17 Foods for Constipation Relief- Simple and Available Ingredients

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Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could eat more to relieve constipation?

If you are a food lover, then today is your lucky day!

There are a lot of foods known to relieve constipation fast. If you are unaware of the food or ingredients, keep on reading.

If you suffer from constipation regularly, you might want to use most of these ingredients as a constipation diet plan.

Also, keep in mind that there is also food that you should avoid when constipated.

In today’s article you get to know:

Symptoms and Causes of Constipation
17 Foods for Constipation Relief
Foods that Cause Constipation

Symptoms and Causes of Constipation

Most people can relate to feeling irritated, uncomfortable, and even in pain when suffering from constipation issue. [1]

The typical symptoms of constipation are:

Insufficient bowel movements leading to lack of passing stool- Usually the range varies from person to person. If you are using the restroom less than four times a week, the chance is that you are suffering from constipation.
Pain- If it is hurting every time you use the bathroom, that may be due to constipation.
Bloody Stool- If you notice traces of blood in your stool that is one of the primary sign of constipation.
Bloated- Constipation often leads to you feeling bloated as you are unable to excrete the food in your system.
Lumpy or hard stool- The texture of the feces gets rougher and harder depending on the degree of constipation. This is one of the reasons that lead to pain and bloody stool.

There are a variety of reasons that cause constipation. Most of them can are traceable to your diet plan or lifestyle habits. [2]

Some of the reasons for constipation are listed below:

Medications: The side effects of some prescribed medicines are decreasing bowel movements which cause constipation.
Dehydration- Lack of water in the system creates scope for improper digestion responsible for constipation.
Illness: Indigestion, some nervous system related diseases, etc. cause constipation.
Improper Diet: There are a lot of foods that cause constipation and having these foods lead you to feel constipated.

Since diet plays such a vital role in curing and causing constipation, look at the list below to know which foods to avoid and which ones to eat regularly!

17 Foods for Constipation with Simple and Available Ingredients

Try to incorporate as many foods as you can to avoid constipation forever!

Avoid any food that you suspect you might be allergic to or have a bad experience with it in the past.

1. Water

As mentioned earlier, dehydration is one the causes of constipation. So consuming water is crucial to curing it.

Water is not only great to treat constipation but has a lot of health benefits. You must have heard the 8 glasses a day thumb rule that most people use to keep themselves hydrated and healthy.

Water helps ease the movement of bowel muscles and food to complete the digestion process. It also boosts up the process of digestion. [3]

So go ahead and drink up!

2. Spinach

Spinach has natural laxative properties.

It includes magnesium as one of its minerals. Magnesium has the potential to ease up the stool movement. Therefore, it works great if you suffer from pain due to constipation.

As a green and extremely leafy vegetable, spinach has fibers packed in it. The fibers are what makes spinach one of the most incredible food to cure constipation.

Spinach also contains vast amounts of fermentable carbohydrates which prevents IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). [4]

3. Coconut Water/ Coconut Oil

Coconut water and coconut oil both solve the issue of constipation but in very different ways. [5]

Coconut water helps with hydration purposes. It provides a massive bulk of fluid that you need to keep your bowel movements strong and healthy. The drink also contains potassium as one of the minerals. Potassium boosts the immune system and provides aid from constipation.

Coconut oil is beneficial for keeping the digestive tract clean. It also protects the track and colon from injury. When the pathway is clean and strong, it is much easier for the stool to pass.

4. Yogurt

Yogurt fan following is very active these days. With a variety of flavored yogurts available, this has to be one of the yummy treats on this list.

Probiotic yogurt increases the production of bacteria that is good for the digestive system to act more efficiently. [6]

Yogurt also helps with the texture of the stool and thus allowing it to go down more easily.

Studies show that consuming yogurt regularly increased the frequency of bowel movements. The best part is you

can add fruits to yogurt and make it even more constipation proof.

5. Coffee

If you are a coffee lover, you are in luck.

Coffee is a strong laxative element associated with healing constipation. It stimulates gastrocolic activity. Coffee makes peristalsis movement much frequent and effective. [7]

Another way coffee helps is that it boosts up the receptors around the colon region. It does so by releasing gastrin. The response is what makes you feel the urge to use the restroom early with your morning coffee.

6. Oatmeal

Oatmeal is very popular for its effectiveness in proper digestion.

Dieticians often recommend oatmeal for weight loss. Constipation often leads to people feeling bloated, and oatmeal works great to prevent that case.

The best advantage of eating oatmeal is that it provides two types of fiber- Soluble and Insoluble. [8]

The soluble fiber helps with creating a smooth gel that acts as a lubricant. The lubricant makes the excretion process seamless.

The insoluble fiber is also necessary. It helps stool to pass quickly by adding more bulk.

7. Berries

All kinds of berries pack a punch when it comes to stocking up on fibers.

Strawberries and blueberries both work well, but blackberries and raspberries work the best when it comes to treating constipation.

The best part of berries is that they are also full of anti-oxidants. It kills all the bacteria, helps activate digestive enzymes, boosts immunity system, and flushes toxins. All these add up to helping cure constipation. [9]

8. Apples

Apples are the golden ingredient to make everyone healthier. [10]

In case you forgot the rule of having an apple a day, you might want to reconsider.

