Written by Lauren Curl-Ferrell on December 9, 2021. Medical and dietician data sourced from National Institute of Health and other noted sources.

Everybody Poops

Or so that's what they say. Many people have a harder time doing it than others. In fact, constipation is a common problem affecting an estimated 20% of the population (1).

Are we not getting enough fiber? Are we eating unhealthy? What's the challenge? Those are loaded questions and without speaking to a medical professional, who's to say what is going on with your specific situation. 

There are also a ton of remedies out there. Including the likes of laxatives, stool softeners, and fiber supplements like Daily Multi-Fiber. These are easy fixes, yes - but adding these simple foods to your daily to help with the longevity of staying regular.

So here's what we know about these foods. They're so tasty. They're easy to find at the grocers. And, they're easy to eat. Who doesn't love to eat delicious foods that give a better chance at having a good, smooth, and easy poop?

I know I do. 

I'm going to go over 7 actually tasty foods to add to your diet so that adding them is delicious, but also easy. 

Let's get into it. 

1.  Apples

Apples are a great source of fiber. One small 5.3 ounce apple provides 3.6g of fiber. 

They contain a type of fiber known as Pectin - which is known for it's laxative effect. 

Fiber passes through the intestines undigested, which helps to form the stool and promotes regular bowel movements. 

In this case, an apple day...

2. Flax Seeds

The miracle seed as I call it. I don't know if anyone else calls it that, but flax seeds have changed my poo rou (poop routine - keep up).

They have a high fiber content and have many other health benefits. They're a super food. 

They're loaded with nutrients. Just one tablespoon provides a good amount of protein, fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, in addition to being a rich source of some vitamins and minerals.

They contain soluble and insoluble fiber. One study showed that eating 10 grams of flax seed daily for 12 weeks improved constipation, as well as other digestive and weight conditions (2).

Easy to add into smoothies, and there's also flax seed oil that can be used as a dressing on salads, in dips, and sauces. They're basically flavorless, so add them to anything as long as you don't mind the tiny seed!

3. Pears 

These work to relieve constipation in a few different ways. 

They're high in fiber, check. They're also high in sorbitol, double check. And they contain fructose, triple check. Let's talk about these.

Obviously, fiber is good for you. One medium sized pear contains 6 grams of fiber. Which is about 16% of the daily intake men need and it's 25% of the daily intake women need. 

Secondly, the sorbitol is great for better poops because it's a sugar alcohol that acts as an osmotic agent to pull water into the intestines and help stimulate a bowel movement. 

Lastly, fructose is a type of sugar that can only be absorbed in limited amounts. This is because of the way the body metabolizes fructose.

It metabolizes it at a slower rate and can only be metabolized by the liver. They also help to bring water into the intestines which will help create a natural laxative. 

Enjoy them raw, chop them up for a salad, add them to smoothies. They're so tasty and juicy!

4. Kiwi

This is probably my favorite fruit so it definitely made my list. It also helps that it's especially high in fiber. 

One medium sized kiwi contains 2 grams of fiber. 

Kiwi has been shown to stimulate movement in the digestive tract. Which helps induce bowel movements (Source).

One older study gave 33 constipated and 20 non-constipated participants kiwi twice daily over a 4-week period.

Kiwi helped improve symptoms of constipation, decrease laxitive use, and speed up intestinal transit time (Source).

Try adding kiwi to your next smoothie or breakfast bowl for a tasty, high fiber treat.

5. Avocados 

Guac anyone? Avocados are packed with nutrients that help with constipation. 

One cup of sliced avocado contains 10 grams of fiber. TEN GRAMS OF FIBER. 

And it's both soluble and insoluble fiber. 

And check this out, a study (Source) done in 2019 indicated that replacing carbs with the fats and fiber from an avocado increased satiety, which could aid in weight loss. 

Add it to a smoothie, slap it on an egg which, use it in place of mayo on sandwiches. Live your best life, just add more avocado to it. 

6. Sweet Potatoes

Vitamins, minerals, oh my. These tasty potatoes provide a plethora of those, and also a good amount of fiber. 

One medium sweet potato (4.5 ounces) contains 4 grams of fiber. 

The fiber found in sweet potatoes is mostly insoluble and includes a few specific types, such as cellulose, lignin, and pectin (Source).

Thanks to their fiber content, some studies have shown that sweet potatoes may help promote bowel movements.

A 2016 study measured the effects of sweet potato intake on constipation in 57 leukemia patients who were undergoing chemotherapy.

After just 4 days, most markers of constipation had improved, and the participants consuming sweet potatoes had significantly less straining and discomfort than the control group (Source).

Sweet potatoes can be roasted, mashed, baked, turned into french fries, and used in place of white potatoes in any of your favorite recipes. Try it as a bread substitute for avocado toast.

7. Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are one of the most fiber dense foods available. They're made up of about 40% fiber by weight. 

Just 1 ounce (28 grams) of chia seeds contains a huge 11 grams of fiber. 

Specifically, chia seeds are a good source of soluble fiber, which absorbs water to form a gel that softens and moistens stool for easier passage (Source).

One study found that chia seeds could absorb up to 15 times their weight in water, allowing for even easier elimination (Source).

Our Daily Multi-Fiber contains chia seeds in it to help with getting those. It also contains:

Daily Multi Fiber Blend with Psyllium Husk Powder from NB Pure provides the dietary fiber your body needs for complete digestive health. Designed with both prebiotics and probiotics, our fiber supplement can help improve overall gut health, weight management, appetite control, heart health, cholesterol management, and healthy blood sugar levels.

So get them via the fiber above, or try mixing chia seeds into yogurts, smoothies, puddings, etc.

The Sum of It all

These 7 foods can help with better poops. They're tasty. They're purposeful. Most importantly, they're easy to find. Add them to your daily routine and have better poops!