The best foods and drinks to help relieve constipation

Constipation affects many people, but there are several foods and drinks that can help alleviate the issue. Dietician Ethan Balk advises increasing dietary fiber intake, aiming for 21g to 38g daily, depending on age and sex. Soluble and insoluble fiber are both necessary; soluble fiber creates a gel-like consistency to ease stool passage, while insoluble fiber adds bulk to push waste through the colon.

Include foods like an apple with skin, which contains nearly five grams of fiber and pectin for regulating bowel movements, kiwi, which has been shown to increase bowel movements in studies, and prunes and prune juice, which provide fiber and sorbitol—a sugar alcohol that can produce a laxative effect. Leafy greens, particularly kale, are rich in insoluble fiber that speeds up gut transit.

Oatmeal offers four grams of fiber per serving, containing soluble fiber beta-glucan that makes stool easier to pass and supports healthy gut bacteria. Lastly, coffee often stimulates bowel movements, acting quickly and stimulating the colon within four minutes, with decaffeinated coffee also being effective for those sensitive to caffeine.