The Best Breakfast Foods to Keep You Pooping

But the type of foods you eat can help you poop, too. Classic breakfast foods that are high in fiber and healthy fats (like oatmeal and avocado on whole-grain toast) and rich in probiotics (like Greek yogurt) can help promote better bowel habits and fill you up so you stay fueled throughout your morning.

Whether you’re looking for constipation relief or just want to be more regular, read on to learn how eating a good breakfast can do wonders for your digestive health.

While you’re sleeping, your digestive tract receives no stimulation for hours, says Erin Seprish, RDN, who oversees nutrition for the diet tracking app MeAgain. “Whenever you eat in the morning — which is why we call it breakfast; we’re breaking our fast — it essentially acts as a wake-up call for your gut.”

The first meal of the day, she says, “encourages the muscles in your colon to contract and start moving stool along the digestive tract.”

Breakfast is the perfect time to get your fill of nutrients that make pooping easier — like fiber, healthy fats, and probiotics — because so many foods you typically eat in the morning are already good sources, says MaLinda Coffman, RDN, a dietitian based in Salem, Arkansas.

Soluble and Insoluble Fiber

There are two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble, and both can help you poop better.

Soluble fiber dissolves in water and forms a gel-like material that helps slow down digestion. This is what helps you stay fuller longer, so you’re not hankering for another bite shortly after eating breakfast. Oats, apples, bananas, avocados, and citrus fruits are good sources of soluble fiber.

Probiotics

Your gut is home to trillions of bacteria and other microorganisms that support your bodily functions and immunity — but not all of them are beneficial to your health. Probiotics are known as “good” bacteria that help to downplay the effects of harmful germs.

Healthy Fats

Healthy dietary fats help get things moving along your digestive tract, Coffman says. “It’s like a water hose. It pushes everything through your body and helps you absorb fat-soluble vitamins in the foods you eat,” she says. Avocados, chia seeds, and other seeds and nuts are all healthy sources of dietary fat that go great with breakfast.

These breakfast ideas pack serious poop-moving nutrients to help you start your day off right.

• Smoothies Coffman recommends smoothies because you can make them with probiotic-rich Greek yogurt or kefir, as well as a variety of fiber-forward fruits and vegetables.
• Chia Seed Pudding “Chia seeds provide soluble fiber, which means they absorb water and form a gel-like consistency that can help soften stool and support regular bowel movements,” Seprish says. Chia seeds are also a good source of protein and heart-healthy omega-3s. Combine them with any kind of milk and refrigerate overnight to make a gut-nourishing pudding.
• Oatmeal or Overnight Oats Seprish recommends oatmeal and overnight oats because you can load them up with fiber- and protein-rich foods, including nuts, berries, peanut butter, and even protein powder.
• Greek Yogurt Bowl Both dietitians like yogurt bowls because they combine probiotics with healthy doses of fiber from toppings like berries, chia seeds, and nuts.

“Coffee can be a stimulant for many people for bowel movements, and it doesn’t need to be caffeinated. Decaf works as well,” Seprish says.

• Morning is an ideal time to focus on foods that aid gut health because eating stimulates the digestive system to get poop moving
• Prioritizing foods high in fiber, probiotics, and healthy fats will help keep you energized and pooping regularly.
• Some of the best breakfast foods for bowel movements include overnight oats or oatmeal, chia pudding, smoothies, and Greek yogurt bowls.