Constipation Relief Foods: British Dietetic Association shares new guidelines on foods to consume to relive constipation | - The Times of India
The British Dietetic Association (BDA) has released its first comprehensive dietary guidelines for chronic constipation, shifting the focus from medications to food- and drink-based strategies. These new recommendations stress the importance of building a gut-friendly diet that goes beyond simply “more fibre”. Key advice includes aiming for roughly 30 grams of varied dietary fibre per day, staying well-hydrated, eating regular meals, and adding specific foods like kiwifruit and high-mineral water that have stronger evidence for supporting bowel regularity. The guidelines also highlight areas where previous generic advice (such as “just eat high-fibre”) lacks solid backing, and call for further research to fine-tune recommendations. Altogether, the BDA aims to give adults living with constipation practical food-based tools to improve digestion and quality of life.
The Key points
- The BDA’s new guidelines mark the first full, evidence-based diet framework specifically for chronic constipation in adults.
- Targeting about 30 g of dietary fibre daily (from different sources) is a central recommendation.
- Specific foods like kiwifruit (2-3 per day) are singled out as supportive for bowel regularity.
- Hydration matters: drinking mineral-rich water may help alongside fibre intake.
- Regular meal patterns are advised to support gut motility and consistency.
- The guidelines emphasize the quality and variety of fibre sources, not just bulk fibre.
- Generic “high-fibre diet” slogans lack sufficient evidence for constipation relief on their own.
- The framework promotes food-based approaches rather than relying predominantly on laxatives.
- Some supplements (such as certain probiotics or magnesium) may help, but evidence remains limited.
- Researchers behind the guidelines stress more high-quality trials are needed to refine dietary management of constipation.
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