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Photo:Ali Redmond
Ali Redmond
When was the last time you went No. 2? There’s no need to be embarrassed; your bowel habits are an important part of understanding your digestive health. Plus, as dietitians, we’re trained to understand and talk about poop.
What the Appearance of Your Poop Can Tell You About Your Health
Constipation is one of the most common gastrointestinal complaints people seek the care of gastroenterologists and colorectal surgeons for.Believe me, I know this all too well. In my 20s, I was one of the few younger adults I knew of that had colonoscopies for chronic idiopathic constipation. Yes, even as a dietitian, I too had some trouble going No. 2, too!
Since constipation is not a disease, but rather a condition that can lead to serious health consequences if left unmanaged, it’s important to get the right help and treatments to improve your symptoms. Diet and nutrition play a crucial role in keeping your bowel movements regular. In fact, one of the top recommendations to treat constipation at home is to eat morehigh-fiber foodsand focus on hydration.
Leading GI dietitians agree with this plan of care, too. Registered dietitianKate Scarlata, M.P.H., RDN, co-author ofMind Your Gut: The Science-Based, Whole-Body Guide to Living Well with IBS, shares that “eating a variety of plants daily, hydrating with adequate water and keeping active” are all important strategies to maintain ‘great pooping habits.’”
This sounds doable, right? To help you get started in the right direction, read on for the No. 1 underrated food to help you poop.
The #1 Underrated Food to Help You Poop
The No. 1 underrated food to help you poop is beans.They are chock-full of nutrients, especially important ones that contribute to healthy bowel habits, like dietary fiber. Here’s a quick look at the nutrition content of 1 cup of black beans to show you just what we’re talking about:
Nutrition of 1 Cup Canned Black Beans:
Why Beans Can Help You Poop
First, we have to talk about fiber (it’s a dietitian’s favorite F-word!). According to Scarlata, “Fiber is the essential ingredient to poop.” The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americansrecommend individuals consume upward of 25 to 35 grams of dietary fiber per day.Unfortunately, the average American only consumes closer to 15 to 18 grams daily, per Scarlata.
Why is the fiber in beans such a superstar?
First and foremost, beans contain two different types of fiber:soluble and insoluble. Scarlata says, “Soluble fiber in beans is gel-forming, which attracts water into the gut and softens stool for an easier exit from the body. The insoluble fiber in beans adds bulk to the stool for quicker transit through the gut.” With this dynamic duo present in beans, it’s no wonder they help regulate your digestive system.
Lastly, eating a variety of beans is a prime component of theMediterranean diet, and the benefits extend beyond your bathroom habits. Reviews have explored the beneficial effects beans can have on chronic disease risk as well.Scarlata shares that this research shows, “Eating beans not only promotes gut microbial diversity (a marker of good gut health) and colon health, but also helps suppress inflammatory conditions and reduce one’s cancer risk.”
Convinced to add more beans to your diet? Great! Let’s talk about how to do so.
Tips for Eating More Beans
Beans can be a great addition to your daily diet. But, if they are new to you, start slowly when adding them to your eating pattern. Increasing your dietary fiber intake gradually can help you avoid feeling bloated and gassy.
Here are some tips from Wong for enjoying more beans in a gut-healthy way:
Scarlata also recommends experimenting with using beans as a healthy and flavorful appetizer or dip, like our five-starLemon, Mint, and White Bean Diprecipe.
I’m a Dietitian & These Are 12 Budget-Friendly Recipes I Make with a Can of Beans
The Bottom Line
Nutrition and diet quality have a big impact on your health, including your frequency (or lack thereof) of bowel movements. Thankfully, you don’t have to purchase expensive supplements or make major changes to get things moving. Nutrition experts share that beans are the No. 1 underrated food to add to your eating pattern to help you poop. Not only are they budget-friendly and convenient, they also pack fiber, an important nutrient that keeps you full while also keeping food moving through your GI tract. Whether you enjoyblack beans,pinto beans,chickpeasor other pulses (like lentils and peas), start adding them to your meal plan today to reap their health benefits.
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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.National Institute of Health (NIH).Constipation.Diaz S, Bittar K, Hashmi MF, et al.Constipation.StatPearls[Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024.U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Black beans, canned, no fat added.U.S. Department of Agriculture.2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.Yang J, Wang HP, Zhou L, Xu CF.Effect of dietary fiber on constipation: a meta analysis.World J Gastroenterol. 2012;18(48):7378-7383. doi:10.3748/wjg.v18.i48.7378Barber TM, Kabisch S, Pfeiffer AFH, Weickert MO.The health benefits of dietary fibre.Nutrients. 2020;12(10):3209. doi:10.3390/nu12103209Naureen Z, Bonetti G, Medori MC, Aquilanti B, Velluti V, Matera G, Iaconelli A, Bertelli M.Foods of the Mediterranean diet: garlic and Mediterranean legumes.J Prev Med Hyg. 2022 Oct 17;63(2 Suppl 3):E12-E20. doi: 10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2022.63.2S3.2741. PMID: 36479501; PMCID: PMC9710409.Khalid W, Arshad MS, Jabeen A, Muhammad Anjum F, Qaisrani TB, Suleria HAR.Fiber-enriched botanicals: A therapeutic tool against certain metabolic ailments.Food Sci Nutr.2022 Aug 26;10(10):3203-3218. doi: 10.1002/fsn3.2920. PMID: 36249968; PMCID: PMC9548355.
