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Diet for constipation

, medical expert
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
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A diet for constipation should include more raw vegetables, boiled or stewed dishes, which will help the intestines function normally. It is also recommended to eat fractionally: often, every 2-3 hours, in small portions.

The modern lifestyle often leads to constipation. Improper nutrition (snacks on the go), low physical activity (mainly a sedentary lifestyle), frequent stress - all this can disrupt the functioning of the intestines. In addition, constipation can appear as a result of some weight loss diets, when the body begins to experience a lack of fiber (for example, low-carbohydrate or protein diets), fluid. Long-term constipation can cause metabolic disorders, which will lead to the appearance of extra pounds.

If you are prone to constipation, you should include in your diet foods containing fiber, which is considered a natural laxative. Increasing your fiber intake is not that difficult, just add fruits, raw vegetables, and cereals to your daily menu. You should also diversify your diet with bran or whole grain bread, dried fruits (prunes, raisins, etc.), which contain vitamins and minerals.

To prevent constipation, you need to drink about 2 liters of water a day (if there are no contraindications), and also eat less sugar-containing foods.

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Diet 3 for constipation

Constipation diet No. 3 is prescribed for chronic inflammatory processes in the intestines that are not in the acute stage. The diet includes the required amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, as well as liquids and salts. Daily caloric content is up to 3500 kcal.

The diet includes products that help improve bowel function. It is forbidden to eat products that promote fermentation and putrefaction, stimulate the production of gastric juice, disrupt the functioning of the liver and gall bladder. When cooking, it is important not to chop the products too much, eat mainly steamed, boiled or baked dishes (but do not allow the crust to be too brown, it is best to bake in a special bag or foil). Vegetables and fruits should be eaten raw as much as possible.

The following foods are good for the intestines:

  • soups (borscht) on vegetable or weak fish (meat) broths, beetroot soup;
  • lean meat (poultry, veal), fish;
  • fruits, berries, both fresh and dried (prunes, dried apricots, etc.);
  • eggs (soft-boiled, in the form of an omelette);
  • fresh vegetables (beets, tomatoes, carrots, pumpkin, etc.). You can include cabbage and legumes in your diet, provided that you can tolerate these foods well;
  • porridge on water (wheat, buckwheat, oatmeal), can be diluted with a small amount of milk;
  • acidophilus, kefir, low-fat cottage cheese, sour cream and cheese can be used as an addition to dishes;
  • fresh celery, dill, parsley;
  • butter (mainly in dishes), if tolerated, vegetable fats are added.
  • whole grain bread, products made from plain dough (limited);

Smoked and spicy foods and sauces, baked goods, chocolate, strong tea, coffee, mustard, garlic, horseradish, fats (beef, cooking, pork, etc.) are excluded from the diet.

A menu for constipation can be built according to the following plan:

  • Breakfast: steamed omelette, vegetables (possibly in the form of a salad with olive oil), weak tea.
  • Afternoon snack: fruit (apple).
  • Lunch: vegetable soup, a piece of boiled meat with stewed vegetables, weak tea or dried fruit compote.
  • Dinner: buckwheat porridge, vegetable cabbage rolls, tea.

Before going to bed, to normalize bowel function, it is recommended to drink a glass of kefir or acidophilus.

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Diet 4 for constipation

Dietary nutrition No. 4 is recommended for inflammatory processes in the small or large intestines, dysentery, intestinal tuberculosis, etc.

The main goal of such nutrition is maximum sparing of the intestinal mucosa, reduction of inflammation, restoration of intestinal function and reduction of fermentation and putrefaction in the intestines.

Energy value is reduced due to fats and carbohydrates. Products that are difficult to digest, irritate the intestinal walls, liver, promote fermentation and putrefaction in the intestines, stimulate bile secretion are excluded, sugar consumption is limited.

During a diet for constipation, meals are fractional, with dishes being predominantly liquid or pureed.

