Constipation: Is Drinking Water Enough? Two Types of Dietary Fiber

People often say to drink lots of water for constipation. Water matters, but in many cases water alone does not solve it. For the bowel to move, stool bulk and moisture are both needed, and dietary fiber plays the key role here.

There are two types of dietary fiber

• Insoluble dietary fiber — Does not dissolve in water; it adds bulk to stool and stimulates the bowel. It is abundant in brown rice and whole grains, vegetable stalks and bean hulls.
• soluble dietary fiber — Dissolves in water, softens stool and becomes food for gut bacteria in the large intestine. It is abundant in oats, apples, seaweed and legumes. Among health functional food ingredients (a Korean regulatory category), some are recognized for the “may help support regular bowel movements” function, such as resistant maltodextrin.

What to watch out for when increasing it

• Increase it slowly. Eating a lot suddenly can cause gas and bloating.
• Increase water too. If you add fiber but don’t drink enough water, stool can actually get harder.
• Don’t skip breakfast. When food enters the stomach, the colon starts to move, and this response tends to show up best after breakfast.
• Move your body. Physical activity helps the bowel move.

See a doctor in these cases

• If there is blood in your stool
• If you are losing weight for no reason
• If your bowel habits change suddenly and the change continues for several weeks or more
• If you have severe abdominal pain or vomiting along with it