Low Carb Diets & Constipation: How To Avoid Constipation On Keto Diet?

Constipation and Keto diet

Constipation and ketogenic nutrition

Constipation is a more common side effect in the ketogenic diet.

In this article, you find gold tips to avoid constipation during the ketogenic diet.

Frequently, the problem is only transient and related to the change of diet. Some small, very simple adjustments will put things in order:

magnesium supplementation,
consumption of olive oil or coconut in the morning before eating.
consumption of green vegetables, the least rich in carbs but the richest in fiber, such as salad, chicory, spinach, ...
consumption of psyllium and linseed.

Increase of fibers

In the ketogenic diet, a large portion of fruit vegetables and high fiber seeds are removed. the imbalance of fats and carbs decreases your fiber intake drastically, which causes constipation.

When you plan and prepare you keto diet meals do not forget to choose high fiber vegetables in your meals such as asparagus, cucumbers, red and green peppers and as well as zucchini.

To have a free nutrition to increase your fiber intake, you have to eat 25 grams of lettuce per day.

Maintain adequate hydration

Drinking enough water is another strategy for fighting constipation to keep your body well hydrated.

If you have constipation for more than three days you should talk with your medical team to increase fluid intake.

You can also check your urine density; Ideal hydration ranges between 1.01 1.02.

Avocado and MCT oil

To avoid constipation during the ketogenic diet, adjust your meal plans and include MCT oil and avocado. these have a natural laxative effect.

for the MCT oil, it is necessary to start with small doses because the high doses can cause gastric discomfort.

Discuss alternatives

If diet adjustments do not improve your gut pattern, you may need to take other measures. Discuss with your dietitian other alternatives, such as laxatives without carbs. Some of the common laxatives used with the ketogenic diet are polyethylene glycol 3350, magnesium hydroxide, and mineral oil. If necessary, a glycerin suppository can be used as well.

Probiotics and prebiotics

To improve intestinal dysbiosis, it is advisable to consume probiotics of different kinds, especially when taking Lacto-fermented foods (raw sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles or natural and unpasteurized Lacto-fermented cucumbers, kefir, kombucha).

These foods naturally contain probiotics that will repopulate the intestines and rebalance the microbiota.

Prebiotics are dietary fibers that nourish good intestinal bacteria. These are oligo-fructans, inulins, resistant starches, fructooligosaccharides, etc.

They are prebiotics in raw garlic and onion, cold potato starch, green banana flour and in smaller proportions in many vegetables, such as leeks, asparagus, green beans, fennel, cabbage, broccoli, artichokes. Flax, oilseeds and red fruits also contain them.

Other mechanisms to avoid constipation

There are other important mechanisms to restore the intestinal peristalsis, wave movement of the intestine that allows the intestinal contents to advance:

Deep ventral breathing, which exerts a massage on the intestines; we stimulate the parasympathetic system, which is responsible for the intestinal function.

Walking and vertical movement in general (on the contrary, the sitting position blocks the natural functioning of the intestines);

Yoga postures are very effective too.