One of the best ways to prevent constipation or find constipation relief is by avoiding the foods that cause it. Here's a list of some of the most common culprits that you should try to avoid.
The cause of constipation may be as close as your dinner plate. Many of the common foods in the American diet can lead to constipation. According to Gerard Isenberg, MD, associate chief of gastroenterology at University Hospitals Case Medical Center and associate professor at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, the key similarity between these foods is their lack of fiber. “It is unusual for any one specific food to cause constipation,” he says. “What is important in the diet is fiber. The American Dietetic Association recommends that Americans get 20 to 35 grams of fiber a day from plant foods, including both soluble and insoluble fiber. However, most Americans get only half this amount.”
You can find constipation relief by replacing the following foods that cause constipation with high-fiber choices that work to prevent it.
Dairy Products
Cheese, ice cream, and other dairy products have a reputation of being “binding” or constipating foods. As it turns out, this reputation is well deserved. Mark Spielmann, RD, nutrition manager at La Rabida Children’s Hospital in Chicago, says it’s due to the high-fat and low-fiber content of many of these products. Dairy products made from milk can cause constipation in many individuals, particularly toddlers, he says. “To prevent constipation, try fruit sherbets instead.”
Red Meat
Though red meat by itself isn’t a specific cause of constipation, the problem is that red meat takes the place of fiber-rich options in our diet when it’s consumed regularly. “Several servings of red meat per week may lead to a backed-up feeling,” Dr. Spielmann says. Instead of adding more foods that cause constipation to your meal, make sure that your steak comes with plenty of fiber-rich foods, like a baked potato (eat the skin) and a large salad for constipation relief.
Chips
Snacks such as potato chips make the list of constipating foods mainly because they almost always replace a snack or side dish that is richer in fiber. There’s another issue at play here, too. “High-fat foods like potato chips cause delayed digestion, leading to a 'too-full' feeling that mirrors constipation,” says Spielmann. For constipation relief, look for reduced-fat snack foods that contain whole grains to increase your fiber intake.
Frozen Dinners
These meals in a box may be convenient, but they rarely have the nutritional merits of a meal you prepare yourself, which puts them on the list of foods that can cause constipation. “Frozen dinners are almost always low in fiber and often high in fat,” says Tammy Lakatos, RD, CDN, CPT, a registered dietitian and certified personal trainer in New York and one-half of the duo known as the Nutrition Twins. “Also, they are usually high in sodium, which ties up water to dilute the salt, keeping it from pushing waste through the body.” Keep these constipating foods to a minimum.
Cookies
Lyssie Lakatos, RD, registered dietician and one-half of the duo known as the Nutrition Twins says that cookies as well as other sources of refined carbohydrates like pastries, cakes, and many crackers, have three strikes against them when it comes to constipation — they’re low in fiber, low in fluid, and high in fat. For this reason, she says it’s best to reduce your intake of these constipating foods in favor of higher-fiber dessert or snack choices, such as fresh fruit, which are great for constipation relief.
Bananas
Interestingly, bananas can either be a cause of constipation or a source of constipation relief, depending on their ripeness. “Unripened, green bananas are constipating,” says Tammy Lakatos. “But ripe bananas are very high in soluble fiber, which in some cases can help to push waste through the bowels, so bananas can also be helpful in eliminating constipation issues.” For constipation relief, be sure to pick bananas that are good and ripe.
Fried Foods
Greasy, fried foods, such as french fries, doughnuts, onion rings, and even heavily breaded good foods like fish, have a tendency to slow movement through your digestive tract. These types of foods can bind you up and be a cause of constipation. “Just like potato chips, other deep-fried foods are greasy and take a long time to digest,” says Spielmann. “This can slow your normal gastrointestinal movement.” Choose cooking methods such as steaming and broiling instead for constipation relief.
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