The short answer:
Eating chicken doesn’t cause constipation. Even chicken has low fiber content, yet, chicken is easy to be digested. Accordingly, eating chicken doesn’t increase your risk to have constipation. Read more about the effect of white and red meat on constipation in this article.
Key facts:
- The bowel movement is strongly affected by the foods you ingest.
- Eating chicken doesn’t cause constipation.
- Although chicken has low fiber content, however, it is easy to be digesting and doesn’t worsen your constipation.
- Chicken broth helps to improve your bowel movements due to the electrolyte contents such as magnesium which help to improve constipation.
- Red meat, especially processed red meat could increase your risk to develop constipation.
Chicken & constipation | Red meat & constipation | FAQs
Does chicken cause constipation?
In short, the answer is no it doesn’t.
Eating chicken doesn’t cause constipation.
Chicken and other white meat are found to be of low risk to make you constipated compared with red meat.
Although white meat as chicken has little fiber content, however, they are more easily to be digested than red meat (Ref). Consequently, eating chicken will not worsen your constipation (Ref).
Moreover, chicken broth or broth-based soups are good for constipation. They increase your fluid intake which helps to make your stool softer. Also, bone broth contains minerals such as magnesium which help intestinal relaxation and easy passage of your stool (Ref).
Does red meat cause constipation?
Several studies showed that red mead and especially processed red meat have harmful effects on your health. This type of food increases the risk of colon cancer, constipation, and other gastrointestinal tract problems.
Researchers attributed this effect to the increased nitrate/nitrite content in red meat and processed meat. Nitrate is added to processed meat to increase its shelf life. Unfortunately, this nitrate has serious health problems.
Among the most common processed meat that increases your risk to be constipated are hot dogs, bacon, sausage, bologna, and beef jerky.
Red meat could increase the risk of constipation in five possible ways (Ref).
- Red meat with high-fat content. Fat is difficult to be digested. Hence, it could make you constipated.
- It has little fiber content. As a result, the reduced fiber intake makes your stool hard and dry.
- Eating red meat diet decreases the chance for you to take a high-fiber content meal. When you are filled up with a large meal of red meat, there is no chance for high fiber content vegetables and whole-grain to be taken.
- Red meat has tough protein that is difficult to digest.
- It contains iron which increases your risk for constipation.
A 2017 study reported that processed and unprocessed red meat increased the risk of mortality and death due to several causes including heme iron and nitrate/nitrite in processed meat. This study showed a reduced risk due to white meat, especially unprocessed white.
A 2018 study revealed that ultra-processed meat causes functional constipation in 5.4 % of about 1785 participants out of 33.343 total participants.
FAQs
1. Is chicken hard to digest?
The answer is no, chicken is easy to be digested. accordingly, it is recommended for those who have digestive problems such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
2. Does chicken bone broth cause constipation?
No, the chicken bone broth doesn’t cause constipation.
Chicken bone broth contains many electrolytes that could help to regulate your bowel movements. Also, it is rich in gelatin which could improve your digestion.
3. Is turkey bad for constipation?
No, turkey isn’t bad for constipation.
Similar to chicken and other lean meat, turkey is good for constipation as it is easy to digest even if it has low fiber content.
4. What meat does not cause constipation?
You can safely eat fish and white meat such as chicken and turkey and other lean meat with no risk to develop constipation. However, you should avoid red meat, especially processed meat.
