Eat Healthy to Avoid Constipation

As you can see, the jury’s still out on whether watermelon can earn a spot in our power rankings of poop fuel. Nevertheless, we know watermelon is often accompanied by other summer staples, including barbeque, hot dogs, and copious amounts of booze. At a certain point, it can be hard to know which portion of your plate sent you sprinting to the porta-potty.

Does Watermelon Make You Poop?

In a TikTok posted by butttalkstv, a woman (who appears to be a doctor) made a bold claim that watermelon is an underrated hack to help you poop.

“The secret’s in the name: water,” she says. “Water’s an essential laxative that keeps your colon goin’ and flowin’. Watermelon is chock full of it—nearly 92% is water.”

The rumor spread faster than a fart in the wind, with satisfied poopers claiming watermelon cured their chronic constipation. Some even appear to have overcorrected their problem.

“I ate half of a watermelon yesterday night and I haven’t stopped having diarrhea since,” one dude commented.

Butt is there any science to back up the claim that this sweet, succulent fruit can truly trigger a deuce? Or are people just experiencing the placebo effect on the porcelain throne?

In this article, we investigate what’s inside a slice of watermelon and whether those compounds can really have a laxative effect.

Does Watermelon Make You Poop?

Watermelon doesn’t usually trigger an instant bowel movement—hence why it didn’t make it into our power rankings of foods that make you poop fast. However, that doesn’t mean it’s useless if you need to unclog your colon. Watermelon’s combination of high water content and short-chain carbs can create the perfect storm for pooping.

Let’s unpack four factors that make watermelon a (potential) natural laxative.

Water Content

As the name implies, watermelon is loaded with water. In fact, it consists of 92% water. Being fully hydrated ensures your turds can easily slide through out of your butt, so it stands to reason that chowing down on watermelon could soften your stools and help you poop.

That said, if you’re already hydrated, it’s unlikely that a slice of watermelon is going to send you running to the nearest bathroom.

FODMAP Content

Watermelon has a high FODMAP content, which refers to a group of short-chain carbs that are either non-digestible or slowly absorbed in your gut:

• Oligosaccharides
• Disaccharides
• Monosaccharides
• Polyols

Watermelon has about 9 grams of natural sugar per cup, but the main culprit here is fructose, a monosaccharide (AKA simple sugar). Most people don’t have trouble digesting fructose. However, it’s notorious for causing cramping, bloating, gas, and diarrhea in people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Lycopene

Watermelon gets its pinkish-red color from lycopene: an organic compound and powerful antioxidant. Whole lycopene hasn’t been shown to have a laxative effect, it can indirectly help you poop because of its beneficial effects on your overall digestive health.

For example, lycopene can improve your gut microbiome, which is essential for proper digestion and regular bowel movements.

Electrolytes

Watermelon provides two essential electrolytes: potassium and magnesium. In addition to helping you recover from a brutal workout (or a brutal hangover), these electrolytes boost your bowel function in a few ways:

• They regulate fluid balance, making your stool soft and easy to pass
• They support proper muscle function, including the smooth muscles in your digestive tract that propel food through your gut to your butt
• They aid in nerve signaling, which helps your butt tell your brain it’s time to take a dump

Does Watermelon Have Fiber?

A lot of dudes assume watermelon helps you poop because it’s a type of fruit, and fruit is loaded with dietary fiber. It’s true that many fruits such as apples, raspberries, blueberries, and prunes are packed with fiber, which is essential to kickstart your colon. But the same can’t be said about watermelon.

A cup of diced watermelon contains a measly 0.6 grams of fiber—just 2% of your daily recommended intake.

Bottom line: Anyone who says watermelon makes you poop because of the fiber content is full of shit. If you feel the sudden urge to crap your pants after eating watermelon, blame the combination of water and fructose.

We’re Ready for Your Watermelon Poops

As you can see, the jury’s still out on whether watermelon can earn a spot in our power rankings of poop fuel. Nevertheless, we know watermelon is often accompanied by other summer staples, including barbeque, hot dogs, and copious amounts of booze. At a certain point, it can be hard to know which portion of your plate sent you sprinting to the porta-potty.

Accordingly, we’re calling on all members of DUDE Nation to supply plenty of wipes when attending a cookout. Think of it as an insurance policy against skid marks and spicy butt.

