Food-therapy guide
What foods and soups help with constipation?
Short answer
Foods traditionally used for constipation often focus on adding moisture, fibre or gentle lubrication to the diet. Pine Nut and Hemp Seed Congee is suited to dry-type constipation, while Yacon and Snow Fungus Soup is a lighter, cooling choice for sluggish digestion. Black Fungus, Fig, and American Ginseng Double-Boiled Soup combines fibre-rich black wood ear with figs and is traditionally associated with keeping the bowels moving comfortably.
In traditional Chinese food therapy, constipation is not treated as one single pattern. Dry, hard or sluggish bowels may be associated with depleted fluids, while older, frail or recovering people may have weakness-type constipation. Other people experience sluggish digestion alongside signs traditionally described as heat.
The recipes below take different approaches. Pine nuts and hemp seeds are traditionally used to moisten and lubricate dry bowels; yacon, figs and fungi provide lighter, more cooling options; and warming, nourishing congees are often turned to when dryness or weakness is the main concern.
8 recipes compared
| Recipe | Type | Key ingredients | Best for | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pine Nut and Hemp Seed Congee | Congee & Porridge | Pine nuts, Hemp seeds, White rice | Dry constipation with weakness or depleted fluids | 1 hr 10 min |
| Yacon and Snow Fungus Soup | Soups | Yacon root, Snow fungus / white wood ear, Dried figs | Sluggish digestion and mild constipation | 2 hr 15 min |
| Black Fungus, Fig, and American Ginseng Double-Boiled Soup | Soups | Dried black wood ear fungus, Dried figs, American ginseng | Sluggish bowels and heat-related digestive discomfort | 1 hr 15 min |
| Pine Nut Congee | Congee & Porridge | Pine nuts, White rice, Honey | Dry, habitual or age-related constipation | 45 min |
| Pine Nut and Fig Congee | Congee & Porridge | Pine nuts, Dried figs, White rice | Weakness-type constipation in older or frail people | 1 hr 10 min |
| Yacon, Fig and Apricot Kernel Sweet Soup | Soups | Yacon, Dried figs, South and north apricot kernels | Sluggish bowels when a cooling soup suits you | 1 hr 15 min |
| Lily Bulb and Pine Nut Congee | Congee & Porridge | Dried lily bulb, Pine nuts, White rice | Dry bowels with a preference for gentle congee | 1 hr 10 min |
| Black Moss, Dried Oyster, Shiitake and Lean Pork Soupfull recipe free | Soups | Dried shiitake mushrooms, Black moss / facai, Dried oysters | Age-related constipation needing a savoury soup | 1 hr 50 min |
The recipes, and why each one fits
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Congee & PorridgePine Nut and Hemp Seed Congee
Pine Nut and Hemp Seed Congee
Best for: Dry constipation with weakness or depleted fluids
Pine nuts and hemp seeds are both traditionally used to moisten the intestines. This gentle congee is particularly associated with dry-type constipation in older people and those recovering from illness or childbirth.
Traditionally used to moisten the intestines and ease dryness-type constipation
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SoupsYacon and Snow Fungus Soup
Yacon and Snow Fungus Soup
Best for: Sluggish digestion and mild constipation
Yacon contains fructooligosaccharides and is traditionally valued for its cooling, moistening qualities. Paired with snow fungus and dried figs, it makes a light soup traditionally associated with supporting bowel regularity.
traditionally associated with clearing heat and supporting bowel regularity
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SoupsBlack Fungus, Fig, and American Ginseng Double-Boiled Soup
Black Fungus, Fig, and American Ginseng Double-Boiled Soup
Best for: Sluggish bowels and heat-related digestive discomfort
Black wood ear fungus is high in dietary fibre and traditionally associated with helping the bowels move comfortably. Dried figs and American ginseng complete this mild, cooling double-boiled soup.
Traditionally associated with moistening the intestines, relieving constipation, and supporting gut lining health
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Congee & PorridgePine Nut Congee
Pine Nut Congee
Best for: Dry, habitual or age-related constipation
Pine nuts are traditionally valued for gently lubricating the intestines, while the rice makes this a warm, simple congee. It is often turned to for dryness from low fluids and habitual or age-related constipation.
