An estimated twenty percent of the population experiences constipation. One of the prevalent causes of constipation is the decreased movement of foods through the gut. Other causes are old age, physical activity, and a low-fiber diet.
If you don t poop, treatment can include laxatives, fiber supplements, and stool softeners. But you can add some regularity-boosting foods into your meals for an effective and safe option. These can include apples, lentils, pears, kefir, flaxseeds, prunes, and more.
Here are the twelve foods to eat if you need to poop:
1. Lentils
Lentils are edible pulses filled with fiber, which makes them an excellent addition to the diet for relieving constipation. In fact, 99 grams of boiled lentils have an excellent eight grams of fiber.
Moreover, consumption of lentils can boost the production of butyric acid, a short-chain fatty acid in the colon. It improves the movement of the gut to enhance bowel movements. According to an animal study, the impacts of butyrate on the gut were studied to discover that it aided in speeding up intestinal transit, making it ideal if you don t poop often.
Lentils add a hearty, rich flavor to salads and soups, while also offering plenty of health benefits and added fiber.
2. Sweet Potatoes
In addition to offering numerous minerals and vitamins, sweet potatoes also have a lot of fiber that aids you to poop regularly. A medium sweet potato of 114 grams has 4 grams of fiber. The fiber present in sweet potatoes is usually insoluble and has a few particular types, like pectin, lignin, and cellulose.
According to research, sweet potatoes can aid in promoting bowel movements. A study in 2016 studied the impacts of sweet potato consumption on constipation in 57 patients of leukemia who were receiving chemotherapy treatment. Four days in the study, most of the constipation markers had improved, and the participants experienced less discomfort and strain when compared to the control group.
You can roast, sautée, mash, or bake sweet potatoes to replace white potatoes in any dish.
3. Figs
Figs are a great way to obtain more fiber and promote regularity. Dried figs, particularly, can offer a rich fiber meal. Dried figs weighing 75 grams have fiber weighing 7.5 grams, which is thirty percent of the daily requirement.
According to a 2011 animal study, the impacts of fig paste on constipation were studied over three weeks. It was discovered that fig paste improved the weight of the stool and minimized intestinal transit time, which makes it a natural treatment for constipation.
Another research on humans discovered that offering fig paste to forty participants with constipation assisted in speeding up colonic transit, improving stool consistency and alleviating abdominal discomfort. While you can eat figs independently, you can also boil them into a delicious jam that goes well with sandwiches, pizzas, and bruschetta.
4. Kefir
If you don t poop regularly, kefir is perfect for you. It is a fermented milk beverage that has probiotics, which are a form of healthy bacteria for the gut.
Probiotics have been proven to boost stool consistency, increase stool frequency, and minimize intestinal transit time for speeding up bowel movements. Many studies have shown that kefir can promote regularity.
In a particular study, 20 participants consumed kefir in four weeks. The food was discovered to minimize laxative use, improve consistency, increase stool frequency, and speed up intestinal transit. Another animal study found kefir to have increased bulk and moisture of stool to minimize constipation.
Kefir makes the ideal base for salad dressings and smoothies.
5. Artichokes
Research reveals that artichokes contain a prebiotic that can benefit digestive tract health and help maintain regularity. Prebiotics are a unique type of fiber, which feeds the healthy bacteria in the colon, assisting in optimizing your gut health. Consuming prebiotics can aid in relieving constipation.
According to a 2017 review of five studies, it was concluded that prebiotics improved stool frequency and increased consistency. One study included 32 participants who consumed fiber removed from globe artichokes. Three weeks later, they noted high levels of healthy bacteria in the colon, while harmful gut bacteria were minimal.
Artichokes have been shown to minimize irritable bowel syndrome and assist in normalizing bowel patterns. Artichokes are available in both jarred and fresh form and can be utilized in everything from savory tarts to creamy dips.
6. Rhubarb
Both natural laxative properties and fiber content of rhubarb assist you to poop regularly. A stalk of rhubarb, which is 51 grams in weight has one gram of fiber. This is mostly insoluble fiber that promotes the bulk of the stool.
