How To Have Healthy & Normal Poops, According To Nutrition Experts

The rumors are true: Everybody poops. However, not all digestive tracts operate at the same speed. Some people go to the bathroom easier than others, and if you struggle to get on a regular schedule, your dietary habits could be the culprit. 

There are many benefits to eating a balanced diet, but when it comes to getting things moving, dietary fiber will help you maintain normal, healthy poops.

Fiber is a unique complex carbohydrate (found exclusively in plants) that is not digested by the human body. So it passes through the gastrointestinal (GI) tract relatively unscathed.

Now, fiber is often classified as soluble or insoluble fiber—but most fibrous foods have a combination of both.

Soluble fiber is found in nuts and seeds; fruits like apples, bananas, and berries; and in legumes and certain grains, like oat bran and barley. Insoluble fiber is in vegetables, wheat, and other whole grains. Both aid in healthy digestion but play different roles in the process. 

Registered dietitian Amy Shapiro, M.S., R.D., CDN previously told mindbodygreen that soluble fiber “dissolves into a gel-like substance” in water and helps to collect and remove toxins and cholesterol from the body.

Insoluble fiber, on the other hand, does not dissolve—it stays intact as it moves through the digestive system. While, like soluble fiber, it ushers out toxins and bad cholesterol, registered dietitian Ella Davar, R.D., CDN, CHC tells mindbodygreen that it also speeds up digestion.

First and foremost, fiber does help you poop by adding bulk to your stools and regulating the gut transit time (aka how long it takes for food to pass) and consistency.

“Both types of fiber are essential for gut health, but the difference [between soluble and insoluble fiber] is that the insoluble fiber speeds the passage of foods through the stomach and intestines and adds bulk to the stool,” Davar explains.

The more water in the stool, the easier it passes.

And if your stool is very loose or watery, fiber can add volume to it and give it a better shape. And this is where soluble fibers bulking actions and gel-like consistency come in.

Beyond helping you poop easier, there are a handful of health benefits to eating fiber-rich foods, one of them being that fiber (specifically fermentable soluble fiber, also known as prebiotic fiber) helps clean out your colon.

The National Academies recommends that women and men (depending on one’s age and life stage) consume at least 21-28 grams6 and 30-38 grams of daily dietary fiber, respectively.

That said, this is just an estimate and everybody is different; some digestive tracts require more fiber than others, and a “normal” bowel movement for your body might look slightly different than someone else’s “normal” stool. To determine how much fiber is sufficient to help you poop better, speak with a gastroenterologist (or other healthcare professional) for a personal assessment.

This is why taking a premium fiber supplement (like mindbodygreen’s organic fiber potency+) can help fill in the gap.

It’s a USDA-certified organic vegan blend of soluble, insoluble, and prebiotic plant fibers sourced from ingredients like organic guar beans, mushrooms, and kiwifruit. Just one scoop yields a solid six grams of clean, functional fiber (a rich source!).

According to Davar, the best time to take fiber supplements is in the morning, after breakfast, to help fire up your digestion early in the day.* Although, the best time to take your fiber addition is any time you’ll remember! With any new fiber regimen, you’ll also want to start low and go slow to avoid GI complaints.

Fiber supplements cannot and should not take the place of eating high-fiber foods. Rather it can help ensure you're reaching your daily fiber goals in a targeted way (i.e. intentionally trying to consume more soluble vs. insoluble fiber).

Be sure to include plenty of high-fiber foods to help nurture the gut and keep things moving along; you just have to find ones you enjoy eating and can regularly incorporate into your diet. As a golden rule, Davar encourages clients to choose organic, non-GMO, quality fiber-rich food sources as often as possible.

Switch up your fiber choices day-to-day (or week-to-week) to make sure you're getting a variety of nutrients.

According to Davar, when consumed in a natural form (i.e. via fruits, vegetables, and other whole-food sources), “there is no such thing as too much fiber.” There is, however, such a thing as too much fiber via supplementation. 

“Fiber supplements are on the rise, and there is a possibility of nutrient absorption issues and digestive side effects, like bloating,” explains Davar. 

To avoid these unwanted side effects, Davar stresses that moderation is key and advises mindbodygreen readers to consume ”no more than 25 to 30 grams of fiber per day” in supplemental form, although technically, there’s no upper limit established per the science.

She points to this specific ceiling for someone with digestive health concerns, as Davar notes a high-fiber diet may create a softer stool and/or bloating in some individuals.

Any time you increase your fiber intake (from foods or from supplements), do so slowly to help your body adjust. Also up your water intake, which will aid in forming that desirable stool consistency.

There are many benefits to incorporating more fiber into your diet, but the fact that fiber promotes regularity and helps you poop easier might just top them all. Eating fiber-rich foods like veggies, fruits, grains, and legumes can help you get on a regular bathroom schedule, and to synergize those efforts, consider incorporating a high-quality, targeted fiber supplement like mbg’s organic fiber potency+.*