Stimulant-laxative Foods & Herbs List: An Ayurveda Perspective

Constitutional & Metabolic Insights
Stimulant-laxative: Symptoms
Diet Remedies by Dosha, Biocharacteristics, Action, etc.
Contraindications / Aggravates
Herb Remedies by Dosha, Biocharacteristic, Action, etc.
Comments and reviews
Related Actions

Master clinical herbalism in our advanced certification courses

AYURVEDIC PERSPECTIVE ON STIMULANT-LAXATIVE

Stimulant laxatives induce bowel movements by stimulating peristaltic movement (the contraction of smooth muscle in the intestines). They are effective when used on a short-term basis. On a long-term basis, they can create dependency. Aka irritant laxativ

All bitters

INGREDIENTS WITH STIMULANT-LAXATIVE QUALITY

View By: Dosha Herbal Action Biocharacteristics (energetics) Taste System Meal Season

Reduces
Beets
Garlic
Rhubarb
Reduces
Garlic (raw)
Reduces
Aloe Vera Juice / Gel
Dandelion Leaves
Reduces
Coffee
Red Onion (raw)

Browse Stimulant-laxative Recipes

HERBS & SUPPLEMENTS WITH STIMULANT-LAXATIVE QUALITY

View By: Dosha Herbal Action Biocharacteristics (energetics) Taste System

Neutral (Tridoshic)
Gandharvahasthadi Thailam
Reduces
Chyavanprash Nutritive Jam
Reduces
Simhanad Guggulu Tablets
Vidanga
Reduces
Bibhitaki
Black Walnut
Castor Oil
Triphala
Incomplete
Bilva
Cascara sagrada
Senna
Turkey Rhubarb

HELPFUL FOR*

'Stimulant-laxative' may be helpful for these symptoms and causes below.

Poop
Constipation
Difficulty eliminating
Less than 1 elimination a day
Rabbit pellet / Hard lumpy stool
Straining to eliminate
Diet
Drink coffee 3+ times a week
Weight Loss
Stomach fat

CONTRAINDICATIONS / AGGRAVATES / IS AGGRAVATED BY*

'Stimulant-laxative' may aggravate, or be aggravated by, these symptoms and causes below.

Digestion
Diverticulosis / Diverticulitis
Intestinal Obstruction
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

TYPE: HERBAL_ACTION

Stimulant-laxative Recipes Listed By Strength

Browse By Popularity

About the Author

John Immel, the founder of Joyful Belly, offers professional clinical training in personalized diet, lifestyle and herbs through Classical Metabolic Theory (Ayurveda & Greek Medicine). His approach is clinical, yet exudes an ease which many find enjoyable and insightful.

John's hobbies & specialties include advanced digestive disorders, classical Christian philosophy for mental wellness, languages (French, Arabic, Bengali), cooking & botany. He holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Harvard University. John, his wife Natalie, and their 8 kids live in Asheville, NC.

Learn More

Nutrition & Herbs from Ayurveda & Greek Medicine

Stimulant-laxative - Foods & Herbs ListCLASSIFICATION OF FOOD, HERBS, & LIFESTYLE

Share Content with Friends & Clients

Table of Contents

AYURVEDIC PERSPECTIVE ON STIMULANT-LAXATIVE

INGREDIENTS WITH STIMULANT-LAXATIVE QUALITY

Reduces

Reduces

Reduces

Reduces

General Laxative GENERAL-LAXATIVE Promotes a bowel movement. General laxative is an umbrella term that refers to several different types of laxatives. SEE ALL 'GENERAL-LAXATIVE' FOODS / HERBS

GENERAL-LAXATIVE

Internal Detoxicant INTERNAL-DETOXICANT Liquefies, dissolves, decongests or dislodges internal stagnant toxins. Decongests the lymphatic system. SEE ALL 'INTERNAL-DETOXICANT' FOODS / HERBS

INTERNAL-DETOXICANT

Cholagogue CHOLAGOGUE Cholagogues stimulate the production & release of bile from the liver & gallbladder. This refreshes and cleanses these organs, as well as increases bile in the small intestines. SEE ALL 'CHOLAGOGUE' FOODS / HERBS

CHOLAGOGUE

Blood Thinner BLOOD-THINNER Herbs that thin the blood. Helpful for people with heart disease or clogged circulation. SEE ALL 'BLOOD-THINNER' FOODS / HERBS

