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Fred Hardy
8 Things Dietitians Eat When They’re Constipated
While there is no“best” time of dayto poop, shortly after waking up in the morning is a common time for many. While you sleep at night, your digestive system slows down so any fiber you ate before bed has a chance to work on bulking up and softening your stool. Since your colon is more active in the morning, it’s ready for you to visit the bathroom for a No. 2.
If you want to tackle constipation and find yourself falling short of the recommended 28 to 34 grams offiberfor the day, read on to find out our favorite higher fiber dessert.It’s not only delicious, but also packed with nutrients that support a healthy gut and more regular poops.
What to Look For in a Dessert to Help You Poop
The Best Dessert to Help You Poop
If you want to try one dessert to start the next day with a poop in the A.M., we highly recommend ourLemon-Blueberry Cheesecake Chia Pudding. Here’s why:
It’s Packed With Fiber
This simple dessert has an impressive 8 grams of fiber, or more than one-quarter of your daily fiber needs. Most of that fiber comes from chia seeds. These tiny seeds are rich in both insoluble and soluble fibers. Most notably, chia seeds contain mucilage, a type of soluble fiber that gives the seeds their gel-like consistency when soaked in water.When you’re feeling backed up, eating foods like chia seeds that offer both types of fiber (soluble and insoluble) is particularly effective since it helps hydrateandbulk up stools for more comfortable poops.
It Contains Anti-Inflammatory Ingredients
Blueberries and chia seeds are both packed with anti-inflammatory compounds. Constipation can be a sign ofchronic inflammation. Chia seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids–specifically alpha-linolenic acid–which research suggests offers anti-inflammatory benefits.
The Bottom Line
If you’re constipated, but love a little treat after dinner, consider making a batch of thisLemon-Blueberry Cheesecake Chia Pudding. Chia seeds are a favorite constipation-fighting food since they are loaded with fiber and anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. For this dessert, we blitzed them together in a food processor with cream cheese, maple syrup and milk for an extra creamy cheesecake-flavored pudding that is layered with blueberries and graham crackers. Paired with a fiber-rich dinner and a tall glass of water, this dessert will go a long way to encouraging a poop when you wake up the next morning. If chocolate is more your vibe, check out ourCocoa-Chia Pudding with Raspberries.
EatingWell.com, July 2024
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SourcesEatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.Hibberd TJ, Ramsay S, Spencer-Merris P, Dinning PG, Zagorodnyuk VP, Spencer NJ.Circadian rhythms in colonic function.Front Physiol. 2023;14:1239278. doi:10.3389/fphys.2023.1239278U.S. Department of Agriculture.2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for AmericansKulczyński B, Kobus-Cisowska J, Taczanowski M, Kmiecik D, Gramza-Michałowska A.The Chemical composition and nutritional value of chia seeds-current state of knowledge.Nutrients. 2019;11(6):1242. doi:10.3390/nu11061242Pan R, Wang L, Xu X, et al.Crosstalk between the gut microbiome and colonic motility in chronic constipation: potential mechanisms and microbiota modulation.Nutrients. 2022;14(18):3704. doi:10.3390/nu14183704Cambiaggi L, Chakravarty A, Noureddine N, Hersberger M.The Role of α-Linolenic Acid and Its Oxylipins in Human Cardiovascular Diseases.Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Mar 24;24(7):6110. doi:10.3390/ijms24076110Zhang Y, Yu W, Zhang L, Wang M, Chang W.The interaction of polyphenols and the gut microbiota in neurodegenerative diseases.Nutrients. 2022; 14(24):5373. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14245373
Sources
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.Hibberd TJ, Ramsay S, Spencer-Merris P, Dinning PG, Zagorodnyuk VP, Spencer NJ.Circadian rhythms in colonic function.Front Physiol. 2023;14:1239278. doi:10.3389/fphys.2023.1239278U.S. Department of Agriculture.2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for AmericansKulczyński B, Kobus-Cisowska J, Taczanowski M, Kmiecik D, Gramza-Michałowska A.The Chemical composition and nutritional value of chia seeds-current state of knowledge.Nutrients. 2019;11(6):1242. doi:10.3390/nu11061242Pan R, Wang L, Xu X, et al.Crosstalk between the gut microbiome and colonic motility in chronic constipation: potential mechanisms and microbiota modulation.Nutrients. 2022;14(18):3704. doi:10.3390/nu14183704Cambiaggi L, Chakravarty A, Noureddine N, Hersberger M.The Role of α-Linolenic Acid and Its Oxylipins in Human Cardiovascular Diseases.Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Mar 24;24(7):6110. doi:10.3390/ijms24076110Zhang Y, Yu W, Zhang L, Wang M, Chang W.The interaction of polyphenols and the gut microbiota in neurodegenerative diseases.Nutrients. 2022; 14(24):5373. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14245373
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
Hibberd TJ, Ramsay S, Spencer-Merris P, Dinning PG, Zagorodnyuk VP, Spencer NJ.Circadian rhythms in colonic function.Front Physiol. 2023;14:1239278. doi:10.3389/fphys.2023.1239278U.S. Department of Agriculture.2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for AmericansKulczyński B, Kobus-Cisowska J, Taczanowski M, Kmiecik D, Gramza-Michałowska A.The Chemical composition and nutritional value of chia seeds-current state of knowledge.Nutrients. 2019;11(6):1242. doi:10.3390/nu11061242Pan R, Wang L, Xu X, et al.Crosstalk between the gut microbiome and colonic motility in chronic constipation: potential mechanisms and microbiota modulation.Nutrients. 2022;14(18):3704. doi:10.3390/nu14183704Cambiaggi L, Chakravarty A, Noureddine N, Hersberger M.The Role of α-Linolenic Acid and Its Oxylipins in Human Cardiovascular Diseases.Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Mar 24;24(7):6110. doi:10.3390/ijms24076110Zhang Y, Yu W, Zhang L, Wang M, Chang W.The interaction of polyphenols and the gut microbiota in neurodegenerative diseases.Nutrients. 2022; 14(24):5373. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14245373
Hibberd TJ, Ramsay S, Spencer-Merris P, Dinning PG, Zagorodnyuk VP, Spencer NJ.Circadian rhythms in colonic function.Front Physiol. 2023;14:1239278. doi:10.3389/fphys.2023.1239278
U.S. Department of Agriculture.2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans
Kulczyński B, Kobus-Cisowska J, Taczanowski M, Kmiecik D, Gramza-Michałowska A.The Chemical composition and nutritional value of chia seeds-current state of knowledge.Nutrients. 2019;11(6):1242. doi:10.3390/nu11061242
Pan R, Wang L, Xu X, et al.Crosstalk between the gut microbiome and colonic motility in chronic constipation: potential mechanisms and microbiota modulation.Nutrients. 2022;14(18):3704. doi:10.3390/nu14183704
Cambiaggi L, Chakravarty A, Noureddine N, Hersberger M.The Role of α-Linolenic Acid and Its Oxylipins in Human Cardiovascular Diseases.Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Mar 24;24(7):6110. doi:10.3390/ijms24076110
Zhang Y, Yu W, Zhang L, Wang M, Chang W.The interaction of polyphenols and the gut microbiota in neurodegenerative diseases.Nutrients. 2022; 14(24):5373. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14245373
