What Happens to Your Poop When You Stop Eating Meat?
Eliminating meat and eating more fiber-rich foods like fruits and vegetables can lead to poop changes like softer stool and more frequent trips to the bathroom
Rawpixel / Getty Images
Cutting meat out of your diet may come with some surprising changes in your body, including your poop habits.
Eating more plant-based foods, such as those in a vegetarian or vegan diet, can offer many health benefits. It can also significantly impact bowel movements.
Some changes you might see are having to go to the bathroom more frequently and experiencing a temporary increase in gas and bloating.
Poop Changes To Expect
A "normal" bowel movement is based on your poop color, consistency, and frequency. This varies slightly from person to person. Regardless of how your normal poop looks, you can expect some changes when eliminating meat from your diet.
Softer Stool Consistency
As a result of eating more high-fiber foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains instead of meat, you may notice your poop is softer. That's because fiber absorbs water in the intestines—adding bulk to your stool and making it larger and softer during the digestive process.
More Frequent Bowel Movements
Fiber plays a role in how often you go to the bathroom. Because meat is low in fiber but high in protein and fat, eating it on a regular basis tends to slow down digestion and bowel movements.
Consuming less meat and more fiber-rich foods can keep the digestive system running smoothly and frequently. Research suggests that people who follow a meat-free diet poop more often than people who regularly eat meat.
Less Straining
Red meat and other processed meats can be tough on the digestive system due to their low fiber and high fat content. If you're used to straining on the toilet, eliminating meat (and increasing your fiber intake) could make your bowel movements feel easier to pass overall.
Less Greasy Stool
If you previously had greasy-looking poop, you may notice this less frequently after cutting meat from your diet. For some people, steatorrhea (greasy or oily poop) can occur after eating foods that are high in fat, like meat, because fat is more difficult to digest.
You might be more likely to experience this change if you're fully following a low-fat diet and eliminating meat.
Poop changes are usually considered completely normal when you're intentionally changing your eating habits. However, visit a healthcare provider if you have poop issues (like diarrhea or constipation) that persist after a few weeks.
Other Potential Digestive Symptoms
Cutting meat out of your diet can also trigger other digestive symptoms. For example, you might notice:
- Increase in gas and bloating: Gas is a common side effect of eating more plant-based, fiber-rich foods, especially if you make this change quickly. The body doesn't digest fiber, so it's fermented by bacteria in your colon, producing gas.
- Less heartburn: Some research has linked eating meat with a greater likelihood of experiencing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms like heartburn. Experts believe the higher saturated fat content in meat (and other animal food products) may increase stomach acid production.
- Feeling hungrier: Because meat is full of protein, it tends to be quite filling. The body digests protein more slowly, leading to an increase in hunger-suppressing hormones and a decrease in hormones that increase appetite. If you eliminate meat without completely replacing it with another protein-rich food, you might not feel as full or satisfied after meals.
How Diet Affects Your Poop Habits
Your diet plays a significant role in your bathroom habits. Depending on your eating pattern, you may be pooping too much or not enough, or your poop may be an abnormal consistency.
During digestion, food moves through the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, where it's broken down so your body can absorb the nutrients. The waste products that are left over eventually become the stool (poop). The foods you eat, among other factors, affect how quickly this happens and how your poop appears.
Eliminating meat and switching to a vegetarian or vegan eating plan will probably affect your poop habits. Research suggests that people who eat a fiber-rich vegan diet have more frequent bowel movements than people who consume meat. This is likely because fiber adds "bulk" to your stool, making it easier to pass and promoting regular bowel movements.
Keep in mind that a healthy vegan diet made up of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds will contribute to healthy poop, while a diet filled with vegan junk food, refined sugar, and processed carbohydrates may lead to constipation.
Tips for Regulating Your Bowel Movements
There are several tips that experts recommend to help regulate your poop schedule. Consider trying the following:
- Go to the bathroom at the same time every day: Sticking to a regular pooping pattern can help train your body to "know" when to go.
- Aim to poop 15-45 minutes after a meal: The act of eating stimulates bowel movement activity, so you may want to plan to go to the bathroom shortly after breakfast or lunch.
- Don't suppress bowel movements: It's important to head to the bathroom as soon as you feel the urge to go. Holding in your poop can dry out stool as it sits in the large intestine, making it even more difficult to go.
- Drink plenty of water: Experts recommend consuming 2-3 liters of water daily. Staying hydrated supports healthy, normal bowel movements.
- Exercise regularly: Staying physically active at least 3-4 times per week keeps your digestive system moving.
- Drink coffee in the morning: Research suggests drinking coffee upon waking up can encourage morning bowel movements more quickly.
- Consider over-the-counter (OTC) medications: Magnesium supplements, stool softeners, and stimulant laxatives can help with constipation. Make sure to check in with your healthcare provider.
While there's no magic fix for changing your bathroom habits, most people can establish a regular routine of bowel movements within a few weeks.
A Quick Review
The foods you eat impact your bowel movements. Eliminating meat and incorporating more fiber-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can lead to softer stool and more frequent trips to the bathroom.
You may also notice other digestive symptoms, like extra gas and an increased appetite.
Talk to a healthcare provider before making a drastic diet change, especially if you have an underlying health condition or other concerns about your bowel movement habits.
This story originally appeared on: Health News - Author:Cristina Mutchler
