Can t Go? These 14 Foods Can Help
Food provides the body with the nutrition it needs to function properly, but sometimes, getting too much of the wrong food can lead to constipation and leave you searching for foods that make you poop.
Foods that make you poop immediately: Constipation home remedies
Food provides the body with the nutrition it needs to function properly, but sometimes, getting too much of the wrong food can lead to constipation and leave you searching for foods that make you poop.
What we eat is supposed to go from our mouths, into our belly, and out. Digestion time varies from person to person, but it generally takes anywhere from six to eight hours for food to pass through the stomach and small intestine. It then enters the large intestine to further digest, and then undigested food is eliminated. Some foods will have us running to the washroom quicker, while others lead to uncomfortable constipation. For instance, lots of fruits can keep people full, but they can also cause the runs. Fried foods, on the other hand, can make you constipated. So can painkillers, since they contain elements that can bind receptors in the digestive tract. Although some people assume all fruits will help get things moving, certain fruits—such as unripe bananas—contain a lot of starch, which moves really slowly through the digestive system.
Most dieticians will tell you that a well-balanced diet is best to keep you regular. While you do want to have foods that help you poop, you don’t want to go overboard, and you should know what makes you poop instantly so you can avoid mad dashes to the washroom.
Bowel movement basics: What makes you poop?
What makes you poop might be different than what makes someone else poop. However, for many people, caffeine is a trigger for bowel movements. Caffeine increases levels of cholecystokinin, which can regulate bowel movement and help with fecal elimination. There are cases where caffeinated drinks don’t seem to work for a person who is constipated, but consuming spicy food does. This is due to the fact that spicy foods contain capsaicin, a substance that irritates the bowels and leads to movement.
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Experts say that one of the best things a person can do when they are constipated is drink a lot of water. Since constipation is related to dehydration in the colon, plenty of water is needed.
When a person is constipated, multiple factors can be at play, but the bottom line is that regular bowel evacuation is vital since we need to eliminate toxins from our body. Failure to do so can lead to more serious health issues, including toxicity, bacteria growth in the gut, or diverticulitis (bowel pockets).
Foods that help you poop
If you have a history of constipation, you might want to take a look at the following list of foods that make you poop.
- Prunes – they have lots of fiber and sorbitol, a natural laxative.
- Avocados – they are high in magnesium and attract water to soften stool.
- Kiwi – this fruit is low in sugar and high in fiber.
- Popcorn – plain popcorn is a good substitute for chips because it has fiber.
- Flaxseed – the seeds are packed with fiber, but don’t eat them whole because they will pass through you. Add them to smoothies, oatmeal, or a salad.
- Oranges – they contain a flavonol called naringenin, which researchers found can work like a laxative to help constipation.
- Oatmeal – it contains insoluble fiber, which can bulk up stool, helping it pass quicker.
- Aloe Vera Juice – studies indicate that it can act as a laxative.
- Spinach – the green vegetable has fiber and magnesium. The mineral helps the colon contract and draws water in to flush things out.
- Beans – they contain resistant starch, a fiber that helps improve movement of food through the colon. It also helps balance bacteria in the GI tract.
- Green beans – this vegetable can be helpful due to its fiber content.
- Cereal – a high fiber cereal consumed in the morning can trigger movement.
- Wheat bran – the outer layer of a wheat kernel is full of fiber, with about 25g per cup.
- Almonds – they are loaded with healthy fats, proteins, and fiber, but it is really the magnesium in them that helps with constipation.
- Kefir – it is packed with probiotics, and several studies show that probiotics can ease constipation.
- Raspberries – they contain double the fiber that strawberries do.
- Broccoli – this popular green vegetable has about 5.1g of insoluble fiber per cup.
If you are looking for foods that make you poop immediately, you just might find something on this list that will do the trick. If you continue to struggle to find relief, you should consult a doctor.
More often than not, constipation is linked to diet, and there is an opportunity to turn to foods that make you poop right away. There are some causes that go beyond diet, for example, being sedentary, taking certain medications, or suffering from a neurological condition could lead to constipation. Irritable bowel syndrome can also make it difficult to poop. Some people with this condition suffer from diarrhea, while others have constipation.
When a person has a well-balanced diet and has already explored foods that make you poop right away—yet they still have difficulty with bowel movements—further investigation is required. It may seem like a hard subject to broach with a doctor, but it won’t be anything he or she hasn’t heard before. Bowel movement is a bodily function that is important to good health.
