Feeling Constipated? This Is What to Eat (2024)

Home Nutrition Tips

Updated: Aug. 10, 2023

Feeling heavy and sluggish from constipation? Take a closer look at this list of foods that make you poop.

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When you need a little help with constipation, look to your diet to get things moving! Fresh produce and hearty beans are some of the high-fiber foods that make you poop.

Whether you’re experiencing the discomfort of constipation or simply want to feel lighter, eating foods high in fiber and other nutrients can get you feeling better fast.

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Apples

Apples are high in fiber and contain about more than four grams per serving. Fiber helps food move through your intestines quickly so that you don’t end up feeling backed up. Be sure to eat the apple’s skin to get all the benefits; it contains pectin which acts as a natural laxative. Grab one for a quick snack or bake it for a healthy dessert.

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Clear Soup

When you’re feeling weighed down, a clear soup like this dill chicken soup is a gentle treatment to get things moving again. Warm liquids help add moisture, which makes it easier to resolve tummy troubles. Unlike coffee, a clear soup won’t dehydrate you, either.

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Prunes

This one probably comes as no surprise; prunes are your grandma’s go-to constipation treatment, and for good reason. One serving contains six grams of fiber to help your body eliminate food fast. Not a fan of dried prunes? Drinking prune juice is just as effective. And if you have leftovers, mix them into this vintage prune cake recipe.

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Wheat Bread

Whole wheat bread is loaded with insoluble fiber to help you feel better right away. Our intestines can’t absorb insoluble fiber, so they eliminate it fast. Try starting your day with whole wheat toast or enjoy your lunch sandwich on hearty wheat bread. For the best taste (and smell), make your own at home!

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Kiwis

Kiwis are a gorgeous summer fruit loaded with healthy benefits. One small kiwi has over two grams of fiber. Kiwis have also been shown to help stimulate movement in our intestines, helping food to pass quickly. Try adding sliced kiwi to your morning smoothie or sweeten up your afternoon veggies with this honey pecan kiwi salad.

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Broccoli

Your mom was right when she told you to eat your broccoli. This green superfood contains a compound called sulforaphane; it can help regulate the bacteria in your gut and promote healthy digestion. Try steaming broccoli with garlic or enjoying it in a fresh salad with a dash of lemon.

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Beans

Just about any type of bean, from black bean to pinto, will help you in the constipation department. They are fiber powerhouses with over seven grams per serving. Beans contain both soluble and insoluble fiber, keeping things moving through your digestive tract. Get all the benefits with a colorful and cool mixed bean salad.

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Grapes

Most fruits contain the most fiber content in their skins, which is why grapes are such a fiber superstar. Eating a handful of grapes will give you plenty of fiber from the skin, as well as liquid from the fruit. This helps make it easier to go to the bathroom.

Bored with plain grapes? Try getting creative with these fun grape recipes.

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Rhubarb

Most of us know rhubarb as strawberry’s sidekick in summer desserts, but this tart fruit can stand on its own. One stalk of rhubarb contains about a gram of insoluble fiber. It also contains a compound called sennoside A, which acts as a natural laxative. Try baking with rhubarb in any of these tasty desserts.

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Blackberries

If constipation has got you down, toss a container of blackberries in your shopping cart next time you’re at the grocery store. One cup of sweet, juicy blackberries contains over 8 grams of fiber! They’re also packed with antioxidants for more health benefits. Enjoy them on their own, tossed in a smoothieor over a yogurt parfait.

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Artichokes

Artichokes certainly shine when mixed with spinach for a creamy dip, but this green veggie has so much more to offer. They are high in vitamins and prebiotics, a type of fiber that helps promote healthy digestion. Try adding cooked artichokes to a veggie pizza or on top of your favorite salad.

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Olive Oil

It’s a star in the Mediterranean diet for its heart benefits, but olive oil can help you poop, too. Olive oil acts as a natural laxative in the body and can help to promote healthy digestion. Try cooking veggies in fresh olive oil or using it to drizzle over caprese salad. Look for cold-pressed olive oils like this oneto get the best health benefits.

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Kefir

When it comes to constipation, probiotics are a must. Probiotics promote the healthy bacteria in your gut that are responsible for digestion and eliminating food. Probiotic-rich foods like kefir can help to speed up your digestive tract and get things back on track fast. Try mixing berries into vanilla kefirfor a healthy breakfast treat.

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Sauerkraut

Pickled foods like sauerkraut are rich in healthy probiotics to help relieve constipation or even prevent it in the first place. Probiotics can also help you digest the lactose in dairy, which can sometimes contribute to constipation. Try making your own at home and adding it to some of your favorite dinners.