Allowed to use:

  • vegetable soups, occasionally soups with weak meat or fish broth are allowed, rice or semolina can be added to it if desired. You can also add boiled meat, meatballs, etc.
  • porridge on water (buckwheat, oatmeal, etc.);
  • lean meat in the form of steamed cutlets, soufflé, pates or simply boiled;
  • eggs (1 – 2 per day);
  • cottage cheese;
  • jelly, fruits.

Pasta, sausages, milk, fried eggs, fruits, dried fruits, honey, jam, and sweets are excluded from the diet.

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Diet for constipation in children

Constipation in a child can occur for a variety of reasons: unbalanced diet, chronic diseases, lifestyle, climate change, etc.

A diet for constipation in children is used as the main treatment. During treatment, products with astringent properties and those that slow down intestinal peristalsis are excluded from the child's menu: strong tea, broth, rice, semolina, chocolate. If the child has constipation, it is necessary to diversify the menu with products that promote intestinal function: fruits, fresh vegetables, cereals (oatmeal, buckwheat), vegetable oil, black bread.

Drinking freshly squeezed juices on an empty stomach helps normalize bowel function: beetroot, plum, apple.

The diet for constipation in children differs little from the adult menu, but in this case it is worth considering some features. First of all, before treating constipation, you need to find out the reason why constipation developed, since in some cases constipation can be a symptom of a serious illness.

In dietetics, food products are divided into three groups:

  1. Improving intestinal peristalsis. Such products include prunes, figs, apples, bran, seaweed, etc.
  2. With an enveloping effect on the intestines, which facilitates easier movement of food through the intestines (vegetable oils).
  3. With an irritating effect on the intestines (rhubarb root, etc.).

If constipation in a child has developed due to weak motor activity, then it is necessary to add products from the first and second groups to the child’s menu, and products from the first and second groups are used for constipation of a spastic nature.

Quite often, children who are prone to constipation have dysbacteriosis, which develops due to constipation, and often a violation of the intestinal microflora can become one of the reasons for stool disorders. In some cases, the use of fermented milk products does not bring the desired effect and a specialist can recommend biopreparations.

The child's diet, the portion size depends on age. At 1.5 - 2 years, when the baby eats mainly porridge, it is recommended to add a small amount of steamed prunes to the diet.

For older children, the menu is composed of permitted products in such a way that they not only combine, but complement each other:

  • Breakfast: fresh vegetables (in winter you can boil them) in the form of a salad dressed with vegetable oil, omelette, compote with dried fruits.
  • Afternoon snack: several pieces of fresh plums or prunes, an apricot, an apple. Dried fruits should be steamed before consumption.
  • Lunch: vegetable broth soup, stewed vegetables and steamed cutlet or boiled meat, compote with dried fruits or weak tea.
  • Lunch: fruits (apricot, orange) in limited quantities.
  • Dinner: porridge, steamed, boiled or stewed fish (meat), cottage cheese, tea.

Before going to bed, you can give your child a little kefir to drink, which will help restore the intestinal microflora.

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Diet for constipation in adults

The diet for constipation in adults has several features. First of all, with constipation, you need to include more plant foods in your diet, as they are rich not only in minerals, vitamins, but also in fiber, which improves bowel function.

Secondly, eating chilled foods stimulates intestinal activity.

In case of constipation, you need to eat products with a laxative effect: black bread, buckwheat porridge, kefir, vegetable juices. It is necessary to completely exclude (or limit as much as possible) products that contain essential oils and promote gas formation in the intestines: sorrel, cabbage, etc.

Every day you should drink at least two liters of water (provided that there are no problems with the kidneys). You need to eat up to 5 times a day in small portions, while it is desirable to eat more raw foods (salads, fruits). Flaxseed oil, wheat bran, and seaweed help well with constipation.