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.National Institute of Health (NIH).Constipation.Diaz S, Bittar K, Hashmi MF, et al.Constipation.StatPearls[Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024.U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Black beans, canned, no fat added.U.S. Department of Agriculture.2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.Yang J, Wang HP, Zhou L, Xu CF.Effect of dietary fiber on constipation: a meta analysis.World J Gastroenterol. 2012;18(48):7378-7383. doi:10.3748/wjg.v18.i48.7378Barber TM, Kabisch S, Pfeiffer AFH, Weickert MO.The health benefits of dietary fibre.Nutrients. 2020;12(10):3209. doi:10.3390/nu12103209Naureen Z, Bonetti G, Medori MC, Aquilanti B, Velluti V, Matera G, Iaconelli A, Bertelli M.Foods of the Mediterranean diet: garlic and Mediterranean legumes.J Prev Med Hyg. 2022 Oct 17;63(2 Suppl 3):E12-E20. doi: 10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2022.63.2S3.2741. PMID: 36479501; PMCID: PMC9710409.Khalid W, Arshad MS, Jabeen A, Muhammad Anjum F, Qaisrani TB, Suleria HAR.Fiber-enriched botanicals: A therapeutic tool against certain metabolic ailments.Food Sci Nutr.2022 Aug 26;10(10):3203-3218. doi: 10.1002/fsn3.2920. PMID: 36249968; PMCID: PMC9548355.
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.
National Institute of Health (NIH).Constipation.Diaz S, Bittar K, Hashmi MF, et al.Constipation.StatPearls[Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024.U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Black beans, canned, no fat added.U.S. Department of Agriculture.2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.Yang J, Wang HP, Zhou L, Xu CF.Effect of dietary fiber on constipation: a meta analysis.World J Gastroenterol. 2012;18(48):7378-7383. doi:10.3748/wjg.v18.i48.7378Barber TM, Kabisch S, Pfeiffer AFH, Weickert MO.The health benefits of dietary fibre.Nutrients. 2020;12(10):3209. doi:10.3390/nu12103209Naureen Z, Bonetti G, Medori MC, Aquilanti B, Velluti V, Matera G, Iaconelli A, Bertelli M.Foods of the Mediterranean diet: garlic and Mediterranean legumes.J Prev Med Hyg. 2022 Oct 17;63(2 Suppl 3):E12-E20. doi: 10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2022.63.2S3.2741. PMID: 36479501; PMCID: PMC9710409.Khalid W, Arshad MS, Jabeen A, Muhammad Anjum F, Qaisrani TB, Suleria HAR.Fiber-enriched botanicals: A therapeutic tool against certain metabolic ailments.Food Sci Nutr.2022 Aug 26;10(10):3203-3218. doi: 10.1002/fsn3.2920. PMID: 36249968; PMCID: PMC9548355.
National Institute of Health (NIH).Constipation.
Diaz S, Bittar K, Hashmi MF, et al.Constipation.StatPearls[Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024.
U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Black beans, canned, no fat added.
U.S. Department of Agriculture.2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
Yang J, Wang HP, Zhou L, Xu CF.Effect of dietary fiber on constipation: a meta analysis.World J Gastroenterol. 2012;18(48):7378-7383. doi:10.3748/wjg.v18.i48.7378
Barber TM, Kabisch S, Pfeiffer AFH, Weickert MO.The health benefits of dietary fibre.Nutrients. 2020;12(10):3209. doi:10.3390/nu12103209
Naureen Z, Bonetti G, Medori MC, Aquilanti B, Velluti V, Matera G, Iaconelli A, Bertelli M.Foods of the Mediterranean diet: garlic and Mediterranean legumes.J Prev Med Hyg. 2022 Oct 17;63(2 Suppl 3):E12-E20. doi: 10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2022.63.2S3.2741. PMID: 36479501; PMCID: PMC9710409.
Khalid W, Arshad MS, Jabeen A, Muhammad Anjum F, Qaisrani TB, Suleria HAR.Fiber-enriched botanicals: A therapeutic tool against certain metabolic ailments.Food Sci Nutr.2022 Aug 26;10(10):3203-3218. doi: 10.1002/fsn3.2920. PMID: 36249968; PMCID: PMC9548355.
