Backed up? Eat this $5 snack before bed and you'll poop in the morning, dietitian says

If you often suffer from a slow-moving system, there's a midnight snack that might help.

The best nighttime bite for unblocking your bowel is a fiber-filled snack that costs around $5 per packet, according to Isabel Vasquez, a New York-based registered dietitian.

She's talking about crunchy chickpeas - packs of the pulse that are toasted, baked or roasted until dry and crisp.

They can be tossed in sweet or salty seasonings, depending on your preferred flavor pallet, Ms Vasquez said.  

Chickpea snacks are high in fiber, which might make them a good option for late night snacking, especially compared to other snack options

These crunchy little tidbits are packed full of bowel-friendly fiber and minerals that ease digestion and feed the healthy bacteria in your gut. 

This means they’re an 'amazing late night snack to help you poop,' Vasquez wrote in a column for EatingWell. 

Studies show that fiber-heavy foods like chickpeas add bulk to a stool, which makes it easier to pass, decreasing the chance of constipation - which regularly impacts around a fifth of Americans.

It also makes the waste in the bowel softer, further easing the exit from the body. 

But not all fiber is created equal. Chickpeas are particularly high in insoluble fiber. 

Ms. Vasquez didn't recommend a particular brand of chickpea snacks, but mentioned that you can buy them in a shop or make them at home

Insoluble fiber isn't easily dissolved by water, and adds bulk to your stool, making food pass more quickly through your bowels, according to Mount Sinai. It's found in whole wheat products and vegetables. 

Soluble fiber, on the other hand, easily turns into mush in your stomach, and doesn't do much for digestion. It's found in citrus fruits, apples and nuts. 

Chickpeas have almost three times the amount of insoluble fiber than soluble fiber- according to the North Ottawa Wellness Foundation- which could help them digest better.

Chickpeas - and snacks derived from them - also help grow the healthy bacteria in your gut, according to a 2021 study from food scientists at Volcani Institute in Israel. The researchers found that the molecular components of chickpeas make an ideal food source for the bacteria, called prebiotics. 

Many Americans probably struggle with constipation simply because they're not getting enough fiber in their diet, Ms. Vasquez said.  

Only five percent of Americans get enough fiber in their daily diet according to a 2017 review published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. 

The Institute of Medicine recommends that people take in 25 to 38 grams of fiber a day, depending on age and gender. On average, Vasquez said, Americans get about 14 grams per day. That's equivalent to eating roughly 3 apples, which contain 4.5 grams of fiber.

Eating insufficient fiber has also been associated with chronic conditions like heart disease and diabetes, according to the American Society for Nutrition. Some studies have also linked it to the recent uptick in colorectal cancer.

A leading cause of constipation in America is a lack of fiber, experts say

 A one ounce serving of Biena chickpea snacks, which cost $4.49 per bag and are available in stores like Target, has six grams of fiber in it - and only 120 calories. 

Eating these late at night, as compared to other crunchy snacks like Lay's potato chips, which contain a gram of fiber, could help you get on your way to a healthy poop. 

Outside of snacking on chickpeas, Vasquez has some recommendations to keep you regular throughout the day. 

This includes eating other fibrous fruits and veggies, like brussels sprouts and raspberries. Also, drinking a lot of water can help keep your poops a healthy consistency. 

Finally, she recommends making sure to eat sugar and salt in moderation, since studies have linked overconsumption to constipation.