In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleFoods to LimitFoods to Eat More OfWhat Else Can Help You Go?The Bottom Line
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
Foods to Limit
Foods to Eat More Of
What Else Can Help You Go?
The Bottom Line
Talking about poop may be something you used to giggle about (or maybe you still do), but constipation is no joke. TheNational Institutes of Health estimatesthat 16% of Americans are constipated, but about 1 in 3 Americans experience the not-so-fun symptoms. Constipation is technically defined as fewer than three bowel movements per week. But even if you don’t meet that criteria, you might feel constantly bloated, have trouble going or feel backed up.
If you’re having poop trouble, nutrition can play a key role. Although if this has been going on for a while or you don’t find relief with food and lifestyle changes, please talk to your doctor. What you eat is important and so is what you choose to skip. Here are some of the worst foods to eat if you’re feeling backed up.
8 Things Dietitians Eat When They’re Constipated
Getty Images / Anna Kurzaeva
No food is going to completely stop you from going number two. But seeing as how most of us don’t eat enough fiber, it’s a good idea to limit rich foods that don’t have a lot of fiber when you need some help on the toilet. Men should aim for 38 grams of fiber daily, women need 25 grams. The foods on this list have next to no fiber, so if you fill up on them, you won’t be getting the necessary fiber you need.
Highly-processed foods:Cakes, cookies, crackers, pretzels, potato chips, french fries
Meat and seafood:Red meat, chicken, pork, fish, seafood
Processed meat: Bacon, sausage, cold cuts
Cheese and dairy:Cheese, ice cream, milk
Refined grains:White bread, white rice, white pasta
Popular low-carb diets, especially theultra-low-carb ketogenic diet, cut out a lot of sources of fiber from whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Because of this,constipation is a common side effect of the keto diet. If you’ve recently started a low-carb diet make sure that you’re eating lots of vegetables (and truthfully, I’d advise you to eat some whole grains and legumes too).
Something else you’ll want to watch out for? Drinking too much alcohol. Alcohol can be dehydrating, which isn’t helpful when you’re trying to be more regular.
It might feel overwhelming to think about reducing these foods, but simple trade-ups can help you boost your fiber intake. Try swapping meat for black beans in tacos, use whole-grain corn tortillas instead of white flour tortillas, and top your tacos with lettuce, guacamole and pico de gallo. Eat oatmeal instead of a muffin for breakfast. Make your own “nice cream” with fresh fruit.
High-fiber foods:
The key here is to make sure you’re adding these foods in slowly and drinking plenty of water. You don’t want to go from 0 to 60 too quickly. Try ourhigh-fiber meal plansto get ideas of how to work more fiber into your day or try out somenatural remedies for constipation.
Moving your body and staying hydrated are both very important. If you find yourself sitting all day, take a short walk or stretch breaks.
If you’re having poop troubles—it doesn’t always mean you need more bran cereal and less cheese. Constipation might be related to stress, medication, IBS or another chronic condition. Some doctors may recommend trying anelimination dietor aFODMAP diet,but you should talk to a healthcare provider first to learn more about if that’s the right fit for you.
In general, though,fiber does a body good. You’ll not only have better poops, but fiber is beneficial for heart health, helps lower your diabetes risk and may help you maintain a healthy weight.
Welcome to The Beet, a weekly column where nutrition editor and registered dietitian Lisa Valente tackles buzzy nutrition topics and tells you what you need to know, with science and a little bit of sass.
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