Dealing with the dreaded constipation?
Here are healthy, expert-approved foods that help you poop (and that you probably like to eat).
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host of theMedia Savvy Podcast, creator ofBetterThanDieting.com, and author ofBrigitte Zeitlinregistered dietitian and owner of BZ NutritionTracy Lockwood Beckermanregistered dietitian and author ofThe Better Period Food Solution.
Constipation, folks: Its no fun and it can be hard to find relief.
registered dietitian and owner of BZ Nutrition
registered dietitian and author ofThe Better Period Food Solution.
Ahead were delving into the best foods that help you poop to get things flowing smoothly once again.
What is constipation?
Constipation is a sort of catch-all term for a few different causal factors.
Evenstress can cause constipation.
However, its best if youre going to the bathroom at least once a day.
How can food help relieve constipation?
When youre dealing with some stopped intestinal traffic, changing your diet is a good first step.
host of theMedia Savvy Podcast, creator ofBetterThanDieting.com, and author ofBrigitte Zeitlinregistered dietitian and owner of BZ NutritionTracy Lockwood Beckermanregistered dietitian and author ofThe Better Period Food Solution.
Slow down and consider fiber your new best friend.
Most natural laxatives contain fiber and offer constipation relief because they arent exactly digestible by the body.
Which foods are best to help you poop regularly?
In short: not all foods provide the same level of relief as others.
So, if youve ever wondered,do bananas cause constipation?
Balancing your diet with the appropriate types of fiber.
Exploring what foods toavoidwhen constipated is also, unfortunately, an important part of constipation relief.
Dairy fans, I know what youre wondering, does cheese cause constipation, and the answer is complex.
Timing is everything, even with going to the bathroom.
With that in mind, here are the different foods that help you poop to keep things moving along.
12 foods that help you poop
1.
Water
Other than building a campfire, I dont know when water isnt a solution.
Without moisture like water or other liquids in your diet, the answer is the opposite actually.
All that fiber in your system without proper hydration can back some folks up.
ensure youre drinking waterhydration, in general, will help push things out quickly, Zeitlin says.
Water keeps things moving because it loosens your stool and hydrates the membranes along your digestive tract.
Hydrated membranes equal lubrication.Warm wateris especially helpful for constipation.
Caffeine
Does fiber make you poop?
But does coffee make you poop?
Caffeine is a stimulant.
This is because, research shows itstimulates your gastrocolic reflex,aka the signal to your body to poop.
The chemical just trips an alarm, so to speak.
So, Zeitlin says, its important to see to it youre getting enough fiber and water as well.
High-fiber fruit
Insoluble fiber is the material your body doesnt digest, but helps with speeding up digestion.
As a result, it makes your stool bulkier and less dense.
You want to ensure youre eating the skin because thats where the fiber is, Zeitlin says.
Some of her and Dr. Sonpals favorite high-fiber foods?
Apples, raspberries, peaches, guava, and papaya.
And you cant forget aboutpersimmon benefits, which includes tons of fiber.
Dried fruit
Using prunes for constipation is surefire way to help get things flowing, according to the experts.
One could say your grandma was right all alongprunes are a tried-and-true constipation remedy for a good reason.
Prunes are high in fiber as well as sorbitol, saysTracy Lockwood Beckerman, RD.
Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol found in fruits which can speed up the GI system, she explains.
Sorbitol is a natural laxative which is why prunes are so great for constipation.
A little (one to two prunes or a small glass of juice) goes a long way though.
This is also a great chance to add other number-two-inducing foods.
Dates can also make you poop in a similar way to prunes, says Taub-Dix.
Its okay to admit that prunes arent your deal plenty of dried fruit relieves constipation.
Raw green vegetables
Yup, you guessed itveggies have got a lot of fiber, too.
(TL;DR?
Green poops areusuallytotally normal.)
And, if your poops stink,foods high in sulfurmay be the culprits.
Oatmeal
That morning oatmeal habit may be doing you more favors than you realize.
Its high inyou guessed it!fiber, which can push things out quickly, Zeitlin says.
Sprinkle on some nuts, seeds, and fibrous fruits as well for additional gut health benefits.
Yogurt and kefir
Breakfast foods really are the MVPs of bowel movements, arent they?
Healthy fats
We want healthy fats to kind of lubricate your stool and intestinal linings, Zeitlin explains.
Beans
Beans, beans, the magical fruit…you get the point.
Beans, Beckerman said, arefull of fiberto help ease constipation symptoms.
Incorporating them into your diet isnt just a gut-healthy win, theyre also packed with protein and minerals.
Tea
Some plants have the power to support your digestion and colon, all while being extremely hydrating.
Peppermint tea has stomach-soothing properties if you also have indigestion while possessing the hydrating properties of water.
(But avoid this beverage if your indigestion is due to GERD, perMount Sinai.)
Meanwhile,lemon verbena teaandlicorice root teahave been shown to have positive laxative effects.
Picking up aloe juice or tea could really help get things moving.
Just remember that you should be eating food-grade aloe, and not the topical kind.
How quickly should these foods make you go?
Research show that it takes, on average,24 to 72 hours for food to travelthrough the entire colon.
The key is that the consistency (both textural and timing) are steady.
What foods make constipation worse?
But does cheese directly cause constipation?
Hopefully, youve learned a little bit more about how to relieve constipation.
Its not easy to feel all stopped up and figure out what to eat as a result.
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