BLOOD-THINNER

Rajasic RAJASIC Rajasic foods stimulate desire or nervous energy. Red meat, high protein food, garlic and onions stimulate desire. Rajasic foods include chili peppers, coffee, and anything that stimulates movement. SEE ALL 'RAJASIC' FOODS / HERBS

RAJASIC

Fire FIRE Resembles fire (tejas) in quality - hot, sharp, penetrating, light, dry. SEE ALL 'FIRE' FOODS / HERBS

FIRE

Earth EARTH Resembles earth (prithvi) in quality - heavy, dense, solid, stable, hard. SEE ALL 'EARTH' FOODS / HERBS

EARTH

Nitric Oxide NITRIC-OXIDE Improves circulation by dilating blood vessels. Protects blood vessels from damage. Improves athletic performance, libido, immunity, and brain health. SEE ALL 'NITRIC-OXIDE' FOODS / HERBS

NITRIC-OXIDE

Alterative ALTERATIVE Restores the proper function of the body by cleansing the blood and balancing blood chemistry. In Ayurveda terms, they pacify Pitta in rakta. They were traditionally used to revitalize and detoxify after a long winter. SEE ALL 'ALTERATIVE' FOODS / HERBS

ALTERATIVE

Vasodilator VASODILATOR A vasodilator is an herb that widens the blood vessels by the relaxation of smooth muscle cells within the vessel walls, thereby increasing circulation systemically or to a local area. SEE ALL 'VASODILATOR' FOODS / HERBS

VASODILATOR

Blood Mover BLOOD-MOVER Blood movers improve circulation through these mechanisms: Cardiac stimulation (usually pungents), vasodilation (usually aromatics), or blood thinning (usually bitters). SEE ALL 'BLOOD-MOVER' FOODS / HERBS

BLOOD-MOVER

Saponins SAPONINS Can be used to make soap. Saponins stimulate mucus membrane secretion, liquefying mucus for easy removal (expectorant). SEE ALL 'SAPONINS' FOODS / HERBS

SAPONINS

Diuretic DIURETIC Herbs that promote urine formation, thereby flushing the kidneys and urinary tract while eliminating any excess water retention. As diuretics reduce water retention, they are often used to reduce blood pressure. SEE ALL 'DIURETIC' FOODS / HERBS

DIURETIC

Antimicrobial ANTIMICROBIAL An agent that kills microorganisms or inhibits their growth. Antimicrobial is an umbrella term that can be broken down into specific categories of target microorganism, such as anti-bacterials, fungals, and virals. SEE ALL 'ANTIMICROBIAL' FOODS / HERBS

ANTIMICROBIAL

Stool Softener STOOL-SOFTENER Softens hard and difficult to eliminate stool. Stool softeners are the safest and most gentle type of laxative. Examples include warm milk with ghee. SEE ALL 'STOOL-SOFTENER' FOODS / HERBS

STOOL-SOFTENER

Anthelminthic ANTHELMINTHIC Kills parasitic worms (hookworms, tapeworms, roundworms, etc). SEE ALL 'ANTHELMINTHIC' FOODS / HERBS

ANTHELMINTHIC

Purgative PURGATIVE Where general laxatives target the colon, purgatives are strong laxatives that target complete elimination of the small intestine. Use only sporadically as it can be habit forming. SEE ALL 'PURGATIVE' FOODS / HERBS

PURGATIVE

Liquefied LIQUEFIED Substances that thin fluids (lower viscosity of blood plasma). These may include blood thinners or mucolytic herbs. SEE ALL 'LIQUEFIED' FOODS / HERBS

LIQUEFIED

Clear CLEAR Clear refers to anything that cleanses or flushes out wastes, or that digests ama. SEE ALL 'CLEAR' FOODS / HERBS

CLEAR

Hot HOT Hot is identified by increased body temperature, metabolism, or inflammation. SEE ALL 'HOT' FOODS / HERBS

HOT

Mobile MOBILE Mobile refers to anything that stimulates the nervous system, muscles, or activity. SEE ALL 'MOBILE' FOODS / HERBS

MOBILE

Dry DRY Dry is identified by lack of moisture, lack of fat, or anything that causes diuresis. SEE ALL 'DRY' FOODS / HERBS

