10 Best High Fiber Foods For Constipation

If you are suffering from occasional or chronic constipation, you already know the pain of uncomfortable and discomfort it can be. I am sharing high fiber foods that can relieve constipation naturally.

You need to know everything from common causes and symptoms to natural remedies for constipation, as well as what high fiber foods that help you poop naturally without pain.

Foods rich in fiber, like oats, bananas, apples, quinoa, leafy greens, berries, prunes and beans, can help support regular bowel movements naturally. The key is consistency, not perfection.

A few months ago, I dealt with constipation so badly, and yes, I know the feeling, of course! I actually stopped eating fiber-rich foods totally in my daily meals, and after that, it showed the effects. My digestion gets very slow, always bloat whenever I eat something. My stomach will be full of gas or acid. And I can’t even poop anymore. So hard and bleeding I am! It’s horrible!

Then I started eating high fiber foods like oats for breakfast, quinoa, beans, carrots, and vegetables for lunch or dinner. Also, I add apples and bananas to my diet regularly. And yes, it’s worked.

I noticed that my stomach is stable, no more bloating, gas or acid, and digestion will improve day by day. The good news is, I can poop naturally every day without any pain or blood. No more face constipation now!

These high fiber foods make me healthy and work as medicine without taking chemical-based medicine or supplements.

Check out, 7 High fiber fruits for constipation relief naturally

What is Constipation?

Constipation is not a disease; it happens due to a wrong diet and lifestyle habits. It occurs when you are not able to poop less than 3 times per week. Means when passing hard or dry stools happens less than 3 times per week and/or the stool is difficult to pass from the anus.

While most of us experience constipation occasionally in our lives, for some people the condition can be chronic and disrupt their daily lives. I even faced that problem, and I know your feelings! But you need to know the symptoms of constipation –

• Hard or dry stool
• Stomach bloating
• Pain while passing stool
• Feeling heavy or uncomfortable
• Fewer than three bowel movements a week
• Straining too much in the bathroom

Related: 10 Worst Foods That Cause Constipation

15 Common Causes of Constipation

Constipation can occur for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it is due to just one habit, while other times it is due to a combination of factors. Here are some common causes:

• Not eating enough fiber
• Drinking too little water
• Eating too much processed food
• Lack of physical activity
• Stress and anxiety
• Holding poop for too long
• Changes in routine
• Traveling frequently
• Too much dairy food
• Low fruit and vegetable intake
• Pregnancy
• Certain medications
• Poor sleep habits
• Hypothyroidism
• Irregular meal timings

When Should You Worry About Constipation?

Occasional constipation is common, but sometimes it can be a sign of a more serious problem. You should talk to your doctor if you notice the following symptoms:

• Blood in your stool
• Severe pain when passing stool
• Severe abdominal pain
• Sudden weight loss for no apparent reason
• Vomiting with constipation
• Constipation that has lasted more than 2 weeks
• Increased pain day by day
• It is always best not to ignore chronic digestive problems.

9 Natural Remedies for Constipation

Here are some of the best natural remedies for preventing and relieving occasional constipation.

1. Drink More Water – Drink plenty of water after taking high fiber foods because fiber needs more water to digest. Without water, stool can become even harder.

2. Eat More Fiber Slowly – Don’t suddenly eat a lot of fiber-rich foods overnight. Increase the amount gradually so your stomach can adjust comfortably.

3. Walk After Meals – After taking a meal, walking for 15-20 minutes may help digestion move better.

4. Drink Warm Lemon Water – Lukewarm lemon water in the morning can help with bowel movement and may support digestion.

5. Gradually Increase Fiber: Start eating fiber-soluble foods like oats, apples, beans etc, and also include insoluble fiber foods such as leafy greens, nuts, and whole grains. Don’t be so rushed. Eating a small amount of fiber daily is good for adapting your body.

6. Eat Prunes (or Drink Prune Juice): Prunes are a healthy, popular fruit packed with fiber and sorbitol, which helps soften your poop. You can drink prune juice as well daily.

7. Try Chia or Flaxseeds: Chia seeds and flaxseeds contain get like structure that makes your stool softer and are great high fiber foods for gut health. Add them to the water or to smoothies, oatmeal for your go-to breakfast meal.

8. Eat Probiotic-Rich Foods: Eating yogurt, kefir, kimchi like probiotic foods, supports gut health and regular bowel movements.

