The best foods and drinks to help relieve constipation

At some point, constipation – defined as fewer than three bowel movements a week, hard stool or difficulty passing stool – comes for most of us. If you’re worried about your constipation, it’s best to see a doctor. But if you’d simply like to get things moving, these tips can help.

Start with fibre. Every expert we spoke with said dietary fibre is key. But few of us get the recommended amount: 21g to 38g a day, depending on your sex and age.

Ideally you need a mix of soluble and insoluble fiber, said Ethan Balk, clinical associate professor of nutrition at NYU Steinhardt. Think of insoluble fibre as adding bulk, which pushes waste through the colon, and soluble fibre as creating a gel-like consistency that eases its passage.

If you’re building more fibre into your diet, drink more water, too; it helps the fibre do its job, Dr Arthur Beyder, a gastroenterologist at Mayo Clinic, said.

These fiber-rich foods can help:

1. An apple with the skin has nearly five grams of fiber, and it’s naturally high in pectin, a soluble fibrethat can help regulate bowel movements, Dr Beyder said.

2. Kiwi is one of Dr Beyder’s go-to recommendations. In one study of 200 people, participants who ate two green kiwis a day – without the skin – had “significant and sustained” increases in bowel movements.

3. Prunes and prune juice, classic constipation relievers, “do the trick” for two reasons: fibre and sorbitol, Dr Balk said. Prunes are high in sorbitol, a sugar alcohol that can produce a “laxative effect” by drawing water into the intestinal tract.

4. Leafy greens are rich in the insoluble fibre that can speed transit in the gut. Daily kale consumption has been shown to significantly improve bowel movements.

5. Oatmeal averages four grams of fibre per serving. It contains a soluble fibre called beta-glucan, which can make stool easier to pass and promotes healthy gut bacteria.

Get going with coffee. Coffee often makes you poop – though it’s not entirely clear why. It has over 1,000 chemical compounds, and there are “likely multiple mechanisms” for how coffee works, Dr Beyder said.

What is known is that coffee often acts quickly, stimulating the colon within four minutes, one study found. And if you are sensitive to caffeine, that same study found that decaffeinated coffee was also effective.