Potato chips, pretzels, cookies, pastries, and other processed snack foods have high salt, processed sugar, and fat content, and are low in water content. “All these factors combined cause constipation,” Dr. Lee says. These snack foods are also often poor sources of dietary fiber.
Eating a lot of high-fat meats, dairy products and eggs, sweets, or processed foods may cause constipation. Not enough fluids. Water and other fluids help fiber work better, so not drinking enough liquids can contribute to harder stools that are more difficult to pass.
Potatoes do not cause constipation when eaten often. As a matter of fact, they can be a part of a nutrition regime to improve digestion and regularity due to their high fiber content. Of course, there are certain ways of handling potatoes that are better than others to promote healthy bowel movements.
Some foods can make you more likely to get stopped up. The most common culprits are dairy products, sugary treats, and high-fat meats. So go easy on marbled steaks and sausages, cheese, ice cream, cakes, cookies, and frozen or packaged meals, which tend to lack much fiber.
Fried and fast foods are low in fiber and high in fat and salt. These characteristics may slow digestion and increase the likelihood of constipation.
Processed Food
The carbohydrates in refined foods — like chips, soda, and white bread — move through your digestive system quickly, leading to symptoms like bloating, cramping, and gas. The high fat and calorie content don't do much for your weight and blood sugar levels either.
You may think that cutting back on food will help “clear out” your colon. That's not the case. Do this: Eating, especially healthy whole foods that contain fiber, helps your body move stool.
Potato chips, pretzels, cookies, pastries, and other processed snack foods have high salt, processed sugar, and fat content, and are low in water content. “All these factors combined cause constipation,” Dr. Lee says. These snack foods are also often poor sources of dietary fiber.
Just about everyone has trouble going to the bathroom at some point. If you're not having bowel movements as often as you used to, usually it's no cause for worry. Often, constipation will go away on its own within a few days or get better after you use laxatives or another constipation treatment.
Insoluble fiber is the most beneficial for softening stools. It does not dissolve in water and helps food pass more quickly from the stomach to the intestines. Wholewheat flour, nuts, beans, and vegetables, such as cauliflower, green beans, and potatoes all contain insoluble fiber.
Try a combination of oatmeal and flax meal. Flax meal is ground flax seeds, which are extremely rich in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. You can further increase the fiber factor by stirring in some raisins. Dried fruit is very high in fiber too.
Try natural laxatives that work fast for constipation relief, which include: aloe vera, leafy greens, chia and flax seeds, high fiber fruits, probiotic foods, and coconut water. Also make sure to drink plenty of water/fluids when consuming natural laxatives, since these work with high fiber foods to help soften stool.
“The BRAT diet ― bananas, rice, applesauce and toast ― is one we recommend for a range of digestive issues, and it can help with both constipation and diarrhea.
Excessive fluid consumption from all sources leads to a depletion of potassium, and is one of the major causes of constipation and ensuing dependence on fiber.
If left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to stroke, heart failure, coronary heart disease, and kidney disease," says Dr. Parcells. Other long-term side effects of eating a lot of chips are weight gain, trouble sleeping, dry skin, kidney disease, headaches, and inflammation.
They're loaded with saturated fat, which causes abdominal fat gain. And they boast salt, which can cause bloating. Plus, since they don't make you feel satisfied, it's hard to eat just one chip. Find out more about gassy foods that may be giving you a bloated stomach.
Fatty foods, such as chips, burgers and fried foods, are harder to digest and can cause stomach pain and heartburn. Cut back on greasy fried foods to ease your stomach's workload. Try to eat more lean meat and fish, drink skimmed or semi-skimmed milk, and grill rather than fry foods.
Probiotics: The good bacteria can help you go.
Kimball says any yogurt — not just those that advertise they're good for gastrointestinal health — can be a good source of probiotics that help relieve constipation.
For most people constipation rarely causes complications, but people with long-term constipation can develop: haemorrhoids (piles) faecal impaction (where dry, hard stools collect in the rectum) bowel incontinence (the leakage of liquid stools)