DRY

Cold COLD Cold refers to anything that reduces body temperature, metabolism, and blood flow. SEE ALL 'COLD' FOODS / HERBS

COLD

Light LIGHT Lightness is identified by reduced weight. SEE ALL 'LIGHT' FOODS / HERBS

LIGHT

Heavy HEAVY Heavy is identified by sedation, sluggishness, or increased weight. SEE ALL 'HEAVY' FOODS / HERBS

HEAVY

Easy EASY Easy refers to anything easy to digest, or digests quickly. SEE ALL 'EASY' FOODS / HERBS

EASY

Toxic TOXIC A substance that causes toxicity in the body, or that harms the body. SEE ALL 'TOXIC' FOODS / HERBS

TOXIC

Bitter BITTER Bitter taste has cholagogue action - it is cold, clear, light, and stimulating. It increases digestive enzymes and is laxative, and drying. SEE ALL 'BITTER' FOODS / HERBS

BITTER

Astringent ASTRINGENT Astringency is characterized by constriction, drawing together, or drying. SEE ALL 'ASTRINGENT' FOODS / HERBS

ASTRINGENT

Pungent PUNGENT Pungency is characterized by irritation, or sharp, spicy foods that irritate the mouth such as black pepper. SEE ALL 'PUNGENT' FOODS / HERBS

PUNGENT

Sweet SWEET Sweet refers to anything builds tissue, including macronutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats. SEE ALL 'SWEET' FOODS / HERBS

SWEET

Aromatic AROMATIC Herbs or spices with volatile essential oils that present strong aromas. Aromatic oils shock, refresh and numb tissue, with the end result of relaxing, opening and clearing stagnant fluids in tissues. SEE ALL 'AROMATIC' FOODS / HERBS

AROMATIC

Acrid ACRID Harsh and unpleasant with a biting quality. Frequently hot & bitter. Examples include radish, turnip, and coffee. SEE ALL 'ACRID' FOODS / HERBS

ACRID

Musky MUSKY Have an earthy smell to them, such as mushrooms. SEE ALL 'MUSKY' FOODS / HERBS

MUSKY

Sour SOUR Sour refers to anything fermented or acidic. SEE ALL 'SOUR' FOODS / HERBS

SOUR

General Laxative
GENERAL-LAXATIVE
Promotes a bowel movement. General laxative is an umbrella term that refers to several different types of laxatives.
SEE ALL 'GENERAL-LAXATIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Internal Detoxicant
INTERNAL-DETOXICANT
Liquefies, dissolves, decongests or dislodges internal stagnant toxins. Decongests the lymphatic system.
SEE ALL 'INTERNAL-DETOXICANT' FOODS / HERBS

Cholagogue
CHOLAGOGUE
Cholagogues stimulate the production & release of bile from the liver & gallbladder. This refreshes and cleanses these organs, as well as increases bile in the small intestines.
SEE ALL 'CHOLAGOGUE' FOODS / HERBS

Blood Thinner
BLOOD-THINNER
Herbs that thin the blood. Helpful for people with heart disease or clogged circulation.
SEE ALL 'BLOOD-THINNER' FOODS / HERBS

Rajasic
RAJASIC
Rajasic foods stimulate desire or nervous energy. Red meat, high protein food, garlic and onions stimulate desire. Rajasic foods include chili peppers, coffee, and anything that stimulates movement.
SEE ALL 'RAJASIC' FOODS / HERBS

Fire
FIRE
Resembles fire (tejas) in quality - hot, sharp, penetrating, light, dry.
SEE ALL 'FIRE' FOODS / HERBS

Earth
EARTH
Resembles earth (prithvi) in quality - heavy, dense, solid, stable, hard.
SEE ALL 'EARTH' FOODS / HERBS

Nitric Oxide
NITRIC-OXIDE
Improves circulation by dilating blood vessels. Protects blood vessels from damage. Improves athletic performance, libido, immunity, and brain health.
SEE ALL 'NITRIC-OXIDE' FOODS / HERBS

Alterative
ALTERATIVE
Restores the proper function of the body by cleansing the blood and balancing blood chemistry. In Ayurveda terms, they pacify Pitta in rakta. They were traditionally used to revitalize and detoxify after a long winter.
SEE ALL 'ALTERATIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Vasodilator
VASODILATOR
A vasodilator is an herb that widens the blood vessels by the relaxation of smooth muscle cells within the vessel walls, thereby increasing circulation systemically or to a local area.
SEE ALL 'VASODILATOR' FOODS / HERBS

