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Raisins are a great way to add natural sweetness to your baked goods, but they may also be helpful when you’re struggling to poop. Raisins are rich in fiber and sorbitol, two ingredients known to help with bowel movements.
Constipation can be a pretty frustrating condition. You might deal with it occasionally, such as when traveling, or be among the 16% of U.S. adults experiencing symptoms of constipation.
You’ll know you’re constipated when you experience these common symptoms:
- Having fewer than three bowel movements per week
- Straining or having difficulty when pooping
- Passing lumpy, dry or hard stools
- Feeling that not all stool has passed
- Experiencing pain when passing stools
These uncomfortable symptoms might make you seek dietary help, such as adding raisins to your daily diet. Here’s why raisins may help relieve constipation and aid your digestive system, plus other foods you can try to get your bowel movements back on schedule.
Why Raisins Can Help You Poop
Fiber
Raisins can help relieve constipation due to their high fiber content. One cup of raisins has over 7 grams of fiber.
Doctors often recommend eating more fiber when patients report prolonged periods of constipation. The constipated stool is dry and hard to push out of your body. Fiber can fix that problem due to its natural composition.
There are two types of fiber—soluble and insoluble. The first dissolves in your digestive fluids, turning into a gel-like substance that draws water from cells along the gastrointestinal tract. The colon uses the excess water to soften your stool and pass it more easily. Insoluble fiber adds bulk to your stool and helps food pass quicker through your gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Raisins help make this happen with their fiber content. Eating them will also help you meet the recommended 25 to 34 grams of daily fiber.
Sorbitol
Sorbitol is a natural sugar alcohol that acts as a laxative, which is found in raisins, among other foods. When it enters the highly acidic juices in your stomach, the acid levels convert the sorbitol molecules into water-soluble chelates that draw water from your stomach lining cells.
Research has found that sorbitol draws large amounts of water to the large intestine and stimulates bowel movements. The risk of constipation increases when there’s insufficient water to soften stool, so sorbitol is a helpful dietary addition to resume your typical poop schedule.
It’s worth noting that some people are more sensitive to sorbitol than others. So, start with small servings of foods naturally rich in sorbitol to test how your digestive system handles its water-drawing properties.
Polyphenols
Probiotics aren’t the only way to support your gut bacteria. Whether you take daily probiotics or not, raisins could supplement what your digestive system needs without significantly increasing your budget.
Raisins are excellent sources of polyphenols, which are natural compounds that stimulate the growth of your gut microbiota. You might experience constipation more frequently when your gut struggles to digest and ferment food. Eating more raisins gives essential polyphenols to your gut to help it process waste efficiently.
Other Foods That Help With Constipation
If you struggle with constipation, you’re likely seeking more than one idea to stimulate bowel movements. Although raisins relieve constipation, you can also enjoy these foods to achieve softer, easier poops:
The Bottom Line
Raisins can help relieve constipation by adding soluble fiber, sorbitol and polyphenols to your daily diet. They’re a healthy food you can snack on or incorporate into other meals. If you’re not a raisins-lover, there’s nothing to worry about—there are plenty of other foods that can also make you poop, like prunes, figs, apples, sweet potatoes, spinach and oats, to name a few.