30 Healthy Foods That Will Help Keep You Regular

Feeling heavy and sluggish from constipation? Take a closer look at this list of foods.

1 / 31
Superfoods on a gray background with copy space.
nadianb/Shutterstock

Look to your diet to get things moving!

Fresh produce and hearty beans are some of the high-fibre foods that make you poop. Whether you’re experiencing the discomfort of constipation or simply want to feel lighter, eating foods high in fibre and other nutrients can get you feeling better fast. Keep reading to learn which foods you should add to your diet.

2 / 31
Fresh apples without core.
Tatyana Aksenova/Shutterstock

Apples

Apples are high in fibre and contain about more than four grams per serving. Fibre helps food move through your intestines quickly so that you don’t end up feeling backed up. Be sure to eat the apple’s skin to get all the benefits; it contains pectin which acts as a natural laxative.

3 / 31
Taste of Home

Clear Soup

When you’re feeling weighed down, a clear soup like this dill chicken soup is a gentle treatment to get things moving again. Warm liquids help add moisture, which makes it easier to resolve tummy troubles. Unlike coffee, a clear soup won’t dehydrate you, either.

4 / 31
Prunes and mint in a bowl on old wooden table, selective focus.
SMarina/Shutterstock

Prunes

This one probably comes as no surprise; prunes are your grandma’s go-to constipation treatment, and for good reason. One serving contains six grams of fibre to help your body eliminate food fast. Not a fan of dried prunes? Drinking prune juice is just as effective. And if you have leftovers, mix them into this trail mix.

5 / 31
Whole grain and flour on wooden background close up
DUSAN ZIDAR/Shutterstock

Wheat Bread

Whole wheat bread is loaded with insoluble fibre to help you feel better right away. Our intestines can’t absorb insoluble fibre, so they eliminate it fast. Try starting your day with whole wheat toast or enjoy your lunch sandwich on hearty wheat bread.

6 / 31
kiwi on white wood background.
Nataliya Arzamasova/Shutterstock

Kiwis

Kiwis are a gorgeous summer fruit loaded with health benefits. With one small kiwi containing over two grams of fibre, the fruit has also been shown to help stimulate movement in our intestines to allow food to pass quickly. Try adding sliced kiwi to your morning smoothie or sweeten up your afternoon with this fruit salsa.

7 / 31
Fresh raw broccoli in a wooden bowl on a dark background
NATALIYA_SKARAKHOD/SHUTTERSTOCK

Broccoli

Your mom was right when she told you to eat your broccoli. This green superfood contains a compound called sulforaphane; it can help regulate the bacteria in your gut and promote healthy digestion. Try steaming broccoli with garlic or enjoying it in a soup.

8 / 31
Assortment of beans and lentils in wooden spoon on wooden background. mung bean, groundnut, soybean, red kidney bean , black bean ,red bean and brown pinto beans
Kerdkanno/Shutterstock

Beans

Just about any type of bean, from black bean to pinto, will help you in the constipation department. They are fibre powerhouses with over seven grams per serving. Beans contain both soluble and insoluble fibre, keeping things moving through your digestive tract. Get all the benefits of beans with this tasty side dish.

9 / 31
Grapes on wooden table, close-up.; Shutterstock ID 216882460; Job (TFH, TOH, RD, BNB, CWM, CM): Taste of Home
Lukas Gojda/Shutterstock

Grapes

Most fruits contain the most fibre content in their skins, which is why grapes are such a fibre superstar. Eating a handful of grapes will give you plenty of fibre from the skin, as well as liquid from the fruit. This helps make it easier to go to the bathroom.

10 / 31
Rhubarb on wooden table. Fresh rhubarb on white bowl
Nadezhda Nesterova/Shutterstock

Rhubarb

Most of us know rhubarb as strawberry’s sidekick in summer desserts, but this tart fruit can stand on its own. One stalk of rhubarb contains about a gram of insoluble fibre. It also contains a compound called sennoside A, which acts as a natural laxative.

11 / 31
Ripe blackberries with leaves in a bowl on a wooden board on a dark background
GoncharukMaks/Shutterstock

Blackberries

  1. If constipation has got you down, toss a container of blackberries in your shopping cart next time you’re at the grocery store. One cup of sweet, juicy blackberries contains over eight grams of fibre! They’re also packed with antioxidants. Enjoy them on their own or tossed in your morning smoothie bowl.
12 / 31
Elegant artichokes
Taste of Home

Artichokes

Artichokes certainly shine when mixed with spinach for a creamy dip, but this green veggie has so much more to offer. They are high in vitamins and prebiotics, a type of fibre that helps promote healthy digestion.

13 / 31
Olive oil
Sebastian Duda/Shutterstock

Olive Oil

It’s a star in the Mediterranean diet for its heart benefits, but olive oil can help you poop, too. Olive oil acts as a natural laxative in the body and can help to promote healthy digestion. Try cooking veggies in fresh olive oil or using it to drizzle over this Avocado Caprese Crostini.

14 / 31
side view of glass bottles with a homemade raspberry smoothie with kefir yogurt and regular kefir yogurt with paper covers and kitchen shelf with spices in the background
PopFoto/Shutterstock

Kefir

When it comes to constipation, probiotics are a must. Probiotics promote the healthy bacteria in your gut that are responsible for digestion and eliminating food. Probiotic-rich foods like kefir can help to speed up your digestive tract and get things back on track fast. Learn how to make your own Coconut Kefir.

15 / 31
Homemade sauerkraut with cumin in a glass jar
iuliia_n/Shutterstock

Sauerkraut

Pickled foods like sauerkraut are rich in healthy probiotics to help relieve constipation or even prevent it in the first place. Probiotics can also help you digest the lactose in dairy, which can sometimes contribute to constipation.