Apples just like oat bran contain both soluble and insoluble fibers. But they taste better!

Sorbitol is a component that helps with easing up bowel movements. Apples are full of sorbitol which makes them a superfood for constipation.

Another significant element in apple is pectin. Pectin deals with the water content of the stool. It softens the stool and allows it to pass faster and easily.

9. Popcorn

Who doesn’t love a big bowl of popcorns when watching a movie?

Now your favorite hobby can also be your healthiest hobby.

Popcorns are packed with fiber and antioxidants. The air popped popcorns are the best when it comes to constipation relief. They add the necessary bulk required as well as help stool pass easily. [11]

The fact that they are so readily available in the supermarket and even simpler to make is what is so exciting about this food!

10. Flax Seeds/ Chia Seeds

Both Flax Seeds and Chia Seeds are amazing when it comes to acting as a constipation cure. [12] [13]

They have double the amount of fibers in the same amount as other natural foods and ingredients.

You can add these seeds to almost anything! It might be with your smoothie or cereal, and you will have an excellent source of fiber in your diet.

One thing to remember when using these seeds is that you need to ground or blend it. Having whole grains provide no help whatsoever as they pass through the system without being digested.

10. Green Tea

Green Tea is pretty much the solution to most health problems at this point. [14]

Similar to coffee, green tea contains caffeine that has laxative effects. This help cures constipation while refreshing your mind and body.

Green tea is known for having vast amounts of antioxidants. These antioxidants help improve your overall bodily function including the excretion process.

Another way in which green tea helps is that it increases the level of fluids that is necessary to soften up and pass the stool effortlessly.

12. Oranges

Oranges and a lot of citrus fruits are a great solution to preventing constipation naturally.

Oranges contain pectin. This helps reduce gut transit time. Therefore you can pass stool faster. It also helps your body respond better and increases motor activity.

The peel of oranges is helpful as well. So try to grate the skin of lemon or oranges in your dishes and salad and make it zesty and healthier! [15]

Oranges are rich in a particular flavanol called Naringenin. The Naringenin acts as a natural laxative by inducing fluid excretion in the colon.

13. Aloe Vera Juice

Aloe Vera is one of the best medicinal plants on the planet. It is filled with nutrients that are the critical requirements of a healthy body.

You can try Aloe Vera gel too, but that might be too strong. So a gentler and more available option is Aloe Vera juice.

Aloe Vera gel contains vitamins, minerals, and enzymes that make excretion much more efficient. [16]

Aloe Vera juice also helps with hydration purposes just like water and coconut drink.

14. Legumes

Legumes are the powerful group of vegetables such as beans, lentils, and peas.

The fiber content of legumes is massive. The best part is it contains healthy proteins and vitamins that also help to improve the excretion process.

Legumes are very easy to incorporate into your daily diet. And you can include a lot of it too! Just make a salad of beans and peas along with leafy green vegetables and get a healthy anti-constipation food. [17]

15. Artichokes

Artichokes fight constipation in a variety of ways. [18]

Firstly, it contains potassium and magnesium. These minerals are perfect when replenishing your body with the energy it needs for a better and faster excretion process.

Secondly, artichokes are full of antioxidants. It helps flush toxins and clear the digestive tract for a stool to pass effortlessly.

Lastly and most importantly, artichokes have probiotic effects. They produce good bacteria that help with the consistency and frequency of the stool. Therefore they act as an incredible natural laxative.

16. Prunes

Prunes will always make it to a list that is about fighting constipation.

Even though plums work as constipation remedy as well, these dried plums work better.

Prunes contain both insoluble and soluble fibers. These two types of fibers work to increase the bulk of the stool.

The soluble fiber is fermented carbohydrates. They form fatty acids that add to the weight of the stool and helps it pass more frequently.

The insoluble fiber is cellulose which also adds bulk to the stool.

Prunes cause laxative effects in two ways. It contains sorbitol which helps with increasing the water content in the gut and letting stool to pass quickly. Prunes also drive the production of gut bacteria causing stool to move. [19]

17. Sweet Potatoes

Besides being a fantastic treat, sweet potatoes are an incredible way to avoid constipation for good.

This superfood not only contains cellulose as a fiber but also lignin. The combination of both help to bulk up the stool. [20]

Sweet potatoes also contain pectin which accelerates bowel movements. It even reduces the irritation associated with constipation.

Foods that May Cause Constipation

Sometimes the reason behind constipation is not what you are not eating but what you are eating. [21]

If you suffer from constipation regularly, you might want to avoid these foods for good.

Red Meat- beef, mutton, etc.
Fried food
Foods with high preservative content that is processed food
Dairy food- cheese, ice cream and many more.
Alcohol
Unripe bananas

EndNote

14% of the people in this world suffer from constipation. That is a lot of millions of people in sufferance.

The 17 foods for constipation as mention in this list are for a healthy lifestyle too. So try to get as much as you can in your daily diet.

Don’t forget to have enough water every day and stock up on vegetable and fruits to be constipation free forever!

Are there any particular foods that you eat to avoid constipation? Share your favorite remedy in the comments below and let everyone know!

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