Can Chocolate Help Relieve Constipation? Foods to Avoid When Constipated

Can Chocolate Help Relieve Constipation?

Constipation is a common condition affecting people of all ages. It occurs when stool passes through the large intestine too slowly, becoming hard, dry, and difficult to eliminate. Constipation can cause bloating, discomfort, and stomach pain.

Many constipation sufferers turn to laxatives for relief, but these typically provide only temporary symptomatic help. More natural, diet-based solutions may bring longer-lasting constipation relief without some of the drawbacks of laxatives.

Causes and Risk Factors for Constipation

Constipation usually results from one or more of the following:

• Inadequate fiber, fluid, or exercise
• Medications such as opioids
• Ignoring the urge to have a bowel movement
• Specific diseases affecting the intestines
• Pregnancy

Making appropriate lifestyle modifications can often successfully treat constipation and prevent recurrences. One modification some people try is adding more chocolate to their diets.

Can Chocolate Help Relieve Constipation?

Some research suggests chocolate may have mild laxative effects. Chocolate contains caffeine and theobromine, two stimulant compounds that may stimulate intestinal muscle contraction to spur stool movement.

In a 2012 study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, researchers found that consuming a cocoa beverage containing roughly 50 milligrams of caffeine led to significantly increased bowel movement frequency and consistency in constipated elderly patients compared to a placebo beverage.

A more recent 2021 clinical trial in the Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine also found that dark chocolate improved constipation severity compared to control in pregnant women. Researchers noted that dark chocolate contains potent plant compounds such as cocoa flavonoids that may aid gut motility and water reabsorption.

Choosing the Best Type of Chocolate for Constipation Relief

Not all chocolate is created equal when it comes to getting more regular. Here is how the main types compare:

Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate contains the highest concentration of cocoa, typically at least 70% cocoa solids. It is rich in fiber and cocoa flavanols like epicatechin which have prebiotic effects, supporting gut bacteria linked to healthy bowel movements.

Since it contains little added milk and sugar, dark chocolate also boasts caffeine and theobromine while having less fat and calories than milk chocolatemaking it the best choice for alleviating constipation.

Milk Chocolate

The added milk and sugar give milk chocolate a creamier, sweeter taste. But with a lower cocoa percentage, milk chocolate contains less fiber, flavanols, caffeine, and theobromine compared to darker varieties.

The high amounts of sugar alcohols like sorbitol in some milk chocolate products can actually make constipation worse for some by drawing water into the intestines.

White Chocolate

White chocolate lacks the constipation-fighting ingredients contained in other types of chocolate. It does not contain cocoa solids, only cocoa butter. So it offers no significant fiber, antioxidant flavanols, or beneficial stimulants.

White chocolate also tends to be very high in fat and sugar due to the large quantities of added milk, cream, and sweeteners. So it is unlikely to ease constipation woes.

Other Tips for Preventing and Relieving Constipation with Diet

While chocolate may help alleviate constipation, making some other diet and lifestyle changes can enhance and sustain relief:

• Drink plenty of fluids like water and prune juice
• Eat more high-fiber foods including fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, and whole grains
• Exercise regularly to stimulate the bowels
• Establish a toilet routine and do not ignore urges to defecate
• Avoid dehydration, lack of physical activity, and processed foods

You can also consider integrating more magnesium-rich foods associated with healthy bowel movements like avocados, yogurt, kefir, salmon, almonds, and pumpkin seeds.

Foods to Avoid When Constipated

Just as certain foods may help get bowels moving, other foods tend to have the opposite effect and worsen constipation. Understanding what foods to limit or remove from your diet when constipated can enhance other lifestyle measures to relieve and prevent symptoms.

1. Alcohol

Frequent or excessive alcohol intake often contributes to cases of persistent constipation. Alcohol is dehydrating, interfering with the colons ability to reabsorb water from stools. This leads to dry, hard stools that are painful and difficult to pass.

Alcohol may also irritate the stomach lining, causing inflammation that delays gastric emptying. Slowed movement of food through the digestive tract allows more fluid to be absorbed from stool before it reaches the rectum.

2. Dairy Products

Many people have some degree of lactose intolerance, meaning they lack sufficient lactase enzymes to properly digest milk sugars. When dairy products containing lactose pass undigested through the colon, they osmotically draw fluid into the intestinal lumen.

This dehydrates stool while excess gas is produced by gut bacteria that ferment the undigested lactose. Together this may lead to uncomfortable constipation, bloating, cramping, and flatulence.

3. Red Meat

There are a few mechanisms by which red meat consumption likely provokes constipation:

• Low fiber content
• High arachidonic acid leading to inflammation
• Sulfur-containing amino acids that reduce gastric motility

These effects may be particularly detrimental for those with pre-existing sluggish bowels or conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

4. Fried Foods

Fried, greasy, high-fat dishes tend to be low in fiber and moisture while slowing digestion. This allows more time for fluid absorption as waste products move slowly through the colon, producing dry stools.

Additionally, some studies suggest a high-fat diet may stimulate or exacerbate underlying intestinal inflammation. This can hamper peristalsis contractions responsible for efficiently moving stool through the gut.

5. Persimmons

Unripe persimmons are very high in soluble tannins that can bind to nutrients and reduce their absorption. These tannins may also bind to water in the intestines, acting as anti-diarrheals to solidify stool and potentially worsening constipation.

6. Bananas

Counterintuitively, bananas may actually provoke constipation instead of relieving it as commonly believed due to their starch and fructose content. As bananas ripen, they develop higher fructose levels which some sensitive people lack the proper enzymes to absorb properly.

Unabsorbed fructose in the gut draws water into the intestinal lumen via osmosis. This overly solidifies stool while excess gas and bloating may occur when gut bacteria ferment the unabsorbed sugars.

7. White Bread, Pasta, and Rice

Refined carbohydrate foods made with white flour lack the inner grain and bran layer which provides the majority of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Without adequate roughage, digestion slows down and stool loses its bulk.

The dearth of nutrients also adversely alters populations of beneficial microbes in the gut microbiome associated with healthy bowel motility regulation and soft stool consistency.

When to Seek Medical Care for Constipation Relief

Occasional constipation often resolves on its own or through dietary tweaks and more water intake. However, if you experience:

• Persistent symptoms for over two weeks
• Blood in stool
• Weight loss
• Constant worsening pain

You may require stronger medication or need underlying conditions addressed. See your doctor to discuss tests like fecal occult blood screens, sigmoidoscopies, or colonoscopies to check for any tumors, strictures, hemorrhoids, bowel obstructions, or other complications causing ongoing severe constipation.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.