Next time you hit the produce section grabbing watermelon, make a detour to the TP aisle to stock up on DUDE Wipes. Your butt will thank you later.

Eat Healthy to Avoid Constipation

No one likes to think — let alone talk — about constipation, but most everyone has it at one time or another. About 4 million people in the U.S. have it pretty often. So if you’re dealing with tummy troubles, you’re not alone. Most of the time it doesn’t last long, and simple changes can help your digestive system run smoothly again.

Common Causes of Constipation

To understand how to prevent constipation, it helps to know what causes it. As food passes through your colon, your body absorbs the water from it, and what’s left forms into stool. Your muscles move it through the colon to the rectum, where you pass it. When this movement slows down, your colon draws too much water. Stools get dry and hard to pass, causing constipation.

The problem often happens because of a low-fiber or high-fat diet, lack of exercise, and not drinking enough fluids. Certain medications, not going when you feel the urge, laxative abuse, and pregnancy can also lead to constipation.

Fiber Helps Relieve Constipation

If your bowel habits get sluggish, you don’t have to rush out to buy a laxative. Most people don’t need them for mild constipation. Instead, look at your diet. Are you getting enough fiber?

Fiber is the part of plant foods that the body can’t break down. When you eat foods that have a lot of it, the extra bulk helps keep stools soft and speeds digestion.

All plant foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans, have fiber. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends 25 grams per day for women and 38 grams for men. After age 50, we need less fiber — about 21 grams for women and 30 grams for men. Unfortunately, most of us only get about 15 grams per day, which may help explain why so many people get constipated.

Examples of high-fiber foods include:

• 1/2 cup navy beans: 9.5 grams
• 1 small pear: 4.4 grams
• 1/4 cup dates: 3.6 grams
• 1 medium apple: 3.3 grams
• 1 medium sweet potato: 4.8 grams

Diet Tips for Digestive Health

Simple changes can improve your diet and help relieve constipation:

• Add veggies. You don’t have to count grams of fiber to get the amount you need. Instead, aim to eat 2 cups of fruit and 2 1/2 cups of vegetables every day. Make sandwiches with roasted veggies, add a salad instead of fries to your meal, buy pre-cut vegetables to snack on with low-fat dip, keep the fruit bowl full for a handy and healthy snack, and add chopped, dried fruit to oatmeal and cereal.
• Go for grains. Replace white bread, white rice, and regular pasta with whole-grain bread, whole wheat pasta, and brown rice. Eat more whole oats, multigrain cereals, and whole wheat crackers — but be sure to choose low-fat and low-sugar options. Snack on air-popped popcorn instead of chips. When you buy cereal, choose brands that have at least 5 grams of fiber per serving.
• Bulk up on beans. Replace meat with a bean or legume dish at least once or twice a week. Add cooked beans to salads, and try bean soups and stews as main courses.
• Add fiber gradually. Make changes slowly over the course of a week or so — if you up fiber too quickly, you could end up feeling bloated and gassy. Be patient — it may take time for your body to adjust.
• Consider a fiber supplement. If you have trouble getting enough fiber in your diet, a supplement might help. Also called bulk-forming laxatives, they’re generally safe. Just be sure to talk with your doctor before you use them as they can make some medications not work as well.
• Stay hydrated. If you add more fiber to your diet either with food or supplements, be sure to drink more fluids, too. Choose low or no-calorie beverages — sugary soda and fruit drinks will add extra calories you don’t need.

Ease Constipation With Exercise

Exercise not only keeps you fit, it may help you stay regular. It can help food move more quickly through your colon. It’s not always easy to find time to be active, but try these tips:

• Start exercising about 20 minutes, 3 days a week, and build up to at least 30 minutes on five or more days of the week. Always check with your doctor before you start any type of fitness plan.
• Short on time? Break up activity throughout the day — three 10-minute walks count as much as one 30-minute workout.

Constipation: When to Call Your Doctor

Most of the time, healthy changes to your diet and exercise habits will smooth out any digestive woes. But if you’ve tried these tips for 3 weeks and haven’t noticed a change, talk with your doctor. They may suggest that you take a laxative for a few days to help retrain your system. You should also call your doctor right away if you notice blood in your stool, have belly pain, or lose weight without trying.