What foods make your poop hard

Eat enough fiber. Drink plenty of liquids to help the fiber work better.

Fiber

Depending on your age and sex, adults should get 22 to 34 grams of fiber a day.4 Older adults sometimes don’t get enough fiber because they may lose interest in food.

Talk with a health care professional, such as a dietitian, to plan meals with the right amount of fiber for you. Be sure to add fiber to your diet a little at a time so your body gets used to the change.

Good sources of fiber are

• whole grains, such as whole wheat bread and pasta, oatmeal, and bran flake cereals
• legumes, such as lentils, black beans, kidney beans, soybeans, and chickpeas
• fruits, such as berries, apples with the skin on, oranges, and pears
• vegetables, such as carrots, broccoli, green peas, and collard greens
• nuts, such as almonds, peanuts, and pecans

Plenty of water

You should drink water and other liquids, such as naturally sweetened fruit and vegetable juices and clear soups, to help the fiber work better. This change should make your stools softer and easier to pass.

Drinking enough water and other liquids is also a good way to avoid dehydration. Staying hydrated is good for your overall health and can help you avoid getting constipated. Ask a health care professional how much liquid you should drink each day based on your size, health, activity level, and where you live.

Talk with a health care professional to plan meals with the right amount of fiber for you.

What should I avoid eating or drinking if I’m constipated?

To help prevent or relieve constipation, avoid foods with little to no fiber, such as

• chips
• fast food
• meat
• prepared foods, such as some frozen meals and snack foods
• processed foods, such as hot dogs or some microwavable dinners

Reference

[4] U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2015–2020. 9th Ed. Published December 2020. Accessed July 15, 2021. www.dietaryguidelines.gov.

This content is provided as a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health. The NIDDK translates and disseminates research findings to increase knowledge and understanding about health and disease among patients, health professionals, and the public. Content produced by the NIDDK is carefully reviewed by NIDDK scientists and other experts.

Constipation affects up to 1 in 3 American adults. Older adults and women are at greatest risk. Constipation is usually characterized as:

• Having fewer than three bowel movements per week

• Having stools that are hard or dry

• A feeling that stool hasn’t passed completely

• Having stools that are hard or painful to pass

You may also experience bloating, gas, and abdominal pain as a side effect of your intermittent bowel habits.

Board-certified gastroenterologist Bharat Pothuri, MD, and the team at GastroDoxs can help patients in and around Houston, Texas, to ease uncomfortable constipation so they feel more relaxed and healthy. Although aging, certain medications, and functional gastrointestinal disorders can cause constipation, so can your dietary habits. One way to reduce constipation is to revise your food choices.

Just a few dietary revisions go a long way in making you more comfortable. Be aware that the following foods can contribute to your problems with constipation.

1. Red meat

A juicy steak or burger once in a while can be a healthy addition to your diet, but eating red meat daily can contribute to constipation. Red meat has no fiber. Fiber is needed because it adds bulk to stool so it moves through your system smoothly. Plus, if you fill up on red meat – which can be quite satiating – you may eat fewer fruits, vegetables, and whole grains (all high-fiber foods) as a result.

Many cuts of red meat contain high amounts of fat and iron, two nutrients that can contribute to constipation, too.

2. Dairy

Sensitivity to the proteins in cows’ milk is often associated with loose stools or diarrhea, but research shows that come people experience constipation due to milk (or other dairy) consumption.

Try a dairy alternative, such as soy or almond milk, to see if you experience an improvement in your constipation symptoms. Minimize your intake of cheese and butter, too, if you find dairy is a trigger.

3. Refined grains

Refined grains, such as white bread, processed snack crackers, and white rice, have much (or all) of the fiber stripped away. When you consume them instead of fiber-rich whole grains, your bowel function suffers.

The USDA recommends consuming a minimum of 6 ounces of whole grains per day if you follow a 2,000-calorie diet. So make substitutions such as 100% whole-wheat bread for white slices and brown rice or quinoa instead of white rice.