Can’t Go? These 14 Foods Can Help
The best way to stay regular is to exercise, eat a healthy, fiber-rich diet, and drink plenty of water. But if you have trouble going, certain foods can help. It’s not the only factor, but fiber — which adds to the size and water content of your stool — is key. Women should shoot for 21 to 25 grams a day, and men, 30 to 38.
Raspberries
2/15
Ruby red and yummy by themselves, with a bit of cream, or added to yogurt, they give you a hit of calcium and vitamin C. A light tart with raspberries and an almond crust could up your fiber intake even more (almonds have lots of it, too) — just watch out for the sugar and fat.
Pears
3/15
This sweet fruit is packed with vitamins and antioxidants, and it has a lot of fiber and water, which can help with constipation. One pear has only about 60 calories.
Popcorn
4/15
It’s not just perfect movie food — it can be a healthy snack any time, as long as you don’t bury it in salt and butter. But you may not know it’s loaded with fiber.
Watermelon
5/15
It doesn’t have a lot of fiber, but it’s 92% water, and that can encourage a bowel movement. It’s also chock full of nutrients, with antioxidants that help protect your cells, as well as vitamins A, B, and C, and lycopene, which helps shield you from UV rays.
Oatmeal
6/15
Have this for breakfast and you’ll be less hungry — and less likely to snack — during the day. It’s a good source of fiber, and the oats absorb lots of water, too, which helps with digestion. Bonus: It also may help lower LDL, or “bad cholesterol,” and gives you complex carbs, protein, calcium, and iron.
Almonds
7/15
You can put them on salads and desserts, eat them with yogurt and cheese, or grind them to make a tasty pie filling or pastry dough.
Turnip Greens
8/15
Sometimes overshadowed by their more famous cousins — kale, spinach, and collard greens — these have long been a staple of Southern cooking. They’re traditionally cooked with salt pork or ham hocks for flavor, but you can use smoked turkey wings to lower the salt and fat.
Potato Salad
9/15
Cooled potatoes have fiber and a lot of something called “resistant starch.” This “resists” digestion, and some of it ends up in your large intestine, where it helps good bacteria grow.
Farro
10/15
An ancient strain of wheat that’s a staple in Italy, it has a hearty, chewy texture and a delicious nutty flavor. Try it instead of rice or potatoes for a fiber-rich starch with protein and calcium.
Prunes
11/15
Try not to think of Grandpa’s morning BM ritual — but they were on to something. Prunes can be good with yogurt or cheese or cooked with poultry and desserts. And they can really help get you going again, even better than some over-the-counter laxatives. It’s not clear why they work so well, but they have sorbitol — which helps your bowels take in more water — as well as fiber.
Lentils
12/15
These can make for a great a side dish (try them with sausage), and they’re good in salads, too. They can even be hearty enough to have as a main course, thanks to a healthy amount of protein. And, oh yeah, they help you poop.
Yogurt
13/15
The bacteria that turn milk to yogurt are also good for your digestive tract. All yogurt helps keep it healthy and keeps you regular, but yogurt with live cultures or probiotics may be even better at helping you go.
Coffee
14/15
This one has scientists a bit baffled — it makes some people poop, but no one knows why exactly. It’s probably not the caffeine, because studies have shown that even the decaffeinated version works for some folks. One theory is that it affects the lining of your stomach and small intestine in some way, or it might be linked to a hormone that makes your colon contract. And that could help you on your next visit to the restroom.
Water
15/15
Yep, good old-fashioned water can help get you back on track. You can get it from the tap — filtered if necessary — and from other drinks, soups, and even fruits and vegetables.
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Science Based Medicine: “Constipation Myths and Facts.”
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition: “Mild dehydration: a risk factor of constipation?”
National Institutes of Health: “Randomised clinical trial: dried plums (prunes) vs. psyllium for constipation,” “Pediatric functional constipation treatment with Bifidobacterium-containing yogurt: a crossover, double-blind, controlled trial.”
The Scientist: “How Probiotic Yogurt Works.”
Annals of Medicine: “The role of potatoes and potato components in cardiometabolic health: A review.”
WHYY: “A Chef’s Table.”
The Savannah Morning News: “Greens: The staple of Southern cuisine.”
USDA Branded Food Products Database.
Dairy Council of California: “Health Benefits of Oatmeal.”
Nutrition and You.
LiveScience.com: “Why Does Coffee Make You Poop?”
The Watermelon Board.
Mayo Clinic: “Nutrition and healthy eating.”
