Read on to find out what causes constipation with the keto diet, and how to fix it.
Keto diet is undoubtedly healthy for many reasons. This is especially true if your goal is to lose weight, improve the balance of blood sugar, increase energy levels, or promote cognitive function.
However, cutting out carbs and loading up on healthy fats can also cause some side effects and symptoms, particularly a phenomenon known as keto constipation.
Experiencing constipation is not pleasant in any way and can include other unwanted symptoms ranging from headaches to bloating to irritable disposition. If you are experiencing constipation on the keto, it is time to fix this problem with really effective natural remedies or prevent it in the first place.
This article will discuss what is keto constipation, what is the cause, and how to adjust your diet accordingly to remove these uncomfortable side effects.
What Is Constipation?
Many people believe that they need to have at least one bowel movement per day and less means they have constipation. In fact, “normal” for one person may vary for another. Some people may have three bowel movements per day, while some may have no adverse consequences of less than 2-3 per week.
In short, constipation (also known as feeling “back up”) occurs when your bowel movements are reduced sufficiently to cause symptoms such as:
- Frequent gas passing (or a hard-time passing gas)
- Bloating and abdominal pain/discomfort
- Haemorrhoids (with chronic constipation)
- Difficulty breathing/feeling extremely full
- Straining to pass your stools
If this is you, you can just get constipation. However, keep in mind that these symptoms are quite non-specific and can be a sign of many other digestive and metabolic problems.
There can be many reasons for the cause of constipation. Lack of dietary fibre, too much fibre, poor fluid intake, inactivity, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), thyroid disease, imbalanced intestinal flora, and even neurological problems can cause constipation.
Does the Keto Diet Cause Constipation?
Constipation is not something that can only be caused by the keto diet. In fact, any diet that is deficient in some nutrients can cause constipation (among many other health effects). For example, if your keto diet is well-balanced, chances are it won’t lead to constipation or diarrhoea.
If you’ve made the jump to the keto diet recently and you find that your bowel movements are becoming more frequent, keto may be a problem of constipation. There are several reasons why you may experience keto constipation.
Why does the keto diet cause constipation?
If the keto diet improves your health, what causes your GI ( gastrointestinal (GI) tract) path to react to this high fat, low carb way of eating? Here are some of the main reasons why you experience constipation while following the keto diet:
Eating low-fiber instead of high-fiber carbs
While only 5 per cent of the food you eat on a keto diet is made up of carbs, the key is to make sure you are eating the right type. Aim for healthy, nutritious, high fibre carbs like fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
If you eat only low-fibre carbs, such as white bread, white rice, or sugary goods, you won’t get the fibre needed to move food through your GI path. (*)
Not enough fiber
When you follow a keto diet, you usually eat only 20 to 50 grams of carbs every day. This is much less than the recommendation of diet guidelines of 225 to 325 grams of carbs based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Also, healthy carbs such as fruits and whole grains contain fibre. When you cut these foods, you are not getting the usual “bulk” in your diet, which requires you to keep your bowel movements regular.
Adjusting less carbs and more fat
Our body is designed to digest three macronutrients: carbs, fats and proteins. If you are trying to lose weight, eating too many carbs is usually not recommended, cutting your carb intake too quickly can put your GI tract in a stressed state.
When you switch to a keto diet, your body has to adjust to digesting too much fat, from digesting a heavy loads of carbs. It may take some time for your stomach to get used to breaking down more fat than before.
How to Treat Keto Constipation: 7 Effective Remedies
If you are new to keto and constipation has gotten the best of you, don’t fret! Here are some simple and effective measures that you can apply to relieve keto constipation and bring it back to the path of regularity.
1. Hydration
When you start drinking too much water, urination increases, which can lead to dehydration. In addition, moderate dehydration has been associated with constipation among vulnerable people. Make sure you drink enough fluids every day. For a low carb or keto diet, most people need at least 2.5 litres of water per day, and overweight people may need a little more. But it is a little personal. It’s easier to drink your water and drink at the first sign of your appetite rather than waiting for your next meal. Often, make sure the urine is bright yellow, not darker.
