THE 20 FOODS THAT CONSTIPATE THE MOST - NUTRITION - 2025

Some of the constipating foods that you should avoid if you have constipation problems are banana, milk, red meat or fried meat. Alcoholic beverages or caffeine can prevent a bowel movement.

Constipation or constipation in the stomach is a health problem that has to do with a too slow intestinal transit and that generates difficulties when defecating, limiting bowel movements to three or less per week.

Stools can become hard and dry, making the evacuation process a painful experience. In addition, it usually causes other discomforts such as abdominal swelling.

Almost everyone has suffered from constipation at some time. It is quite common and is not usually a very important condition but it is very annoying. Even so, it should be monitored, since when it occurs constantly it can lead to other more serious diseases.

A study by Sumida and others and published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology in 2016 links a state of severe constipation with an increased risk of chronic kidney disease. A severe constipation also increases the chances of developing cardiovascular disease.

One of the main causes of constipation is poor diet. Eating disorder and a diet based on low-fiber foods exacerbate constipation problems.

However, a lower fiber diet may also be beneficial for people who suffer from diarrhea as a result of irritable bowel or bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease.

Next, I bring you a list of 20 astringent foods that you should avoid if you want to end once and for all with the discomfort when going to the bathroom or if you want to eat a healthy diet that slows down your intestinal transit a little more.

Foods that contribute to constipation

1- Dairy products

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An abusive consumption of milk and its derivatives can aggravate constipation problems. This is because these foods contain a lot of fat and little fiber, slowing down the digestion process.

A test by Crowley et al., Published in the Nutrients magazine in 2013, showed that there was a relationship between milk consumption and functional chronic constipation in children of different ages.

2- Red meat

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Red meat also has a large amount of fat, which makes it very heavy to digest.

Red meats are considered to be those that in the raw state have a pink or reddish color. This group includes beef, bull meat, game meat and some meats from pork or lamb.

This type of meat slows down bowel movements because it does not contain fiber. There is also research that links an excessive consumption of red meat with the appearance of some types of cancer, including colorectal cancer, whose first symptoms are manifested in intestinal transit disorders, among which is constipation.

Also, red meat is a great source of minerals like iron, which can have side effects on bowel movements.

3- Bananas

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If you have constipation, you must monitor the state in which you consume this fruit. It is advisable to take the banana when it is ripe and acquires a yellow color with brown spots.

When the banana is green, the level of starch it contains is very high, which can contribute to aggravate intestinal problems associated with constipation of the belly.

The Tropical Doctors magazine published an investigation in 2011 that linked a problem of intestinal obstruction suffered by the inhabitants of Laos with the consumption of wild banana seeds.

Traditionally, it has been believed that the banana is an appropriate fruit to combat gastrointestinal ailments or disorders such as diarrhea. In this sense, another study published in 2015 in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine talks about the antidiarrheal properties of this fruit.

As the authors verified in an experiment with rats, the sap of the banana plant (Musa paradisiaca) is very useful for the treatment of diarrhea, due to the presence of alkaloids, phenols, flavonoids and saponins and other antioxidant substances that favor absorption. of electrolytes (salts necessary to prevent dehydration of the body) and reduce nitric oxide levels.

Based on these scientific data, it can be said that the banana is an astringent fruit.

4- Sugary foods

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Desserts such as ice cream, cakes and other sweets such as cookies and pastries have a low fiber content, so an exaggerated consumption of these can aggravate the discomfort caused by constipation.

In addition, dairy products are used to make these products, which due to their fat levels are also astringent.

These sweets also have many saturated fats, which in addition to slowing down the digestion process, are very unhealthy, since they contribute to increasing the levels of bad cholesterol or LDL-cholesterol in the blood.

Finally, it is very common to find gluten in these foods, since most of them are made with flour. This protein substance can also cause constipation.

5- Eggs

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Eggs are rich in fat, which slows down the digestion process. This does not mean that if you have constipation, skip this product, since it is very healthy and provides a large amount of nutrients and energy to the body, but rather that you do not abuse it to the detriment of foods with fiber.

6- Chocolate

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Although there are no scientific studies that demonstrate the relationship between chocolate and constipation, there are elements present in this food that can promote this ailment.

For example, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for every 100 grams of cocoa powder, there are 230 mg of caffeine, a stimulant substance that contributes to dehydration, eliminating fluids from the body and promoting constipation.

On the other hand, chocolate is usually consumed accompanied by other dairy products, rich in fat and that also contribute to this problem.

7- Foods with gluten

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Even if you are not celiac or have a wheat allergy, foods that contain gluten may cause constipation. This may be because you have a special sensitivity to this substance.

A study by Catassi published in 2015 in the Annals of nutrition & metabolism discusses gluten sensitivity and its symptoms, including constipation.

This constipation of the belly usually appears just after the ingestion of foods with gluten and disappears with the withdrawal of this.

If you notice that your constipation problems arise just after consuming any of these foods (pasta, bread, cakes, beer…), withdraw these foods for a while to see if you notice improvement and go to a doctor if you experience other symptoms that may be a evidence of celiac disease or food sensitivity.

8- Fried foods

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Frying food makes it more greasy, making it difficult to digest and favoring constipation. To avoid this ailment, it is more advisable to cook food in another way, such as steaming or roasting it.

9- White rice

White rice is the variety of this seed (oryza sativa) that contains the fewest nutritional properties, among them fiber, which is essential to promote proper intestinal transit and avoid constipation.

This type of rice contains up to five times less fiber than brown rice.

Another reason why rice is considered astringent is because of its starch content. It is one of the foods most used for the treatment of diarrhea.