Warm short (up to 5 minutes) baths every other day have a good laxative effect, at the beginning it is good to do a circular massage of the abdomen (clockwise). In addition, an active lifestyle, such as sports, can help in the fight against constipation. It is also recommended not to drink or take alcohol not only during the diet, but also at other times.

If herbal remedies (tea, rhubarb root, etc.) are used to treat constipation, they should be used strictly in the recommended doses and not exceed the course of treatment, otherwise the intestines may develop an addiction to such drugs and in the future they will not be able to function fully.

A diet for constipation in adults can consist of 10 fasting days, when every other day foods with an astringent and laxative effect are consumed.

Sample 10-day menu during constipation:

  1. Salad of fresh beets, carrots, apples with oil (olive, corn, sunflower).
  2. Oatmeal, 2 apples.
  3. 2 apples, prunes (10-15 pieces), low-fat cottage cheese (500g).
  4. Baked apples.
  5. Buckwheat with onions, herbs, you can add vegetable oil if desired.
  6. Beans boiled with greens, you can add green peas if desired.
  7. Buckwheat porridge with carrots and cabbage rolls.
  8. Pasta with fresh herbs (dill, parsley), low-fat cottage cheese.
  9. Borscht with vegetable broth and beans.
  10. Wheat porridge, compote (with fruits, berries).

Diet for constipation in the elderly

Constipation in older people develops quite often. As a rule, this is caused by a sedentary lifestyle, taking medications, unbalanced diet, and dehydration.

The most effective way to treat constipation in old age is to correct your diet and use herbal laxatives. Before you start treating constipation, you should consult a specialist, as constipation can be a symptom of dangerous diseases, such as bowel cancer.

A diet for constipation in the elderly includes (if tolerated) fresh vegetables and fruits in the morning on an empty stomach or at night. Beets, carrots, and cabbage are good for getting rid of the problem.

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Diet for constipation in pregnant women

Up to 80% of pregnant women suffer from constipation. The cause of this condition is most often hormonal changes. The hormone progesterone produced during pregnancy has a relaxing effect on smooth muscles, so bowel function can slow down.

To prevent or treat constipation during pregnancy, you need to eat foods that contain a large amount of fiber, which promotes the process of digestion. When fiber enters the gastrointestinal tract, it swells, the volume increases and the contents in the intestine soften, and bowel movements are normalized due to improved digestion.

A diet for constipation should consist of a sufficient amount of vegetables (zucchini, tomatoes, cucumbers, pumpkin, apples, carrots, beets), and you should also give preference to dried fruits and whole grain bread.

Fresh kefir, fermented baked milk, and sour milk normalize the digestive system, and kvass also helps the digestive system. Vegetable fats help improve intestinal peristalsis.

Chocolate, strong tea, coffee, baked goods, semolina, and blueberries are constipating and contribute to the accumulation of fats, toxins, and waste in the intestines.

To prevent constipation, drink a glass of cool water on an empty stomach in the morning, and add lemon or honey if desired. You should also eat more fruits that contain a lot of water: prunes, oranges, currants. It is also good to eat light vegetable salads with vegetable oil.

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Diet for a nursing mother with constipation

Constipation after childbirth often bothers women. Lack of sleep, physical activity - all this can be one of the reasons for the development of constipation. In this case, a diet for constipation remains the only option that will help solve the problem.

Eating fiber (up to 20 g per day) will help normalize your stool. You can get it from vegetables, fruits, and whole grain bread.

In case of constipation, a nursing mother should have a cup of bran and fruit for breakfast, which will provide her with her daily dose of fiber. During the day, it is necessary to drink enough liquid, as dehydration can be one of the causes of constipation.

Some juices, such as plum juice, contain a large amount of fiber. It is better to drink freshly squeezed juices, which contain the maximum amount of nutrients. The diet of a nursing mother should not contain heavy and fatty foods. In addition, drinks containing caffeine dehydrate the body, so it is better to drink no more than one cup of tea a day, and it is better to completely give up coffee.

