Constipation is one of the most common health problems in the world today. Unfortunately, most of us don’t realize that what we put into our body can cause constipation and other bowel problems. There are a number of foods that can cause constipation, but these are the 11 foods to avoid if you want to avoid painful bowel movements and other health complications.
1. Caffeine
While a cup of coffee in the morning can help loosen up the bowels and keep you regular, in some cases it can have the opposite effect. If you are failing to consume plenty of liquids throughout the day or even before you cup of coffee, stool can be deprived of moisture meaning it might be much harder, solid and difficult to break up.
If you find that caffeine is starting to have the opposite effect to your regular movements, you might want to skip that morning coffee and opt for alternative such as decaf or find that morning energy kick elsewhere.
2. Red Meat
Foods high in fiber work wonders for the digestive system and unfortunately red meat is not one of them. Being particularly high in fat and low in fiber, the body struggles to digest. In addition to this, particular protein fibers also offer a challenge for the body to digest.
Reducing red meat in the diet to an occasional meal rather than a staple will improve digestive movements as well reducing the content of fat being consumed. Alternatives, if you prefer to continue eating meat, would be leaner meats such as turkey, chicken or even certain kinds of fish.
3. Fried Foods
It’s no surprise that fried foods aren’t the best meal for the digestive system, the particularly high fat content can be difficult for the body to process. Not only this, fried chicken and chips also have very few other important nutrients for the body meaning you are essentially eating an abundance of fat and not much else.
If you want to return to regular bowel movements, meals such as fried fish and chips might be better left off for another day, your body will thank you in many more ways than one.
4. Eggs
Much the same as the other meals, eggs are heavily focused on having a high fat content and very little fiber, being the important ingredient for maintaining healthy digestion.
While you might enjoy a hearty meal of bacon and eggs in the morning, the fat content is processed much slower and leaves far more waste than other nutritious meals, meaning you might be having a hard time when it comes to going to the bathroom.
Substituting eggs for a high protein, high fiber alternative such as tofu might be the best option even if it is to just temporarily improve digestion and reduce that bloated feeling.
5. Chocolate
Enjoyed by so many but most of us are well aware chocolate is not the best thing for us. While mostly harmless when enjoyed as an occasional treat, regular consumption of chocolate can cause digestive problems due to the incredibly high fat content as well as in some cases containing caffeine.
The sugar in the chocolate is what is turned straight into glucose and then into fat while the body struggles to find anything nutritionally useful in the delicious treats. Once again, if you are looking to have a healthy digestive system, chocolate is best to be avoided or at least drastically reduced from the weekly diet.
6. Sugar
As mentioned before, sugar can be quite detrimental while living on a high fat diet. The sugar is converting to quick burning energy or glucose and whatever is left over is stored straight into the fat cells. The process takes time and can be challenging for the digestive system.
Combining this with a lack of fiber and you have an abundance of waste and not much help to the body in digesting it.
If you are still searching for that something sweet to add to your meals and beverages, consider some natural alternatives such as stevia or coconut sugar which have a significantly lower fat content, taste just as sweet and have a more fiber in helping those bowels do their job.
7. Cheese
Anything a little cheesy can cause many woes on the digestive system, particularly for those who are lactose intolerant. With a very high fat content and diary being tricky to process to begin with, cheese is well known contributor to constipation and is best to be avoided altogether for those suffering from constipation or even those who are just looking to have a much cleaner diet.
For those who are lactose intolerant, cutting out cheese altogether will help prevent episodes of gas and your digestive system will thank you each day you choose not to consume dairy.
8. Unripe Bananas
Eating bananas a little too soon before their time is never an enjoyable experience but it may also be detrimental to your health and digestion. Before bananas convert their starch to the sugars we all enjoy, they can taste unpleasant and be a hinderance to digestion.
Waiting a couple of extra days for our bananas to ripen will not only have them tasting much sweeter, they will also prevent any complications when it comes to constipation since they are much easier to process in their sugary form than as a starch.
9. Gluten
While not the case for everyone, gluten has been known to cause a number of digestive problems particularly for those who are gluten intolerant. Gluten is present in a number of grain products such as wheat, rye, oats and barley.
If you find that you suffer constipation occasionally and consume plenty of grain products, you might want to seek advice from a doctor as it could be a sign you suffer from a gluten allergy. Fortunately there are many gluten free alternatives if that is the case, you never need to miss out on enjoying grain based foods.
10. Milk
There can be a number of reasons why milk, particularly full cream, may have a negative effect on your digestive system. The fat in the milk for one, is much more difficult for the body to process causing digestive problems as well as being dairy, also a challenge for the digestive system.
Milk in the diet is can also cause further problems for those who are lactose intolerant, causing an upset stomach and worsening the symptoms of constipation.
Your local supermarket will have an abundance of milk alternatives anything from soy to coconut or even almond milk, find an alternative that you enjoy and you should start seeing improvements in digestion.
11. Chips
Eating chips or other fried snack foods, will not only add empty calories to your diet, you will also find they contribute to constipation. While chips are a particularly poor snack choice due to their high fat content and very little fiber, they may also make you feel bloated straight after eating.
This leads to a feeling of being full while still not bring any useful nutrients to the body, delaying digestion and preventing you from eating anything meaningful. Chips are to be enjoyed very occasionally or avoided altogether to have your digestion back up and running.
Conclusion
Eating a healthy diet is important for maintaining a healthy weight and digestion. Unfortunately, because of our busy lifestyles, we are often tempted to eat unhealthy foods and snacks. These unhealthy foods can lead to a variety of health problems, including constipation.
We hope you enjoyed our post on Foods That Cause Constipation, and we hope it provided some useful insight into foods that may cause constipation.
What are the dietary causes of constipation?
Constipation is a condition where it takes more than three days to excrete the bowel movement and causes a person to experience hard, dry and painful stool. It may be caused by dietary, lifestyle and psychological factors. Dietary factors include eating too little fibre, drinking too little water and eating too much processed foods. Lifestyle factors can include not exercising often enough, drinking too little water and not sitting down for long periods of time. Psychological factors can include stress, anxiety and depression.
What are some ways to avoid constipation, and what are the best foods?
The most important factor in constipation is diet. The vast majority of people eat too much meat, processed food, and high-fat foods. These foods are very difficult to digest and need a lot of time and even a lot of problems in digestion. The best way to avoid constipation is to eat more natural foods, plenty of fiber, and drink plenty of water. Fiber can be found in whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables; while water helps move the waste through the body. Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water each day and eat food high in fiber.
Which food has the highest likelihood to cause constipation?
The most constipating food is definitely processed food, because it contains refined carbohydrates and processed oils which we’re not meant to eat, and our body doesn’t digest these foods very well. Foods like processed flour, white rice and pasta, crackers, croissants, instant noodles, waffle, white bread, etc. are all the prime candidates for causing constipation. Stay away from these whenever you feel your digestive system is not working.