10- white bread

The same thing that happens with rice, it happens with bread. White bread has very little fiber, compared to other types of whole grain or bran breads, which do include it and make digestion a much lighter process.

Therefore, when you suffer from constipation, one of the most repeated recommendations of doctors is to eat foods with fiber, to the detriment of those that do not have it and that, therefore, are slower to digest.

Steve R. Peikin published in 2009 a book called Gastrointestinal Health Third Edition: The Self Help Nutritional Program that Can Change the Lives of 80 Millions Americans. In this book, the author talks about disorders associated with the digestive and excretory systems, including constipation.

According to this nutritional program, 20% or 30% fiber should be consumed per day, levels much easier to achieve if foods such as rice or white bread are replaced by other whole grain varieties with a higher fiber content.

11- Alcoholic beverages

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One of the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome is constipation or constipation.

In relation to this digestive system disorder, there are certain eating habits that can worsen the symptoms associated with this condition, for example increasing the difficulty of defecation.

One of the things to avoid to reduce irritable bowel-related discomfort is drinking alcohol.

A study carried out by Reding and others in 2013, affirms that the ingestion of alcohol can aggravate the gastrointestinal symptoms associated with irritable bowel syndrome, although the role that alcohol plays in relation to this ailment is not clear.

This conclusion was reached through a test with women between 18 and 48 years old who suffered from this syndrome and who drank four alcoholic drinks a day.

In addition, alcohol dehydrates and to promote good intestinal transit, one of the recommendations is to consume plenty of fluids.

12- Beverages that contain caffeine

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Other foods to avoid if you suffer from constipation are coffee, tea, and some carbonated beverages that contain caffeine, such as cola and some energy drinks.

Caffeine, like alcohol, is also dehydrating.

Excessive consumption of caffeinated beverages can further exaggerate the symptoms suffered by those with constipation.

Furthermore, in the same study that I cited in the Reding et al. Point above, caffeine is also pointed out as an aggravating body cues in patients with irritable bowel syndrome or bowel syndrome.

13- Processed and frozen foods

As with fried foods, the way frozen foods are prepared for preservation increases the chances of constipation.

14- Junk food

Fast food also contains excess fat that can slow down the intestinal tract, reducing the number of bowel movements.

15- Apple without skin

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Apples can also be considered astringent fruits. They are especially advisable for the treatment of diarrhea. This is due to its high pectin content.

A test conducted by Freedman and others in 2016 showed that apple juice was effective in treating gastroenteritis in children, especially in providing the necessary salts from the body that are lost with this disease and in preventing dehydration. This experiment was published in JAMA.

16- Carrot

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Carrot also contains pectin. It is a vegetable that, therefore, can be consumed when suffering from diarrhea, preferably without the skin and well cooked or boiled.

17- Beer

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Beer has several factors that favor the appearance of constipation. It is rich in tannins, one of the most astringent vegetable substances. In addition, barley juice contains gluten, another of the foods to avoid when you have a constipation in your belly.

Finally, beer is usually drunk with alcohol, which, as I said before, dehydrates the body, helps you lose fluids, aggravating discomfort when going to the bathroom.

18- Snacks

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French fries and other snacks of this type are high in fat and very low in fiber. In addition to aggravating the symptoms of constipation, they do not provide important nutrients to the diet, so it is preferable to eliminate them from it or take them very occasionally and always accompanied by moderate exercise.

19- Pecan

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The pecan is a kind of nut that comes from the pecan (Carya illinoinensis). Among its uses, pecan and its fruit have been used as an astringent food, due to its high tannin content.

20- Khaki

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Persimmon is another fruit that, like pecan, also has a high level of tannins.

These astringent substances slow down digestion and the intestinal tract, so an excessive consumption of this fruit is not advisable if you suffer from constipation.

Warning

The fact that most of these foods are low in fiber or have astringent substances, does not mean that they have to be completely eliminated from the daily diet.

It is about consuming these foods in a moderate way within a balanced diet and reducing the amounts of food, depending on what is beneficial to the digestive system of each person.

References

1. Aykan, NF (2015). Red meat subtypes and colorectal cancer risk. International Journal of Cancer, 137 (7), 1788-1788. doi: 10.1002 / ijc.29547.
2. Bottari, NB, Lopes, LQ, Pizzuti, K., Alves, CF, Corrêa, MS, Bolzan, LP,… Santos, RC (2017). Antimicrobial activity and phytochemical characterization of Carya illinoensis. Microbial Pathogenesis, 104, 190-195. doi: 10.1016 / j.micpath.2017.01.037.
3. Catassi, C. (2015). Gluten Sensitivity. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, 67 (2), 16-26. doi: 10.1159 / 000440990.
4. Crowley, E., Williams, L., Roberts, T., Dunstan, R., & Jones, P. (2013). Does Milk Cause Constipation? A Crossover Dietary Trial. Nutrients, 5 (1), 253-266.
5. Peikin, S. (2009) Gastrointestinal Health Third Edition: The Self Help Nutritional Program that Can Change the Lives of 80 Millions American. Zondervan.
6. Slesak, G., Mounlaphome, K., Inthalad, S., Phoutsavath, O., Mayxay, M., & Newton, PN (2011). Bowel obstruction from wild bananas: a neglected health problem in Laos. Tropical Doctor, 41 (2), 85-90. doi: 10.1258 / td.2011.100293.
7. Sumida, K., Molnar, MZ, Potukuchi, PK, Thomas, F., Lu, JL, Matsushita, K.,… Kovesdy, CP (2016). Constipation and Incident CKD. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. doi: 10.1681 / asn.2016060656.