Various types of potatoes. A staple food, or simply a staple, is a food that is eaten routinely and in such quantities that it constitutes a dominant portion of a standard diet for a given people, supplying a large fraction of energy needs and generally forming a significant proportion of the intake of other nutrients as well.
Constipation is defined medically as fewer than three stools per week and severe constipation as less than one stool per week. Constipation usually is caused by the slow movement of stool through the colon.
Fat malabsorption Increased delivery of fat to the colon results in diarrhea and soft, pasty, foul-smelling stools. However, the gas causes stools to float. Consequences include the malabsorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K and insufficient energy intake due to the high energy value of dietary lipids.