Hard poo (stools) is not all that much fun to pass. Which is why I am researching the topic of poo. In this post, I shall list my findings on the topic of which foods make poo a bit softer.
We should, say the experts, consume between 25 and 35 grams of fibre daily. It is recommended to slowly increase fibre while drinking more fluids – water and unsweetened tea get the recommendation.
Something that I discovered was that if you increase fibre intake too fast, you can make the problem worse.
I also learned that not all fibres are the same. You want soluble fibre rather than insoluble fibre. Although both help in different ways.
List of high-fibre poo-softening foods
- Oats – porridge
- I like to add cinnamon and instant hot chocolate powder. So yum.
- Potatoes
- Do curly fries count?
- I might order a jacket potato with chicken.
- Your fruits
- Bananas
- Does Banoffee pie count?
- Apricots
- Peaches
- Apples
- Pears
- Passionfruit
- Avocado
- Kiwi
- Berries
- Grapes
- Tomatoes
- Bananas
- Beans
- Baked beans (can be high in sugar and salt)
- Navy beans
- Black Beans
- I wonder if this justifies ordering from my favourite Chinese takeaway?
- Your general vegies
- Green beans
- Spinach
- Cabbage
- Broccoli
- Brussel sprouts
- Artichokes
- Onions
- Courgettes
- Brown rice
- Rhubarb (has a laxative effect)
- Yoghurt
- Yum!
- Sweet Potatoes
- My local pub does sweet potato fries
- Figs
- Use moderation as they can cause the other problem
- Fig rolls would, therefore also count
- Prunes
- The same warning as figs apply
- Flax seeds
- Chia Seeds
- I have no idea what these are
- Multigrain bread
- Whole-wheat pasta
- Lentils
- Almonds
- Olive oil
- Barley
- Spicy stuff such as chilli or curry
- Warning: don’t overdo it
- Popcorn
- Chocolate (according to one sauce I read)
- High fibre cereals
- Bran flakes
- All-Bran
- Drinks
- Kefir
- Red wine
- Beer
- Water
- Caffeine
- Tea
- Coffee
- Cola
I had a spelling mistake. Thanks to Danny for spotting that.