Blood Mover
BLOOD-MOVER
Blood movers improve circulation through these mechanisms: Cardiac stimulation (usually pungents), vasodilation (usually aromatics), or blood thinning (usually bitters).
SEE ALL 'BLOOD-MOVER' FOODS / HERBS

Saponins
SAPONINS
Can be used to make soap. Saponins stimulate mucus membrane secretion, liquefying mucus for easy removal (expectorant).
SEE ALL 'SAPONINS' FOODS / HERBS

Diuretic
DIURETIC
Herbs that promote urine formation, thereby flushing the kidneys and urinary tract while eliminating any excess water retention. As diuretics reduce water retention, they are often used to reduce blood pressure.
SEE ALL 'DIURETIC' FOODS / HERBS

Antimicrobial
ANTIMICROBIAL
An agent that kills microorganisms or inhibits their growth. Antimicrobial is an umbrella term that can be broken down into specific categories of target microorganism, such as anti-bacterials, fungals, and virals.
SEE ALL 'ANTIMICROBIAL' FOODS / HERBS

Stool Softener
STOOL-SOFTENER
Softens hard and difficult to eliminate stool. Stool softeners are the safest and most gentle type of laxative. Examples include warm milk with ghee.
SEE ALL 'STOOL-SOFTENER' FOODS / HERBS

Anthelminthic
ANTHELMINTHIC
Kills parasitic worms (hookworms, tapeworms, roundworms, etc).
SEE ALL 'ANTHELMINTHIC' FOODS / HERBS

Purgative
PURGATIVE
Where general laxatives target the colon, purgatives are strong laxatives that target complete elimination of the small intestine. Use only sporadically as it can be habit forming.
SEE ALL 'PURGATIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Liquefied
LIQUEFIED
Substances that thin fluids (lower viscosity of blood plasma). These may include blood thinners or mucolytic herbs.
SEE ALL 'LIQUEFIED' FOODS / HERBS

Clear
CLEAR
Clear refers to anything that cleanses or flushes out wastes, or that digests ama.
SEE ALL 'CLEAR' FOODS / HERBS

Hot
HOT
Hot is identified by increased body temperature, metabolism, or inflammation.
SEE ALL 'HOT' FOODS / HERBS

Mobile
MOBILE
Mobile refers to anything that stimulates the nervous system, muscles, or activity.
SEE ALL 'MOBILE' FOODS / HERBS

Dry
DRY
Dry is identified by lack of moisture, lack of fat, or anything that causes diuresis.
SEE ALL 'DRY' FOODS / HERBS

Cold
COLD
Cold refers to anything that reduces body temperature, metabolism, and blood flow.
SEE ALL 'COLD' FOODS / HERBS

Light
LIGHT
Lightness is identified by reduced weight.
SEE ALL 'LIGHT' FOODS / HERBS

Heavy
HEAVY
Heavy is identified by sedation, sluggishness, or increased weight.
SEE ALL 'HEAVY' FOODS / HERBS

Easy
EASY
Easy refers to anything easy to digest, or digests quickly.
SEE ALL 'EASY' FOODS / HERBS

Toxic
TOXIC
A substance that causes toxicity in the body, or that harms the body.
SEE ALL 'TOXIC' FOODS / HERBS

Bitter
BITTER
Bitter taste has cholagogue action - it is cold, clear, light, and stimulating. It increases digestive enzymes and is laxative, and drying.
SEE ALL 'BITTER' FOODS / HERBS

Astringent
ASTRINGENT
Astringency is characterized by constriction, drawing together, or drying.
SEE ALL 'ASTRINGENT' FOODS / HERBS

Pungent
PUNGENT
Pungency is characterized by irritation, or sharp, spicy foods that irritate the mouth such as black pepper.
SEE ALL 'PUNGENT' FOODS / HERBS

Sweet
SWEET
Sweet refers to anything builds tissue, including macronutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
SEE ALL 'SWEET' FOODS / HERBS

