Foods and Lifestyles that Cause Constipation

Constipation is not usually connected to only one food. Instead, it is the combination of food (or other lifestyles or genetic factors) that is slowing down your bowels. But sometimes, constipation is linked to a lack of certain foods or nutrients in your diet—mainly fiber, a type of carbohydrate that your body cannot fully digest and thus, moves through your digestive system relatively intact, essentially making your bowels do what they are designed to do. 

Here, gastroenterologists weigh in on the top foods, along with some lifestyle factors, that can slow down your digestive system, leading to constipation and infrequent bathroom trips. But remember: foods, and how much of them you eat, affect people differently. This is not a one-size-fits-all rule that everyone should follow.

Dairy products

Some children seem to be particularly sensitive to cow's milk dairy products.  But there is less science about how common dairy-induced constipation is in adults. For people with chronic constipation, they may switch to non-dairy alternatives like almond, soy and oat milk, as much as possible. 

Red meat

People who eat high amounts of red meat are not eating enough fiber.  Moreover, red meat also contains quite a bit of fat, which moves slower through the digestive system. 

Processed and fried foods

Fast food could be the trigger behind your constipation. This is because processed foods tend to be high in fat and low in fiber, a combo that is rough on the colon, and can often slow down motility (or your body's ability to move food through its digestive tract). Thus if you are not getting enough fiber in your diet outside of your fast-food meal, it can lead to constipation. 

Sweets

For the same reason, sweets can be a problem if they are overrepresented in your diet because they have so little fiber. 

Eating less

If you are on a diet or otherwise have had to significantly reduce the amount of food you are eating, it could make you constipated. This is because the stomach needs to dilate enough when you eat to cause the gastrocolic reflex. When the stomach expands, the colon starts to contract, which leads to emptying the stools. If you do not have enough food inside your stomach, you are not going to get that reflex. Or, you can try to increase the fiber in the foods you are eating to give your colon a little extra help. 

Changing habits

If there is a change to your routine such as the timing of your meals, it may disrupt your digestion as the bowel likes consistency in the diet. In this case, you may want to try to bring some routine with you—like your daily morning fiber cereal.

Medications

Medication is a major cause of constipation. If you are taking medications, particularly for allergies, anemia, reflux, nausea, blood pressure, psychiatric disorders or pain, and you have constipation, you may need to talk to your doctor about this.