9. Eat Magnesium-Rich Foods: Magnesium-rich foods like almonds, spinach, pumpkin seeds, avocado, and black beans make your stool smooth, soft and support normal muscle function.

Now let’s dive into which high fiber foods for constipation relief so well –

1. Apples

Apples are one of my best-ever high-fiber foods that I eat every day for breakfast. It contains a type of soluble fiber called pectin that may help improve digestion and support regular bowel movements.

I even eat apples as an afternoon snack instead of eating junk snacks or chips or biscuits. Just slice them into pieces, and you can enjoy them with nut butter or cheese for a protein-packed snack.

But also eat them to smoothies, or with oatmeal or apple dessert. You can try these high protein snacks that require no cooking at all.

2. Green Vegetables (Spinach, Broccoli, and Brussels Sprouts)

Green vegetables like Spinach, Broccoli, and Brussels Sprouts are packed with high fiber, vitamins, and lots of healthy nutrients that support gut health.

Broccoli and Brussels sprouts contain prebiotic fiber that helps add bulk to stool, which may make bowel movements easier. These are the perfect healthy high fiber vegetables for constipation.

I don’t like much spinach so I add it to my smoothie for morning breakfast. It’s Delicious! A lot of people avoid Brussels sprouts, but trust me, they taste so much better when roasted with olive oil and garlic.

Adding green vegetables to your diet is a very good habit and good for your gut health to relieve constipation.

More: 10 Best high fiber low carb foods to add to your diet

3. Bananas

Banana is a highly effective fruit for constipation and a medium banana contains about 3 grams of fiber.

Especially, a ripe banana means it is yellow with brown spots, contains more fiber and is a natural remedy for constipation, may help support regular digestion, and reduce bloating.

Personally, I love bananas because of it is simple, inexpensive, and affordable, and it has lots of health benefits.

Also, bananas produce high levels of tannins, which can inhibit the muscle contractions (peristalsis) needed to move food through the gut.

Eating a banana in a smoothie (strawberry banana oat smoothie), with oats, yogurt or taking as snacks or desserts is one of the best foods that help you poop naturally.

4. Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite comfort high fiber foods for digestion, while also keeping you full for longer. And that contains about 4 grams of fiber.

They are healthy, plant based food for natural remedies for constipation. You can enjoy it in many ways, like you can mash with a little brown sugar, throw them into an air fryer to make healthy sweet potato fries or make easy meal prep Sweet Potato Black Bean Casserole for lunch or a busy dinner.

5. Berries

Berries like raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries are plant based fruits that are high in fiber and antioxidants.

You can enjoy berries raw for snacks, but I love adding frozen berries into smoothies because it makes me full for longer.

6. Prunes

If you are looking for natural remedies for constipation, I must mention prunes. It has about 1 gram of fiber that may help keep digestion moving smoothly.

It contains the fermentable sugars fructans and sorbitol, which can help you poop easily in the morning. You can eat it on its own, or take it in a smoothie or with cereal or with cookies for breakfast.

7. Oats

Oats are one of my best and regular high fiber foods that make me healthy every day. It contains soluble fiber that may help soften stool and support gut health. Check out which foods are high in soluble fiber for your gut health.

Oatmeal also helps control blood sugar levels and lower cholesterol, and is often promoted as a great food for weight loss.

You can make overnight oats recipe with oats for a busy breakfast for the week.

8. Quinoa

Quinoa is a healthy alternative food replace of white rice, a plant-based, fiber-rich food that contains protein, which makes meals feel more satisfying.

It contains soluble and insoluble fiber together that helps add bulk to move waste through your digestive tract efficiently and prevents hard, dry stools while also feeding healthy gut bacteria.

9. Carrots

Carrots are easy, quick, and affordable, natural, plant-based, high-fiber food. A cup of raw carrots contains about of fiber.

Carrots also contain soluble and insoluble fiber to help you poop so easily. And it stores about 88% water itself, which helps hydrate your digestive tract and makes bowel movements smoother.

You can take it as salad, or with meals, or take it as snacks with hummus or with anything.

10. Beans

Beans are one of the best healthy, high-protein, and high-fiber foods that make you full for a long time.

They contain resistant starch, which takes longer for food to pass through the colon, but this can result in gas and bloating.