2. Take Care of your Magnesium Intake
Magnesium can only be what you need to run things again if you are experiencing keto constipation. Magnesium is the key to relaxing muscles. If you are deficient in magnesium, you are more likely to experience muscle tension, which can encourage constipation.
Since ketosis can increase the flushing of electrolytes including magnesium from your system, it is very important to avoid magnesium deficiency. As a supplement, magnesium citrate (magnesium with citric acid) in the form of magnesium is known for its laxative properties. You can also include foods rich in magnesium that are keto-friendly in your diet on a daily basis.
3. Don’t Overdo Dairy
When you reduce carbs, more dairy food sources, especially cheese and yoghurt, can be included in your low carb or keto diet. Trying to minimize it to see how your effects increase will help if you’ve just begun to eat low carb and have added more cheese, milk, and yoghurt to your diet. Milk can also be converted into non-dairy options such as coconut and almond milk.
4. Go Alkaline
One of the major aspects of this version of the keto diet is to ensure that you eat plenty of nutrients and fibre-rich green leafy vegetables and good clean water, which can not only help you become more alkaline but also help you to avoid constipation.
5. Get Sodium and Potassium
The most common symptoms of keto flu and keto constipation are inadequate electrolyte levels, fatigue, weakness, headache and irritation. To maintain the efficiency of your digestive system, intake of sodium and potassium can do so. A controlled analysis of 244 women who drink less mineral water with constipation showed that symptoms increased significantly compared to women compared to a group drinking magnesium-fortified water.
6. Exercising
Exercise appears to solve many health problems, and constipation is another one that you can add to the list. In fact, research shows that inactivity is one of the most common causes of chronic constipation
Many people hear the word “exercise” and believe it means going to the gym and picking up heavy barbells. The reality is that virtually any kind of movement that requires hard work is healthy and beneficial.
If you are not of the type going to the gym, the possibilities are still endless. Go out for a walk with your dog after work, start the day by walking in the neighbourhood, ride your bike to the grocery store, or go for a walk with a friend.
There is no excuse to not exercise, and it should be a component of your health regimen regardless of your diet.
7. Adjusting your Fibre Intake
Eating good amounts of both soluble and insoluble fibre is the first line of attack against keto constipation. For most adults, you would like to consume 25-35 grams of fibre per day to boost healthy bowel movement frequency.
Try to eat the balance of soluble and insoluble fibre, as well as prebiotic fibre, such as inline. You can also use inulin supplements if you want. It would be really nice with bulletproof keto coffee which is naturally a sweet taste.
It can be difficult to find soluble fibre in foods on a keto diet as it is usually the most abundant in cereals and fruits. However, avocados, broccoli and Brussels sprouts are all the best sources of soluble fibre that are low in carbs.
Insoluble fibre should be easy to fit into your keto diet. They are the major nutrients in the foods of cauliflower, asparagus, spinach, kale, green beans, nuts, okra, and many other low carb plant food.
Why Do High-Protein Diets Make You Constipated?
High protein diet Can help in weight loss, but it can also lead to constipation. There are some explanations for this, and there are ways to reduce this issue. Protein is processed by the kidneys and liver, which use water in your body to remove unnecessary by-products. A large increase in protein consumption can lead to dehydration as more water is being used to digest proteins and remove waste. Dehydration can lead to hard stool and constipation. High protein diet can be accompanied by low carb/fibre intake. Fibre is one that adds bulk to the stool and promotes regularity. Animal proteins contain little or no fibre, so you need to make sure you are getting enough fibre from other sources. (*)
Takeaway
Keto constipation is a common problem for keto dieters. Fortunately, it is easy to avoid and treat it after reaching the root cause. From eating too much or too little fibre to lack of physical activity and food allergies, keto constipation has many causes. Finding out who is the culprit in your particular case will help you overcome keto constipation successfully.
Try to follow our easy tips and tricks and see what works for you. Being restrictive in the carbs of keto diet means that consuming inadequate fibre is the possible cause of your keto constipation. Increase your fibre intake through low-carb keto plant foods or supplements. Drinking water and staying active also helps.
If you have tried everything and nothing helps, you may have to ask your doctor for help. Constipation that lasts for more than a week will not heal automatically. Moreover, it puts you at risk of complications.
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