4. Alcohol

Alcohol is dehydrating. When you don’t have enough fluid in your body, your stools grow hard and compact so they’re hard to pass. Alcohol also slows digestion and can cause bowel irritation, exacerbating constipation symptoms.

Stick to the recommended one drink per day for women or two drinks per day for men. If you have serious constipation problems, forego alcohol altogether or save it for special occasions.

5. Fast food

At most fast food restaurants, white buns and fries are the norm. The burgers or fried chicken patties inside these buns are high in fat, and the whole meal package is very low in fiber. Fried foods and low-fiber foods both contribute to constipation. Make them a steady staple in your diet and you may be responsible, at least in part, for your blocked bowels.

Opt for turkey burgers or lean ground beef burgers cooked at home with 100% whole wheat buns. If you can, find takeout that offers sweet potato fries as an option as they’re higher in fiber and more nutritious than the white type.

Constipation is not only uncomfortable, it can be maddening. At GastroDoxs, we’re here to help with dietary revisions, medication, and lifestyle changes. If you’re done with the misery of bloating, gas, and hard stools, call today for an appointment or schedule using the online tool. 

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When people aren’t pooping enough per day, or their stools are too hard or soft, they’re bound to get grumpy. Factors including poor diet, lack of exercise, and not using proper pooping posture can cause irritable bowels and behavior. Regardless of the cause, the connection between digestive issues and mood has been well documented. Many doctors have begun to refer to the gut as the body’s “second brain” since the neurons that line the gut form such an extensive and complex network. Scientific American published an article about this topic in 2010 entitled Think Twice: How the Gut’s ‘Second Brain’ Influences Mood and Well-Being. 

The foods you consume are essential in providing the nutrition your body requires and feeding your gut microbes what they need to thrive and maintain a healthy balance. Eating healthy food and using a toilet stool are simple things you can do to enjoy more satisfying poops and alleviate gastrointestinal problems.

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In line with our mission to help the world poop better, we published a blog post entitled “10 Tips for More Predictable Poops.” In that post, we include short lists of foods that bind and foods that loosen stools. In this post, we expand those lists.

Note: Remember that regulating bowel movements involves attention to several factors, including diet, exercise, fluid intake, lifestyle, and maintaining healthy intestinal flora. Refer to our article Restoring Intestinal Floral Leads to a Healthy Gut and Happy Poop for more information on the topic.

Foods That Bind

When you suffer from diarrhea, your doctor will likely recommend a temporary shift to the BRAT diet: bananas, rice, applesauce (not apples), and toast. Any bland, low-fat, low-fiber diet is likely to help alleviate diarrhea. By bland, low-fat, low-fiber, we’re referring to foods such as white bread, peeled potatoes, peeled and cooked fruit, white pasta, and rice.

Another way to approach this is to avoid spicy, fatty, fried, or raw food and any food that is difficult to chew.

Implementing these dietary restrictions and adding a Squatty Potty into your toilet routine can lead to smoother, healthier movements. Using a specially designed toilet stool, helps undo the kink in your digestive system without any extra effort on your end. Not sure which toilet stool is suitable for you? Use our guide to find the stool that will work best for your behind.

Choosing The Right Squatty Potty For You

A third approach is to stay disciplined and eat foods from the following lists.

Foods made from refined, white flour

• Hot and cold cereals
• Pretzels
• Waffles
• Pancakes
• Cookies
• Crackers
• Cakes

Rice

• White rice
• Rice cakes
• Rice crackers

Low-fat meats

• Baked or broiled chicken without the skin
• Lean beef
• Fish
• Turkey

Certain dairy products (but avoid if you are lactose intolerant)

• Low-fat yogurt
• Hard cheeses
• Low-fat milk

Low-fiber veggies

• Green beans
• Carrots (preferably boiled)
• Peeled potatoes
• Peeled zucchini
• Mushrooms
• Asparagus tips
• Acorn squash

Low-fiber fruits

• Bananas
• Applesauce
• Other peeled and cooked fruits
• Clear fruit juices (preferably diluted)

Other foods worthy of mention

• Peanut butter
• Gelatin (Jell-O)
• Popsicles
• Fruit juices (preferably diluted)
• Clear broth

Foods That Fluff

Constipated? Your doctor will likely recommend increasing your fluid intake and consuming high-fiber foods to make your stools more fluffy. Yes, we said fluffy! Your doctor may also advise you to take a fiber supplement, such as psyllium, the main ingredient in Citrucel and Metamucil. 

