Constipation might seem like a blessing at times but it’s almost always a curse. Not being able to properly process your food can make your body uncomfortable and upset for days. Certain activities might cause constipation such as travel or medication but certain foods can also be the cause. If you’ve gone three days without a poop, drink water, eat fibre and avoid these foods as much as you can.
1. Dairy
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High in fat and low in fibre ends up being a deadly combination in dairy products such as cheese, ice cream, and milk. If you’re not quite ready to give up cheese (who is?) try and limit it to a half a cup or less per day. The effects of dairy will be different for everyone and the ones who get it the worst will be those who are lactose intolerant.
2. Caffeine
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Since caffeine is a diuretic, it dehydrates the body. And aside from a lack of fibre, dehydration is the leading cause of constipation. It’s crucial to drink a ton of water if you’ll be consuming caffeine to make sure your body doesn’t become too dehydrated to the point where it affects your poop.
3. Red Meat
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There are three good reasons to stay away from red meat if you’re constantly blocked up. First of all, red meat is fatty and fats are harder for the body to digest. On top of that, the protein fibres in the meat are tough to break down and it has plenty of iron, a known cause of constipation.
4. Fried Foods
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Fried food is just all kinds of fat, and fat takes the body longer to break down than other, more nutritious foods. Not only does fried food contain a lot of fat, but it also lacks any type of nutrient that would help the body with digestion.
5. Gluten
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To be honest, I still don’t know what gluten is but I know it’s definitely a staple in my diet. However, for people who are gluten intolerant or suffer from celiac disease, eating gluten can cause serious stomach issues. Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition that causes people to have terrible reactions to even the smallest bits of gluten, but gluten intolerance will more likely cause constipation, as it is just the body struggling to digest the gluten.
6. Eggs
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The key with all these foods is balance. Eggs are very healthy and contain proteins that make them an excellent breakfast option, however, they don’t contain fibre. Fibre is vital for maintaining a healthy system, so if you’re eating a lot of eggs, make sure you also throw some fruits and veggies on the plate to get some fibre in your diet.
7. Bananas (sometimes)
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Unripened bananas don’t look or taste too appetizing so it won’t be hard to keep yourself away from them. Bananas that are still green are very starchy and hard to digest. As soon as they cross over to the good side and ripen up, bananas have the opposite effect. When you see some brown spots on the banana that means it’s full of fibre and can help relieve constipation. Timing is everything.
8. Chocolate
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After reading all the other offenders on this list, chocolate shouldn’t come as a huge surprise. People who claim chocolate constipates them might not be referring to a bar of plain dark chocolate, but instead to a chocolate dessert. Many chocolate products also contain milk, sugar, fat, and caffeine, whose contributions to constipation have already been explained.