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Diet for chronic constipation

Chronic constipation often develops due to improper nutrition, when there is an insufficient amount of irritants supplied with food.

A diet for chronic constipation should be based on the principle of stimulating intestinal peristalsis. The diet should consist of laxative products and preferably without heat treatment. It is not recommended to use laxatives, since the intestines get used to them and subsequently cannot cope with their function on their own.

The diet for chronic constipation should be varied with dried fruits, fresh fruits and vegetables, vegetable juices (carrot, beetroot), fresh fermented milk products, compotes (plum, cranberry, dried fruit), porridge (buckwheat, oatmeal, barley). At the same time, fatty, spicy dishes and smoked foods should be excluded.

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Diet for colitis with constipation

Colitis is an inflammation of the colon mucosa, which is accompanied by impaired motility.

During exacerbations, the patient's diet should be balanced and contain equal amounts of fats, carbohydrates and proteins. Daily salt intake is reduced to 10g per day, food should be steamed or boiled, vegetables, meat and fish can also be baked, but do not allow the crust to become too brown.

A diet for constipation should contain stale bread, dry biscuits, crackers, boiled cereals (buckwheat, pearl barley, oatmeal), vegetable soups (occasionally with a weak meat broth), vegetables (zucchini, carrots, etc.), lean meat (poultry, veal, fish) in the form of steamed cutlets, pates, steamed omelets, soufflés, cottage cheese, compotes.

It is necessary to exclude from the diet fresh bread, pastries, legumes, fatty, salty, spicy dishes, smoked foods, hard-boiled and fried eggs, grapes, chocolate, carbonated drinks.

The diet should be followed for about one month; in some cases, longer treatment is required until bowel function is completely normalized.

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Diet for hemorrhoids and constipation

Hemorrhoids are manifested by the expansion of cavernous vessels, which are located under the mucous membrane of the large intestine. With this disease, blood circulation in the perineum and small pelvis is disrupted.

A diet for constipation and hemorrhoids excludes foods that increase blood flow in the pelvis, so as not to provoke venous congestion and the appearance of nodes. It is recommended for hemorrhoids to eat foods with a high fiber content (vegetables, cereals, bran). Fiber softens the contents of the intestines, reduces cholesterol, and removes toxins.

During treatment, it is important to follow a diet so that the body begins to work according to the system. Thanks to a strict diet, the process of bowel movement is established and occurs at approximately the same time. For hemorrhoids, a diet enriched with vegetables, fruits, cereals, and fermented milk products is recommended, which help to establish bowel function.

For hemorrhoids, it is necessary to eat up to 6 times a day, in small portions.

The menu may consist of the following dishes:

  • fermented milk products.
  • porridge.
  • black bread.
  • vegetables (zucchini, carrots, cucumbers, beets) stewed or raw.
  • fruits (prunes, apples, etc.).
  • up to 75g of bran per day.
  • lean meat.

If you have hemorrhoids, you should not eat (or limit as much as possible) semolina, rice, fresh bread and pastries, grapes, fried, salty, spicy, fatty, smoked foods, strong tea, alcohol, starchy vegetables (potatoes).

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Diet for flatulence and constipation

In case of flatulence, it is necessary to exclude foods that promote gas formation in the intestines; first of all, it is necessary to exclude dishes with a high content of spices.

Food should be boiled, stewed or steamed, in addition to this dish, it should be eaten warm, because hot or cold foods can cause bloating. In case of flatulence, legumes, carbonated drinks, raisins, grapes, pears, fatty meat, as well as fatty fish, pickles, fresh pastries, cabbage, rye bread, pearl barley, wheat groats, cream, milk, smoked meats, fried foods are completely excluded from the diet, and sugar substitutes cannot be used.

Flatulence occurs for various reasons, therefore the list of prohibited products can be individual and supplemented or excluded based on personal experience and recommendations of the attending physician.