Drinking more water, eating more fiber, and utilizing a Squatty Potty to ease constraints on your digestive tract will help your poo slide right out of you.

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The following foods are high in fiber and often have a high water content, which can also help constipation.

Note: We have intentionally omitted foods that loosen stools but may irritate your gut, such as greasy or fried foods, high-fat meats, coffee (which is acidic), and chocolate.

Grains

• Corn
• Whole grains
• Whole-grain breads and pastas
• Barley
• Bran
• Rye bread
• Popcorn (‘poopcorn,’ anyone?)
• Oatmeal
• High-fiber cereal
• Brown rice (yes, some types of rice can bind and loosen stools)

Legumes (beans)

• Soybeans
• Navy beans
• Pinto beans
• Black beans
• Split peas
• Lentils
• Mung beans
• Chickpeas
• Kidney beans
• Lima beans
• Great northern beans
• Black-eyed peas (the food, not the band)
• Baked beans
• Hummus
• Tofu

Veggies

• Artichokes
• Green peas
• Parsnips
• Collard greens
• Turnip greens
• Lettuce (iceberg’s not the best)
• Brussels sprouts
• Kale
• Broccoli
• Sweet potatoes
• Okra
• Butternut squash
• Cabbage
• Spinach

Fruits and berries

• Prunes, raisins, and other dried fruits
• Prune juice
• Kiwis
• Apples
• Pears
• Oranges
• Peaches
• Persimmons
• Figs
• Berries (especially blueberries)

Nuts and seeds

• Almonds
• Cashews
• Walnuts
• Pecans
• Sunflower seeds
• Pistachios
• Pumpkin seeds
• Chia seeds
• Flaxseed (ground)

Foods That Restore and Support Regular Bowel Movements

Some foods perform double-duty, helping regulate bowel movements and prevent diarrhea and constipation. These foods deserve some special attention. Adding supercharged probiotic and prebiotic foods before propping your legs up on a bathroom stool will allow your colon to straighten and your waste to come out cleaner. Pooping with your feet on the ground can cause a kink in your intestinal tract, which can lead to disruptions. Squatty Potty undoes this kink so you can do your business and get on with your day.

Probiotic foods

Probiotic foods contain live cultures of bacteria and yeasts that are gut-friendly. The following foods contain probiotics:

• Live-cultured yogurt
• Kefir
• Kimchi
• Sauerkraut
• Pickles
• Natto
• Tempeh
• Miso

Prebiotic foods

Prebiotic foods contain fiber that makes its way to the large intestine largely undigested, where it feeds microbes that promote regularity. Consider it fertilizer for your gut flora. The following foods are considered good prebiotics:

• Chicory root
• Jerusalem artichoke
• Dandelion greens
• Garlic
• Leeks
• Onions
• Asparagus
• Avocado
• Kiwi
• Aloe Vera juice
• Unfiltered apple cider vinegar

The Final Turd
In addition to consuming the healthy foods from the list above, assuming a squatting position using a toilet stool can help you make and take better bowel movements. While we can’t make you add these foods to your grocery list, a Squatty Potty can help you enjoy more satisfying bathroom experiences.

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Disclaimer: This blog post on foods that bind vs. those that loosen stools provides general information and discussion about medical issues and health-related subject matter. The words and other content provided in this post and in any linked materials are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice. If you or any other person has a medical concern, consult with an appropriately licensed physician or other health care professional immediately. Do not rely on the information presented in this post. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read in this blog post or in any linked materials. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately.