“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.
Go for whole-grain toast instead. It may help your next trip to the bathroom go more smoothly.
"White bread has a high content of starch and can lead to delayed digestion. This may slower your bowel movements and cause constipation. Opt for multi-grain or whole wheat bread if you want to.
Whole wheat bread is chock-full of the fiber that can help move your bowels along. Dr. Levy recommends whole wheat toast in the morning for breakfast with a little cheddar cheese or peanut butter. It's also a great base for avocado toast.
Choose breads, crackers, pasta, pancakes, and waffles made with whole grains, or make your own. Use brown rice or wild rice instead of white rice. Eat high-fiber cereals. Vegetables can also add fiber to your diet.
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.
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.
Foods that help ease constipation
Consider adding some the following fibre-rich foods to your diet to help ease constipation: High fibre cereals such as: bran flakes, Weetabix, porridge, muesli and shredded wheat.
Processed grains
Processed grains and their products, such as white bread, white rice, and white pasta, are lower in fiber and may be more constipating than whole grains. That's because the bran and germ parts of the grain are removed during processing.
In conclusion, rye bread relieves mild constipation and improves colonic metabolism compared with white wheat bread and commonly used laxatives without increasing gastrointestinal adverse effects.
Whole grain rye bread
Research has found rye bread to be more effective at relieving constipation than regular wheat bread or laxatives ( 63 ). One 2010 study in 51 adults with constipation investigated the effects of eating 8.5 ounces (240 grams) of rye bread per day ( 63 ).
“Oats are loaded with soluble fiber, which is a type of fiber that allows more water to remain in the stool,” says Smith. “This makes the stool softer and larger, and ultimately easier to pass.”
Yogurt. The bacteria that turn milk to yogurt are also good for your digestive tract. All yogurt helps keep it healthy and keeps you regular, but yogurt with live cultures or probiotics may be even better at helping you go.
Eat more fiber.
Limit foods that have little or no fiber such as ice cream, cheese, meat, snacks like chips and pizza, and processed foods such as instant mashed potatoes or already-prepared frozen dinners.
You also may feel weak, in pain, and uncomfortable. All of these factors can cause constipation (less frequent bowel movements with stools that are difficult to pass). Not drinking enough liquids and not eating enough also can be part of the cause of constipation.
Cocoa, and therefore dark chocolate, contains fibre, which has a positive effect on intestinal transit. Fibre contributes to correct bowel function and helps both prevent and reduce constipation. To sum up, does chocolate cause constipation? No, if consumed in reasonable quantities.
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.
"Foods like All-Bran, which are high in wheat bran fibre, are particularly effective when it comes to relieving constipation and some of the associated symptoms which leave you feeling bloated and sluggish."
What to drink to make you poop? The following drinks can help relieve constipation: prune juice, lemon juice, apple juice, kefir, coffee, green tea, water or aloe vera juice.