People who suffer from constipation have probably run the gamut of treatments. They have tried laxatives, fiber supplements and possibly colonics. While these methods help relieve constipation, they don't control the problem for long periods of time. Eating, on the other hand, happens every day. High-fiber foods can correct constipation when eaten regularly. The American Dietetic Association recommends women get 25 g and men get 38 g of fiber daily. After the age of 50, women need only 21 g and men can drop to 30 g of fiber daily. All adults who struggle with constipation, especially people diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, should stay at a minimum of 30 g per day. IBS plagues people by alternating between constipation and diarrhea or having one to the exclusion of the other on a regular basis. This chronic condition requires special foods to train the bowels to behave properly.
Fruit
Fruit, nature's most delicious laxative, can also satisfy a "sweet tooth." Fruit contains fiber, lots of water and other nutrients. Specific fruits that help relieve constipation include figs, prunes, apples, pears, raisins, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and oranges. Watermelon, cantaloupe, plums and grapes have the least amount of fiber, at 1 g per serving. Metamucil's fiber guide states the fruits that really keep the bowels moving include blackberries at 7.4 g per cup, dried prunes with 6.1 g per 1/2 cup and raspberries with 8 g per cup. People with IBS, who sometimes fluctuate between constipation and diarrhea, might have to eat this food group in moderation.
Vegetables
The water content in vegetables pales in comparison to the amount in fruit. However, the fiber content runs higher than that of fruits, on an individual basis. The vegetables that ward off constipation include artichokes, asparagus, canned green beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, broccoli, cooked green cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, corn, eggplant, green peas, baked potato with skin on, spinach, tomatoes and zucchini. Tomatoes, asparagus, green beans, cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant and potatoes contain less than 2 g per 1/2 cup. In this food group, the highest fiber content comes from artichokes, at 6.5 g per serving, pinto beans, at 7.7 g per serving, Brussels sprouts, at 3.2 g per serving, kidney beans, at 5.7 g per serving and peas, at 4.4 g per serving, according to Metamucil's Fiber Guide. As with the fruits, IBS sufferers who get both constipation and diarrhea have to learn how much fiber keeps them away from the two extremes.
Starches
The carbohydrate, or starch, group plays another important role in combating constipation. As a whole, this food group contains less fiber than fruits and vegetables. White bread, French bread, white rice and spaghetti have just about 1 g of fiber per serving. Rye bread, whole-wheat bread and brown rice have slightly higher levels of fiber. According to Metamucil's Fiber Guide, the bread foods with the highest amount of fiber include wheat bran cereal at 5 g per serving, oat bran with 4.1 g per serving, oatmeal at 3.3 g per serving and shredded wheat cereal with 2.7 g per serving. The IBS patient with chronic constipation will benefit most from eating bran cereal every day.
Other Sources
Peanuts, at 5.8 g fiber per serving, contain the highest amount of fiber in the nut family. Alfalfa, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, popcorn and flax meal have adequate amounts of fiber. Yogurt can keep the bowels in check because it contains the active culture lactobacillus, which helps break down food, according to Colon Cleanse and Constipation Resource Center. Warm herbal tea has a laxative effective, especially when enjoyed first thing in the morning. Drinking at least eight glasses of water every day prevents dry, hard stools that become difficult to pass. When reaching the goal of daily fiber intake begins to feel impossible, fiber supplements like Metamucil, Konsyl and Citrucel can deliver bulk to the stools. According to the Mayo Clinic, a fiber supplement can be taken safely every day. Because IBS is a chronic condition, the diet should have a regular pattern, and high-fiber foods should be consumed daily. Once regulated, straying from these foods causes binding again. Others with acute problems can follow the diet in a loose fashion.
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