The Best Vegetable to Help You Poop, According to Dietitians This surprising veggie is a perfect addition to your diet when you need a little help to get things moving. By Isabel Vasquez, RD, LDN Isabel Vasquez, RD, LDN See More Isabel Vasquez is a bilingual registered dietitian practicing from an intuitive eating, culturally sensitive framework. Her clinical experience includes providing outpatient nutrition counseling to adults with a variety of chronic health conditions, along with providing family-based treatment for eating disorders in children and adolescents. She also offers intuitive eating coaching for Latinas to heal their relationships with food, particularly their cultural foods. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Updated on September 24, 2025 Reviewed by Dietitian Christa Brown, M.S., RDN, LD Reviewed by Dietitian Christa Brown, M.S., RDN, LD Christa Brown is a registered dietitian and business owner with a practice focus on diabetes management and content development for brands and fitness influencers. She is a licensed dietitian with a Master of Science in Nutrition Education and a certification in gut health by the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines In This Article View All In This Article They're Rich in Insoluble Fiber They Have High Fluid Content Source of Magnesium Nutrition Facts Do peas help with constipation? Their fiber, fluids and magnesium say yes.Green peas pack insoluble fiber that adds bulk to stool and speeds up digestion.With nearly 80% water, peas help soften stool and make bowel movements easier. When it comes to easing the act of pooping, what you eat can make a big difference. Foods rich in fiber and fluids are especially helpful, since they’re two of the best-known ways to prevent and treat constipation. We spoke with three registered dietitians, and they all recommend prioritizing fiber and fluids if you struggle with constipation. “Less than 5% of Americans get enough fiber, with most getting under 15 grams a day, when the minimum recommendations are 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men,” says Nichole Dandrea-Russert, M.S., RDN. To help you get in more fiber, fluids and starch so you can poop regularly, we recommend eating more green peas. Read on to learn why these dietitians say peas are the best vegetable to help relieve constipation. Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster They're Rich in Insoluble Fiber A 1-cup serving of cooked peas contains a total of 9 grams of fiber, or 32% of the Daily Value. Of these 9 grams of total fiber, about 70% is insoluble fiber. This type of fiber adds bulk to your stool to help speed up transit time through your digestive tract, so it’s especially helpful for constipation. The remaining 30% of peas' fiber is soluble fiber, which helps attract water into your gastrointestinal tract during digestion. This type of fiber is more helpful for relieving diarrhea, but it can also help reduce your risk of heart disease. Both kinds of fiber are essential for overall digestive health, says Dandrea-Russert, and most fiber-containing foods have a combination of both. Don't Miss 4 Signs You Might Need a Fiber Supplement, According to Dietitians The High-Protein High-Fiber Soup I Can’t Stop Making They Have High Fluid Content Getting in enough fluids throughout the day is key to preventing and treating constipation, says Emily Maus, RD. “Hydration is important to keep stool a softer consistency for easier passing,” she explains. Because soluble fiber attracts water, the combination of the two is needed for more comfortable bowel movements. When you think of hydration, you may think of lugging around a big water bottle, but most fruits and veggies have a high fluid content that can contribute to your total fluid intake. Kaytee Hadley, M.S., RDN, highlights green peas as a high-fiber and high-fluid veggie because they’re made up of almost 80% water. They're a Source of Magnesium Many people have heard that fiber and fluid are good for relieving constipation, but did you know that magnesium—a mineral found in green peas—may also help? “One study looked at the diets and bowel habits of 9,519 adults and found that dietary magnesium was inversely associated with constipation. Those with higher dietary magnesium reported less constipation compared to those who consumed less magnesium through their diet,” says Dandrea-Russert. Magnesium may have a laxative effect by pulling water from your body into your stool, improving stool frequency and consistency. Interestingly, many Americans don’t meet the recommended intakes of magnesium. Eating foods like green peas can help you consume more magnesium for overall health and potentially even constipation relief. Each cup of cooked green peas contains an impressive 15% of the DV for magnesium, according to the USDA. You may be used to having frozen or canned peas as a side dish, and this Quinoa with Peas & Lemon recipe kicks things up a notch. Green Peas Nutrition Info Peas are considered a starchy vegetable that are quite nutritious. In fact, a 1-cup serving of cooked green peas without salt contains: Calories: 134Total Carbohydrates: 25 gDietary Fiber: 9 gTotal Sugar: 10 gAdded Sugar: 0 gProtein: 9 gTotal Fat: 0 gSaturated Fat: 0 gCholesterol: 0 gSodium: 5 mgPotassium: 434 mgMagnesium: 62 mg Recipes to Try Skillet Salmon with Orzo & Green Pea Pesto 4.7 High-Protein Pasta with Peas 4.7 Quinoa with Peas & Lemon 4.8 Our Expert Take Constipation relief isn’t about quick fixes—it’s about getting the right mix of nutrients every day. Fiber and fluids are the foundation, but minerals like magnesium also play a role in keeping your digestive system moving. Green peas bring all of these together in one simple food, making them a smart and convenient choice to add to your meals. Whether fresh, frozen or canned, they’re an easy way to support regularity and overall gut health. Explore more: Special Diets High-Fiber Diet Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy. Feingold KR, Anawalt B, Blackman MR, et al., editors. Fiber content of selected vegetables. In: Endotext. MDText.com, Inc.; 2000. National Library of Medicine. MedlinePlus. Soluble vs. insoluble fiber. U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central. Peas, green, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt. Zhang L, Du Z, Li Z, Yu F, Li L. Association of dietary magnesium intake with chronic constipation among US adults: Evidence from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Food Sci Nutr. 2021;9(12):6634–6641. doi: 10.1002/fsn3.2611 National Institutes of Health. Office of Dietary Supplements. Magnesium.