 100g, so 1 per day and seeing if it helps or if it gives you issues instead might be an option to go for? You know your body and your sensitivities best.
They should have them in the bigger grocery stores (also in whole food and organic stores for sure), I saw some dried fruits in bags next to the vegetables at Tesco's (where they have the nuts and seeds as well), they should have some plums there as well, plums, apples and bananas are the most common dried fruits here, they might also have them at Wilko's (I saw some banana chips there, which is dried banana, very tasty when you can have fructose btw).

You do not eat the skin you peel it and you eat the seeds. Maybe this could be helpfull.

What fruit provides 273% of the daily recommended amount
of vitamin C in every one-cup serving – five times that of an
orange, and is a natural immune booster that staves off
colds and flu? It's kiwi, of course! Its vitamin K amount is
impressive, too – best known for its role in helping blood
clot, or coagulation, properly and providing an 89% daily
value.
Kiwis contain good amounts of vitamin A (great for skin,
bone, and tooth development, and protected vision, including
protection against macular degeneration), and vitamin E
(twice the amount found in avocados, with nearly half the
calories), along with potassium to balance the body's
electrolytes and limiting hypertension and high blood
pressure. The copper in kiwi is especially good for children,
supporting healthy development in infants, especially in the
areas of bone growth and brain development, and also for
the formation of healthy red blood cells and building
immunity against disease.
Kiwi is also one of the few foods rich in vitamin B6, which
supports the immune system. B6 is particularly important
for healthy fetuses and pregnant or breastfeeding women.
The folate in kiwi protects against birth defects, heart
disease, and cancer; healthy amounts of fiber keep the
system running smoothly, reducing the risk of diverticulitis
and carcinogens in the body. Finally, the antioxidant power
in kiwis delivers similar effects when it comes to
neutralizing free radicals that can damage cells and cause
inflammation and cancer.
However, consume kiwi in moderation because it contains
fructose, which may be harmful to your health in excessive
amounts.
Kiwi seeds are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids,
which, research shows may reduce coronary heart disease,
the risk of stroke, and help in the prevention of ADHD,
autism, and other developmental problems in children.
Research has also shown kiwi to have a notable protective
effect against asthma and respiratory difficulties, such as
wheezing. In fact, one report indicated that young children
eating six to seven servings of kiwi and other vitamin C-rich
foods per week had a 44% lower incidence of wheezing.
Even those eating these foods only once or twice a week
had fewer symptoms, in comparative studies. 1
Rich in polyphenols, which are recognized for their
antioxidant properties, both the green and gold varieties of
kiwi fruit underwent research to compare their antioxidant
strengths. Researchers found that not only were the kiwi
antioxidants more potent than those in oranges and
grapefruit, but the gold kiwi variety was also found to have
more antioxidant strength.
The conclusion: kiwi consumption may be useful in
preventing the development and deterioration of diseases
caused by oxidative stress. 2
Another study explored the effects of kiwi on patients with
irritable bowel syndrome, with its symptoms of abdominal
pain, diarrhea, constipation, and combinations of the above.
The study involved 54 patients, 16 healthy individuals, kiwi
consumption, and placebos in a 6-week study. Researchers
found the colon transit time significantly decreased in the
group consuming kiwi fruit, and concluded that eating kiwi
improves bowel function in adults diagnosed with irritable
bowel syndrome.

Thanks. I did google kiwi fruit and found the stuff about benefits for people with IBS, but as we all know, IBS is very different from Crohns. Especially as I'm on steroids at the moment for a very bad flare, the idea of eating the seeds of anything is petrifying. That's why I'd thought maybe it was just the flesh the nurse was referring to, but if it's the seeds then I'm completely mystified! Any thoughts?

Lizzie said:

Are plums OK if you can't eat high fibre? If so, I'll give them a try - though come to think of it, I've never come across dried plums anywhere.

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Canned prunes are widely available in our supermarkets.Go slowly at first and see how they affect you.Good luck.

I've found dried apricots to be great at loosening stools.

Funny story - i had no idea to their laxative effect until i ate a bag full. At work. I had to run to the toilet. I ended up going home with the trots. That was fun to explain to my boss.

I thought that seeds usually bothered someone with Crohns?