A gentle, lubricating congee traditionally chosen to ease dry-type and age-related constipation
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Congee & PorridgePine Nut and Fig Congee
Pine Nut and Fig Congee
Best for: Weakness-type constipation in older or frail people
Pine nuts and dried figs make this a moistening, nourishing congee traditionally chosen when the bowel feels sluggish because of weakness rather than excess heat. It is especially associated with older, frail or recovering people.
Traditionally used to replenish, moisten the lungs and ease the bowels
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SoupsYacon, Fig and Apricot Kernel Sweet Soup
Yacon, Fig and Apricot Kernel Sweet Soup
Best for: Sluggish bowels when a cooling soup suits you
Yacon and dried figs form the base of this naturally sweet soup. In traditional food therapy, the combination is associated with clearing heat, adding moisture and gently easing sluggish bowels.
Traditionally used to clear heat, moisten the lungs and ease the bowels
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Congee & PorridgeLily Bulb and Pine Nut Congee
Lily Bulb and Pine Nut Congee
Best for: Dry bowels with a preference for gentle congee
Pine nuts provide the bowel-moistening element, paired with dried lily bulb and rice. This soothing congee is traditionally enjoyed to moisten dryness and ease sluggish bowels.
Traditionally moistens the lungs and eases dry bowels
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SoupsBlack Moss, Dried Oyster, Shiitake and Lean Pork Soup
Black Moss, Dried Oyster, Shiitake and Lean Pork Soup
Best for: Age-related constipation needing a savoury soup
Black moss, dried oysters and shiitake are combined with lean pork in a savoury soup traditionally associated with nourishing blood and softly moistening the bowel. It is particularly aimed at age-related constipation.
Traditionally associated with nourishing the blood, moistening the bowel and supporting blood pressure
How to choose
- For distinctly dry or sluggish bowels, start with Pine Nut and Hemp Seed Congee or the simpler Pine Nut Congee.
- For an older or frail person whose constipation seems associated with weakness, consider Pine Nut and Fig Congee or the Black Moss, Dried Oyster, Shiitake and Lean Pork Soup.
- If you prefer something lighter and cooling, Yacon and Snow Fungus Soup or Yacon, Fig and Apricot Kernel Sweet Soup may fit better.
- If loose stools are also common, avoid Lily Bulb and Pine Nut Congee; its recipe specifically advises skipping it when stools are loose.
- For a fibre-focused option, Black Fungus, Fig, and American Ginseng Double-Boiled Soup uses black wood ear fungus, which is high in dietary fibre.
When to be cautious
- Yacon is cool in nature, so go easy with the Yacon, Fig and Apricot Kernel Sweet Soup if your constitution tends to run cold.
- Skip Lily Bulb and Pine Nut Congee if you have loose stools. For the American ginseng soup, children aged four or older should use prince's ginseng instead of American ginseng.
- For the black moss soup, buy black moss from a reputable seller because fake products are common; black wood ear can be used instead.
- These recipes describe traditional food-therapy uses rather than medical treatment. See a doctor if constipation persists.
Common questions
What is the best congee for dry constipation?
Pine Nut and Hemp Seed Congee is the most directly targeted option here for dry-type constipation. Pine nuts and hemp seeds are traditionally used to moisten the intestines rather than forcefully purge them. The simpler Pine Nut Congee is another gentle choice, traditionally associated with habitual constipation and dryness from low fluids.
Which soup is suitable for constipation in older people?
Black Moss, Dried Oyster, Shiitake and Lean Pork Soup is specifically associated with age-related constipation, particularly when a nourishing savoury soup is preferred. Pine Nut and Fig Congee is another option for older or frail people when constipation is traditionally understood as weakness-related rather than caused by excess heat.
Are cooling soups always better for constipation?
No. Traditional Chinese food therapy distinguishes between different patterns. Yacon soups are cooling and may suit sluggish digestion or heat-related discomfort, but the Yacon, Fig and Apricot Kernel Sweet Soup advises going easy if your constitution runs cold. Dry or weakness-related constipation may instead suit a warm pine-nut congee.
What foods in these recipes are traditionally used to moisten dry bowels?
Pine nuts and hemp seeds appear repeatedly because they are traditionally associated with moistening or lubricating the intestines. Dried figs, black wood ear fungus, snow fungus and yacon also feature in constipation-focused recipes. Which one fits best depends on whether the pattern seems mainly dry, weakness-related or better suited to a cooling preparation.
Guides are compiled from Nourilo's recipe library and describe traditional use. Read how we write and check our content and who is behind Nourilo.