It is recommended to drink about two liters of liquid throughout the day, but you should avoid carbonated drinks and give preference to plain water and herbal teas. If desired, you can add freshly squeezed apple, lemon or orange juice to the water.

You can season dishes with a little caraway, you can also make your own seasoning for dishes from a crushed mixture of equal amounts (50 g each) of bay leaf, caraway, salt, and if desired, you can replace caraway with dill. In case of flatulence, you need to add fermented milk products, carrots, pomegranates, eggs, soups, stale bread, vegetables, fresh prunes, lean meat, tea, coffee, chocolate, and cereals to your diet.

Sample weekly menu:

Monday:

  • Breakfast: oatmeal or buckwheat, tea
  • Afternoon snack: sandwich with low-fat cheese.
  • Lunch: soup, stewed vegetables, boiled chicken breast, compote.
  • Lunch: jelly or tea with crackers
  • Dinner: buckwheat with a piece of boiled meat or steamed cutlets, grated carrots with vegetable oil

Tuesday:

  • Breakfast: oatmeal, you can add dried fruits (raisins, dried apricots, prunes)
  • Afternoon snack: low-fat cottage cheese, kefir
  • Lunch: chicken soup, mashed potatoes, boiled fish, tea
  • Lunch: steamed prunes, dried apricots, raisins.
  • Dinner: cabbage rolls

Wednesday:

  • Breakfast: oatmeal or buckwheat Afternoon snack: muesli with kefir
  • Lunch: vegetable soup, stewed potatoes, boiled meat.
  • Lunch: fruit.
  • Dinner: boiled chicken and salad with fresh vegetables.

Thursday:

  • Breakfast: fruit with yogurt.
  • Afternoon snack: muesli, glass of juice.
  • Lunch: mushroom soup, buckwheat with a piece of boiled or stewed fish.
  • Lunch: a glass of low-fat yogurt.
  • Dinner: potato casserole (you can add a little meat), salad with fresh vegetables.

Friday:

  • Breakfast: oatmeal.
  • Afternoon snack: yogurt, pancakes.
  • Lunch: vegetable broth soup, rice with chicken.
  • Lunch: fruit.
  • Dinner: noodles (you can add cheese if you wish), salad with fresh vegetables.

Saturday:

  • Breakfast: buckwheat.
  • Afternoon snack: low-fat cottage cheese, compote.
  • Lunch: stewed vegetables with fish, salad.
  • Lunch: baked apple.
  • Dinner: stewed meat with potatoes.

Sunday:

  • Breakfast: kefir with cheesecakes
  • Afternoon snack: fruits
  • Lunch: vegetarian borscht, buckwheat with steamed meatballs
  • Lunch: a glass of yogurt
  • Dinner: stewed chicken, vegetable salad.

The dishes should be seasoned with vegetable oil and fresh herbs. Dill seeds or greens are good for flatulence.

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Constipation after diet

As a rule, constipation after a diet occurs as a result of dehydration. After finishing a diet, a person often stops drinking the required amount of liquid, which can lead to problems with bowel movements.

Constipation can also be caused by relaxation of the intestines, so it is necessary to stimulate its work with products containing fiber (bran, black bread, cereals, fresh vegetables and fruits (preferably without heat treatment). Pastries, sweets, white bread - these products are excluded from the diet (or limited as much as possible).

A diet for constipation after a diet should be aimed primarily at stimulating bowel function.

For this purpose, for breakfast you need to eat buckwheat or oatmeal porridge with water, and you can add an apple if desired.

You should also include a salad of fresh carrots, beets and apples with vegetable oil in your diet. This salad has a good cleansing effect.

Fresh kefir also helps to normalize bowel function, but in this case it is worth noting that it is better to prepare kefir yourself, since on the 2-3 day it develops fixing properties.

A diet for constipation in most cases helps to solve such a delicate problem. In some cases, it is necessary to adjust the menu, taking into account the individual characteristics of the body, since the same product can have different effects on different people.

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