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Flaxseed

Flaxseeds are a tiny superfood that pack a big nutritional punch. One tablespoon contains about three grams of soluble and insoluble fiber. In addition to easing constipation, their fiber content keeps you feeling full and satisfied after meals. Toss a spoonful in your daily smoothie and check out these other ways to cook with flaxseed.

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Raspberries

Like blackberries, raspberries have a higher fiber content than strawberries or blueberries. They are also high in water content, helping your digestive tract keep moving right along. Enjoy them on their own, or if you’re feeling adventurous, add them to your lunch salad with this ruby raspberry slaw.

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Pears

Pears are a tasty and juicy way to relieve constipation fast. In addition to being high in fiber (especially their skin!), they are a great source of sorbitol. This compound is found in certain fruits and acts as a natural laxative. Enjoy sliced pear with some cheese and nuts in the afternoon or bake with it for a healthy treat.

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Oranges

Oranges are an easy and portable snack perfect for anyone who needs help getting things moving. They are high in fiber and vitamin C, which helps make poop softer and easier to pass. Make sure to grab a whole orange and skip the orange juice, though. They get their fiber from their pulp, so peel and eat or get fancy with this citrus avocado salad.

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Dates

Dates are a naturally sweet snack that packs seven grams of fiber. Not only can their high fiber level help you poop, but it can also keep your blood sugar under control. Dates can be used in desserts to replace some of the recipe’s sugar or enjoyed on their own. Grabthese Medjool datesto start enjoying nature’s candy!

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Almonds

A handful of almonds may just be the perfect snack. They’re high in healthy fat, protein and you guessed it—fiber. They are also high in magnesium, which helps to stimulate the digestive tract. Snack on them on their own, in trail mix or ground into creamy almond butter.

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Chia Seeds

Good things come in small packages; a spoonful of chia seeds contains over five grams of fiber. Chia seeds also expand and turn into a gel-like consistency when they’re wet. This chia gel then moves food along your digestive tract, helping you eliminate that food more quickly and easily.Try any of these 10 ways to power up with chia seeds.

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Leafy Greens

Sometimes the simplest solutions are the best. If you’ve been dealing with constipation issues, make yourself a hearty salad with spinach and other leafy greens. They contain insoluble fiber and are proven to ease symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). If you are an iceberg lettuce fan, try making your salad with kale, arugula and spinach.

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Figs

Skip the Fig Newtons and opt for the real deal to help prevent constipation problems. Four figs contain over seven grams of fiber and less than 200 calories. Figs can be enjoyed fresh or dried and are perfect for baking.

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Popcorn

Munching on everyone’s favorite theater snack could prevent your constipation problems (just skip the movie theater butter!) Try making your own popcorn on the stove to ditch the artificial ingredients and get all the health benefits.

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Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are not just for Thanksgiving. Whether you’re enjoying them mashed with a bit of brown sugar or sliced and baked as fries, sweet potatoes are a delicious constipation cure. One serving contains four grams of fiber, as well as natural laxatives like pectin and cellulose.

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Old-World Rye Bread Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Rye Bread

If your digestive tract has slowed down recently, ditch the white bread and try rye instead. Rye is higher in fiber and quickly binds with water molecules in your digestive tract. This allows it to push food along your system quickly, relieving constipation and even keeping you feeling full. It’s easy to make your own, too!

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Lentils

Lentils are a fiber giant and can help reverse constipation almost instantly. One half-cup packs over eight grams of fiber, as well as other nutrients to support a healthy colon. Cooked lentils can be used as a salad topper or a hearty base for comforting soups and stews.

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Oatmeal

Ditch your morning bagel and heat up a piping hot bowl of oatmeal to get your digestive tract back in shape. One cup of oats has over 16 grams of fiber, so you’ll be feeling better in no time. Most packaged oatmeals are loaded with sugar and other artificial sweeteners, so make your own for a healthier and tastier start to your day.

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Peppermint

A warm cup of peppermint tea won’t just ease nausea and stomach pain; it will reverse constipation as well. Peppermint has been proven to relieve constipation by relaxing the muscles along your intestines to allow food to move through faster.

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Avocados

As if you weren’t obsessed with guacamole already, now it can keep your digestive tract healthy. Avocados are high in fiber and magnesium to help pull water back into your intestines to keep poop soft and easy to pass. Try topping whole grain toast with fresh avocado for a creamy constipation cure.

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Originally Published: July 09, 2019