Rhubarb also has a compound called sennoside A, which promotes a laxative effect in your body. Sennoside A functions by minimizing levels of AQP3, which is a protein that curbs water transit in the intestines. Lower levels of AQP3 leads to an increased level of water absorption, which makes stool soft and enhances bowel movement.
You can add rhubarb to various baked goods, yogurt, or oatmeal.
7. Beans
The majority of beans are rich in fiber and can aid in helping you poop regularly. For instance, black beans have 7.5 grams of fiber per 86 grams serving, while 91 grams of navy beans have 9.5 grams of fiber. Beans also have significant amounts of insoluble and soluble fiber, both of which assist in easing constipation.
Soluble fiber absorbs water to create a gel-like consistency, which softens stool and makes it easier to pass. Insoluble fiber, on the other hand, passes via the digestive tract intact to add bulk to the stool.
According to research, including both insoluble and soluble fiber in your diet can effectively minimize constipation and reduce gas and bloating. If you are searching for an excellent way to boost your intake of fiber, beans are perfect. Add them to soups, side dishes, and dips for a delicious fiber snack.
8. Pears
Pears can aid in alleviating constipation in various ways. They are rich in fiber, and one medium pear weighing 178 grams has six grams of fiber, which is 24 percent of the daily requirement.
Pears are also rich in sorbitol, which is a sugar alcohol that acts as an osmotic agent to attract water to the intestines and trigger bowel movement. Additionally, pears have fructose, a sugar type that can only be absorbed in limited amounts. Hence, unabsorbed amounts of fructose act as a natural laxative by pulling water to the intestines.
9. Flaxseeds
Flaxseeds have numerous health benefits, including helping you to poop regularly due to high fiber content. A serving of ten grams has three grams of fiber, which is a mix of both insoluble and soluble fiber.
Flaxseeds are great for speeding up intestinal transit, increasing stool frequency, and improving stool weight. According to research, this food can assist in treating diarrhea and constipation. Due to its ability to increase stool frequency and have an anti-diarrheal effect, it minimizes diarrhea by up to 84 percent.
10. Kiwifruit
Kiwifruit is particularly rich in fiber, which makes it an excellent food for helping you poop regularly. A kiwifruit serving of 76 grams has 2.3 grams of fiber.
Kiwifruit has been revealed to boost movement in the gut, assisting in triggering a bowel movement. According to research, kiwifruit assists in speeding up intestinal transit time, decreasing laxative use, and reducing constipation. You can add it to your smoothie for a treat rich in fiber.
11. Prunes
Prunes are typically utilized as a natural laxative. They are an excellent source of sorbitol, and a 28-gram serving has two grams of fiber.
Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol type that is poorly digested in the body. It aids in alleviating constipation by pulling water into the intestines, which induces a bowel movement. Research shows that prunes can assist in softening stool, improving consistency, and increasing stool frequency.
A particular study revealed that 40 participants who had constipation before eating prunes faced improvements in both stool consistency and frequency, compared to a control group that consumed psyllium fiber supplements.
Prunes will make your pilafs and salads sweet. You can also drink a glass of prune juice with no added sugar to minimize constipation.
12. Apples
Apples are excellent fiber sources, with 149 grams offering four grams of fiber. Fiber goes through your intestines without being digested, which assists in forming stool and promoting regular bowel movements. Apples also have a particular type of soluble fiber referred to as pectin, which is popular for its laxative effect.
According to research, pectin assists in speeding up transit time in the large intestines, which minimizes constipation and improves gut health by boosting the levels of healthy bacteria in the digestive tract. You can eat apples as toppings for foods like oatmeal and yogurt. You can also enjoy them on their own.
Final Thoughts on 12 Foods to Help You Poop
If you want to poop frequently, the ultimate cure is fiber-rich foods. Soluble and insoluble fibers will work together to ensure your stool is soft and bulky enough to pass. These foods will aid in boosting the consistency and frequency of your stool as well as reduce the colonic transit time, which is perfect for you if you don t poop.
These foods are easy and convenient for eating. Contrary to most foods that you must cook for up to an hour, you can serve these foods in under five minutes. Some of them are ready to eat like apples, while others like flax seeds need to be added to foods like yogurt.