16 / 31
bowl on wooden table with superfood healthy linseed flaxseed grain cereal
pinot-noir/Shutterstock

Flaxseed

Flaxseeds are a tiny superfood that pack a big nutritional punch. One tablespoon contains about three grams of soluble and insoluble fibre. In addition to easing constipation, their fibre content keeps you feeling full and satisfied after meals. Try tossing a spoonful in your daily smoothie.

17 / 31
Raspberries in a Bowl via Taste of Home
SJ Travel Photo and Video/Shutterstock

Raspberries

Like blackberries, raspberries have a higher fibre content than strawberries or blueberries. They are also high in water content, helping your digestive tract to keep moving along. Enjoy them on their own, or if you’re feeling adventurous, add them to your homemade sorbet.

18 / 31
Healthy Organic Pears in the Basket.
nelea33/Shutterstock

Pears

Pears are a tasty and juicy way to relieve constipation fast. In addition to being high in fibre (especially their skin!), they are a great source of sorbitol. This compound is found in certain fruits and acts as a natural laxative. Enjoy sliced pear with some cheese and nuts in the afternoon or bake with it for a healthy treat.

19 / 31
Orange garden
VAlekStudio/Shutterstock

Oranges

Oranges are an easy and portable snack perfect for anyone who needs help getting things moving. They are high in fibre and vitamin C, which helps make poop softer and easier to pass. Make sure to grab a whole orange and skip the orange juice, though. They get their fibre from their pulp, so peel and eat or get fancy with this citrus cauli-couscous salad.

20 / 31
Raw Organic Medjool Dates Ready to Eat
Brent Hofacker/Shutterstock

Dates

Dates are a naturally sweet snack that packs seven grams of fibre. Not only can their high fibre level help you poop, but it can also keep your blood sugar under control. Dates can be used in desserts to replace some of the recipe’s sugar or enjoyed on their own.

21 / 31
Almonds in white porcelain bowl on wooden table.
Krasula/Shutterstock

Almonds

A handful of almonds may just be the perfect snack. They’re high in healthy fat, protein and you guessed it—fibre. They are also high in magnesium, which helps to stimulate the digestive tract. Snack on them on their own, in trail mix or ground into this breakfast shake.

22 / 31
Jarvna/Shutterstock

Chia Seeds

Good things come in small packages; a spoonful of chia seeds contains over five grams of fibre. Chia seeds also expand and turn into a gel-like consistency when they’re wet. This chia gel then moves food along your digestive tract, helping you eliminate that food more quickly and easily.

23 / 31
Fresh green kale leaves on wooden table
Elena Shashkina/Shutterstock

Leafy Greens

Sometimes the simplest solutions are the best. If you’ve been dealing with constipation issues, make yourself a hearty salad with spinach and other leafy greens. They contain insoluble fibre and are proven to ease symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). If you are an iceberg lettuce fan, try making your salad with kale, arugula and spinach.

24 / 31
A few figs in a bowl on an old wooden background.; Shutterstock ID 743841358; Job (TFH, TOH, RD, BNB, CWM, CM): TOH
Marian Weyo/Shutterstock

Figs

Skip the Fig Newtons and opt for the real deal to help prevent constipation problems. Four figs contain over seven grams of fibre and less than 200 calories. Figs can be enjoyed fresh or dried and are perfect topping on pizza.

25 / 31
Parmesan ranch popcorn
Taste of Home

Popcorn

Munching on everyone’s favourite theater snack could prevent your constipation problems (just skip the movie theater butter!) Try making your own popcorn on the stove to ditch the artificial ingredients and get all the health benefits.

26 / 31
Sweet potato on Wooden background
KarepaStock/Shutterstock

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are not just for Thanksgiving. Whether you’re enjoying them mashed with a bit of brown sugar or sliced and baked as hash browns, sweet potatoes are a delicious constipation cure. One serving contains four grams of fibre, as well as natural laxatives like pectin and cellulose.

27 / 31
Old world rye bread
Taste of Home

Rye Bread

If your digestive tract has slowed down recently, ditch the white bread and try rye instead. Rye is higher in fibre and quickly binds with water molecules in your digestive tract. This allows it to push food along your system quickly, relieving constipation and even keeping you feeling full.

28 / 31
Lentils and spoon in a wooden bowl close up on an old table.
SMarina/Shutterstock

Lentils

Lentils are a fibre giant and can help reverse constipation almost instantly. One half-cup packs over eight grams of fibre, as well as other nutrients to support a healthy colon. Cooked lentils can be used as a salad topper or a hearty base for comforting soups.

29 / 31
Rolled oats or oat flakes in wooden bowl and golden wheat ears on stone background.
Vladislav Noseek/Shutterstock

Oatmeal

Ditch your morning bagel and heat up a piping hot bowl of oatmeal to get your digestive tract back in shape. One cup of oats has over 16 grams of fibre, so you’ll be feeling better in no time. Most packaged oatmeals are loaded with sugar and other artificial sweeteners, so make your own for a healthier and tastier start to your day.

30 / 31
Composition with fresh mint on light wooden table
Africa Studio/Shutterstock

Peppermint

A warm cup of peppermint tea won’t just ease nausea and stomach pain; it will reverse constipation as well. Peppermint has been proven to relieve constipation by relaxing the muscles along your intestines to allow food to move through faster.

31 / 31
Avocado on old wooden table.
Krasula/Shutterstock

Avocados

As if you weren’t obsessed with guacamole already, now it can keep your digestive tract healthy. Avocados are high in fibre and magnesium to help pull water back into your intestines to keep poop soft and easy to pass.

Next, read up on 12 lifestyle factors that play a role in your constipation.

Taste of Home
Originally Published on Taste of Home

Newsletter Unit