Abstract
The consumption of healthy dietary patterns with adequate dietary fiber (>25 g/day or 14g/1,000 kcals), recommended fluid intake, and regular physical activity, are especially beneficial in preventing and alleviating constipation. Fiber mechanisms associated with improved laxation and alleviated constipation include: increasing stool weight and bulk volume (through fiber and microbiota physical volume and water holding capacity), and gas volume trapped in the stool to increase bowel movement frequency and quality, especially in constipated individuals. Adequate intake of fiber from cereal, fruits, vegetables and common fiber-rich food ingredients including polydextrose, psyllium, chicory inulin and prebiotics or synbiotics have the potential to increase population-wide levels of regularity and provide constipation relief. In general, less fermentable dietary fiber tends to increase fecal weight to a greater amount than more fermentable fibers. Wheat bran is the most widely studied fiber; when baseline transit time was >48 h, each extra g/day of wheat bran significantly increased total stool weight by 3.7 g and reduced transit time by 45 min. Increased fiber intake did not change transit time in individuals with an initial time of <48 h. However, in people with an initial transit time ≥48 h, transit time was reduced by approximately 30 min per gram of cereal, fruit or vegetable fiber, regardless of fermentability. Several RCTs suggest that daily intake of prunes (dried plums) and/or kiwi fruit can help in relieving constipation symptoms similarly to psyllium.
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Appendix A: Fifty High Fiber Whole or Minimally Processed Plant Foods Ranked by Amount of Fiber per Standard Food Portion Size
Appendix A: Fifty High Fiber Whole or Minimally Processed Plant Foods Ranked by Amount of Fiber per Standard Food Portion Size
Food | Standard portion size | Dietary fiber (g) | Calories (kcal) | Energy density (calories/g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
High fiber bran ready-to-eat-cereal | 1/3–3/4 cup (30 g) | 9.1–14.3 | 60–80 | 2.0–2.6 |
Navy beans, cooked | 1/2 cup cooked (90 g) | 9.6 | 127 | 1.4 |
Small white beans, cooked | 1/2 cup (90 g) | 9.3 | 127 | 1.4 |
Shredded wheat ready-to-eat cereal | 1–1 1/4 cup (50-60 g) | 5.0–9.0 | 155–220 | 3.2–3.7 |
Black bean soup, canned | 1/2 cup (130 g) | 8.8 | 117 | 0.9 |
French beans, cooked | 1/2 cup (90 g) | 8.3 | 114 | 1.3 |
Split peas, cooked | 1/2 cup (100 g) | 8.2 | 114 | 1.1 |
Chickpeas (Garbanzo) beans, canned | 1/2 cup (120 g) | 8.1 | 176 | 1.4 |
Lentils, cooked | 1/2 cup (100 g) | 7.8 | 115 | 1.2 |
Pinto beans, cooked | 1/2 cup (90 g) | 7.7 | 122 | 1.4 |
Black beans, cooked | 1/2 cup (90 g) | 7.5 | 114 | 1.3 |
Artichoke, global or French, cooked | 1/2 cup (84 g) | 7.2 | 45 | 0.5 |
Lima beans, cooked | 1/2 cup (90 g) | 6.6 | 108 | 1.2 |
White beans, canned | 1/2 cup (130 g) | 6.3 | 149 | 1.1 |
Wheat bran flakes ready-to-eat cereal | 3/4 cup (30 g) | 4.9–5.5 | 90–98 | 3.0–3.3 |
Pear with skin | 1 medium (180 g) | 5.5 | 100 | 0.6 |
Pumpkin seeds. Whole, roasted | 1 ounce (about 28 g) | 5.3 | 126 | 4.5 |
Baked beans, canned, plain | 1/2 cup (125 g) | 5.2 | 120 | 1.0 |
Soybeans, cooked | 1/2 cup (90 g) | 5.2 | 150 | 1.7 |
Plain rye wafer crackers | 2 wafers (22 g) | 5.0 | 73 | 3.3 |
Avocado, Hass | 1/2 fruit (68 g) | 4.6 | 114 | 1.7 |
Apple, with skin | 1 medium (180 g) | 4.4 | 95 | 0.5 |
Green peas, cooked (fresh, frozen, canned) | 1/2 cup (80 g) | 3.5–4.4 | 59–67 | 0.7–0.8 |
Refried beans, canned | 1/2 cup (120 g) | 4.4 | 107 | 0.9 |
Mixed vegetables, cooked from frozen | 1/2 cup (45 g) | 4.0 | 59 | 1.3 |
Raspberries | 1/2 cup (65 g) | 3.8 | 32 | 0.5 |
Blackberries | 1/2 cup (65 g) | 3.8 | 31 | 0.4 |
Collards, cooked | 1/2 cup (95 g) | 3.8 | 32 | 0.3 |
Soybeans, green, cooked | 1/2 cup (75 g) | 3.8 | 127 | 1.4 |
Prunes, pitted, stewed | 1/2 cup (125 g) | 3.8 | 133 | 1.1 |
Sweet potato, baked | 1 medium (114 g) | 3.8 | 103 | 0.9 |
Multi-grain bread | 2 slices regular (52 g) | 3.8 | 140 | 2.7 |
Figs, dried | 1/4 cup (about 38 g) | 3.7 | 93 | 2.5 |
Potato baked, with skin | 1 medium (173 g) | 3.6 | 163 | 0.9 |
Popcorn, air-popped | 3 cups (24 g) | 3.5 | 93 | 3.9 |
Almonds | 1 ounce (about 28 g) | 3.5 | 164 | 5.8 |
Whole wheat spaghetti, cooked | 1/2 cup (70 g) | 3.2 | 87 | 1.2 |
Sunflower seed kernels, dry roasted | 1 ounce (about 28 g) | 3.1 | 165 | 5.8 |
Orange | 1 medium (130 g) | 3.1 | 69 | 0.5 |
Banana | 1 medium (118 g) | 3.1 | 105 | 0.9 |
Oat bran muffin | 1 small (66 g) | 3.0 | 178 | 2.7 |
Vegetable soup | 1 cup (245 g) | 2.9 | 91 | 0.4 |
Dates | 1/4 cup (about 38 g) | 2.9 | 104 | 2.8 |
Pistachios, dry roasted | 1 ounce (about 28 g) | 2.8 | 161 | 5.7 |
Hazelnuts or filberts | 1 ounce (about 28 g) | 2.7 | 178 | 6.3 |
Peanuts, oil roasted | 1 ounce (about 28 g) | 2.7 | 170 | 6.0 |
Quinoa, cooked | 1/2 cup (90 g) | 2.7 | 92 | 1.0 |
Broccoli, cooked | 1/2 cup (78 g) | 2.6 | 27 | 0.3 |
Potato baked, without skin | 1 medium (145 g) | 2.3 | 145 | 1.0 |
Baby spinach leaves | 3 ounces (90 g) | 2.1 | 20 | 0.2 |
Blueberries | 1/2 cup (74 g) | 1.8 | 42 | 0.6 |
Carrot, raw or cooked | 1 medium (60 g) | 1.7 | 25 | 0.4 |
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Dreher, M.L. (2018). Fiber-Rich Dietary Patterns and Foods in Laxation and Constipation. In: Dietary Patterns and Whole Plant Foods in Aging and Disease. Nutrition and Health. Humana Press, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-59180-3_5
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