Do Potatoes Cause Constipation When Eaten Often?
Like most foods, potatoes affect how often you have to go to the bathroom. However, it might not be the way you think.
Potatoes do not cause constipation when eaten often. As a matter of fact, they can be a part of a nutrition regime to improve digestion and regularity due to their high fiber content. Of course, there are certain ways of handling potatoes that are better than others to promote healthy bowel movements.
The type of potato you use, how you cook it, and even the way you eat it can influence the frequency of toilet visits. Keep on reading to discover how to use potatoes to keep a happy gut.
Potato Types That Relieve Constipation
There is one thing you should be clear about: that all potato types are suitable for relieving constipation. Now, some varieties may be a bit better than others when it comes to unclogging your intestines. So, what should you be looking at? Fiber!
Dietary fiber is one factor that determines if you will have an easy or hard time in the bathroom (source). This nutrient softens your stool and increases its size but don’t worry. That’s good for you! The bulkier it is, the easier it is for it to pass.
Although all potatoes have a good amount of fiber, certain types have more. For example, white potatoes have the highest fiber content, with 4.1 g per small potato. The second place is for the Yukon Gold with 3.75 g per potato.
That’s a good indicator that white and Yukon Gold potatoes are a great asset in your quest for regularity. In other words, you shouldn’t avoid white potatoes as they are awesome for promoting digestion and healthy bowel movements.
Cooking Potatoes for Healthy Bowel Movements
Aside from knowing which varieties will help you the most, you have to pay attention to the cooking method employed. Specifically, the way you cook potatoes has a tremendous effect on the impact they have on your body.
Are Roasted Potatoes Constipating?
Roasted potatoes are not a cause of constipation. The delicious dish is almost always eaten with the skin, and since a pretty good amount of fiber is found on it, it is more than likely going to help you get a bowel movement when you need it.
Furthermore, roasted potatoes are mostly cooked with simple seasonings like garlic, herbs, and a bit of olive oil, which under normal conditions, won’t cause digestive issues.
Can you eat mashed potatoes when constipated?
Mashed potatoes will not cause constipation, and you can eat them even if you are constipated as long as they are prepared the right way. Some people like to cook them with the skin and others not so much. The skin with its extra fiber will often help you be more regular but might cause problems to some people with a sensitive gut.
Also, the cheese, milk, butter, or sour cream you love so much can cause a blockage. As you know, the consumption of dairy products may lead to constipation, and very few can resist the temptation to add a generous amount of these extra ingredients.
The high amount of fat with almost no fiber content that characterizes dairy has a chance of halting the colon-related benefits potatoes can provide. So keep that into consideration if you are struggling during your bathroom trips.
Do fried potatoes cause constipation?
Fried potatoes may cause constipation, especially if a lot of oil has been used to cook them. Now, the type and amount of fat used to fry the potatoes significantly influences how much your bowel movements might slow down.
For instance, homemade sauteed potatoes are less likely to clog you than deep-fried wedges from your favorite fast-food restaurant. Still, if you are looking for constipation relief, you should consume less fried foods because they require a lot of time and effort for your body to digest them. Instead, pick more bowel-friendly choices such as roasted, mashed, baked, or boiled potatoes.
Do boiled potatoes constipate?
Boiled potatoes don’t constipate at all. On the contrary, they are probably one of the best foods you could eat to ease intestinal discomfort.
One thing you could do to take full advantage of them is to turn them into a tasty potato salad. This salad should be cooled down first to increase the amount of resistant starch. Then, add celery, pickles, or any other veggies you love.
Once ready, you will have a dish packing several grams of fiber and resistant starch to feed your good bacteria and keep your bowels going when you need it.
Does a baked potato cause constipation?
Baked potatoes are actually good for preventing constipation because they contain plenty of fiber, which helps regulate bowel movements. Moreover, when baked, you can take full advantage of the tubers as it is one of the ideal ways to cook while preserving most of its nutrients, including fiber.
It is essential, though, to reduce as much as possible the popular toppings that most people love to include. Particularly, cheese, butter, and sour cream are high in fat; hence, they may contribute to constipation. On the other hand, greens such as kale, cauliflower, and broccoli are the perfect candidates to accompany potatoes and promote regularity.
Eating Potatoes for Less Constipation
The way you eat potatoes has a profound effect on your digestive system. If you do it correctly, you are more likely to enjoy regular bowel movements (details). Otherwise, you may experience some bloating and discomfort.
Are cooked potatoes bad for you?
Cooked potatoes are good for you. Still, you would be surprised to see that some people prefer to eat raw potatoes over cooked ones. Although they might indeed retain more vitamin C and resistant starch in their raw form, there is a chance that lectins and trypsin inhibitors, which are substances to prevent the absorption of nutrients, won’t let you enjoy the full benefits of the spuds (reference).
In addition to that, eating raw potatoes could expose you to a higher concentration of glycoalkaloids. These chemicals are naturally occurring compounds found in some foods that can cause adverse reactions in the human body leading to digestive discomfort and possibly constipation. Furthermore, bacteria and other contaminants often present in raw foods are eliminated when potatoes are cooked.
Are potatoes easy to digest?
Potatoes are pretty easy to digest if you cook them correctly. Think about it. It doesn’t matter if they are roasted, mashed, boiled, or baked. Constipation won’t be an issue as long as you handle them well and limit the high-fat toppings.
Do potatoes cause gas and bloating?
Potatoes are not likely to cause gas, bloating, or any serious digestive problems unless you eat too many or consume them in the wrong way. You have to be sure they aren’t spoiled, green, or damaged. Aside from that or any specific allergies, you may have, you shouldn’t have any trouble.
As you can see, potatoes don’t have to cause constipation. They can be part of a fiber-rich diet supporting regularity. If you take the proper precautions, cook them well, and avoid pouring a ton of cheese or other dairy products, your bowel movements should be easy, painless, and even freeing!