Aromatic
AROMATIC
Herbs or spices with volatile essential oils that present strong aromas. Aromatic oils shock, refresh and numb tissue, with the end result of relaxing, opening and clearing stagnant fluids in tissues.
SEE ALL 'AROMATIC' FOODS / HERBS

Acrid
ACRID
Harsh and unpleasant with a biting quality. Frequently hot & bitter. Examples include radish, turnip, and coffee.
SEE ALL 'ACRID' FOODS / HERBS

Musky
MUSKY
Have an earthy smell to them, such as mushrooms.
SEE ALL 'MUSKY' FOODS / HERBS

Sour
SOUR
Sour refers to anything fermented or acidic.
SEE ALL 'SOUR' FOODS / HERBS

Bland Negative Calorie
BLAND-NEGATIVE-CALORIE
The term "bland taste" refers, in Chinese medicine, to food containing few macronutrients, such as cabbage, radish or bok choy. These may be compared to negative calorie foods.
SEE ALL 'BLAND-NEGATIVE-CALORIE' FOODS / HERBS

Energy Vitality
ENERGY-VITALITY
Includes vitality improving foods, herbs, and exercises by dosha.
SEE ALL 'ENERGY-VITALITY' FOODS / HERBS

Skin Care
SKIN-CARE
Includes skin care, and anything that nourishes epithelial membranes (of digestive, respiratory, urinary tract, blood vessels, etc).
SEE ALL 'SKIN-CARE' FOODS / HERBS

General Laxative
GENERAL-LAXATIVE
Promotes a bowel movement. General laxative is an umbrella term that refers to several different types of laxatives.
SEE ALL 'GENERAL-LAXATIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Stool Softener
STOOL-SOFTENER
Softens hard and difficult to eliminate stool. Stool softeners are the safest and most gentle type of laxative. Examples include warm milk with ghee.
SEE ALL 'STOOL-SOFTENER' FOODS / HERBS

Purgative
PURGATIVE
Where general laxatives target the colon, purgatives are strong laxatives that target complete elimination of the small intestine. Use only sporadically as it can be habit forming.
SEE ALL 'PURGATIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Internal Detoxicant
INTERNAL-DETOXICANT
Liquefies, dissolves, decongests or dislodges internal stagnant toxins. Decongests the lymphatic system.
SEE ALL 'INTERNAL-DETOXICANT' FOODS / HERBS

Anthelminthic
ANTHELMINTHIC
Kills parasitic worms (hookworms, tapeworms, roundworms, etc).
SEE ALL 'ANTHELMINTHIC' FOODS / HERBS

Alterative
ALTERATIVE
Restores the proper function of the body by cleansing the blood and balancing blood chemistry. In Ayurveda terms, they pacify Pitta in rakta. They were traditionally used to revitalize and detoxify after a long winter.
SEE ALL 'ALTERATIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Emodin
EMODIN
Emodin is an antifibrotic molecule found in many anthroquinone laxatives.
SEE ALL 'EMODIN' FOODS / HERBS

Diuretic
DIURETIC
Herbs that promote urine formation, thereby flushing the kidneys and urinary tract while eliminating any excess water retention. As diuretics reduce water retention, they are often used to reduce blood pressure.
SEE ALL 'DIURETIC' FOODS / HERBS

Earth
EARTH
Resembles earth (prithvi) in quality - heavy, dense, solid, stable, hard.
SEE ALL 'EARTH' FOODS / HERBS

Fire
FIRE
Resembles fire (tejas) in quality - hot, sharp, penetrating, light, dry.
SEE ALL 'FIRE' FOODS / HERBS

Antimicrobial
ANTIMICROBIAL
An agent that kills microorganisms or inhibits their growth. Antimicrobial is an umbrella term that can be broken down into specific categories of target microorganism, such as anti-bacterials, fungals, and virals.
SEE ALL 'ANTIMICROBIAL' FOODS / HERBS

Cholagogue
CHOLAGOGUE
Cholagogues stimulate the production & release of bile from the liver & gallbladder. This refreshes and cleanses these organs, as well as increases bile in the small intestines.
SEE ALL 'CHOLAGOGUE' FOODS / HERBS

Blood Mover
BLOOD-MOVER
Blood movers improve circulation through these mechanisms: Cardiac stimulation (usually pungents), vasodilation (usually aromatics), or blood thinning (usually bitters).
SEE ALL 'BLOOD-MOVER' FOODS / HERBS