NutritionFacts.org
Browsing: Home / Videos / Prunes vs. Metamucil vs. Vegan Diet

Health Topics

Browse through 1,580 different health topics
from A-Z!
  1. #
  2. A
  3. B
  4. C
  5. D
  6. E
  7. F
  8. G
  9. H
  10. I
  11. J
  12. K
  13. L
  14. M
  15. N
  16. O
  17. P
  18. Q
  19. R
  20. S
  21. T
  22. U
  23. V
  24. W
  25. X
  26. Y
  27. Z
Browse All Topics

Prunes vs. Metamucil vs. Vegan Diet

The average number of bowel movements a week is compared between those eating prunes, those taking a fiber supplement, and those eating a strictly plant-based diet.

March 15, 2013 |
GD Star Rating
loading...
FavoriteLoadingAdd to My Playlist

Topics

Supplementary Info

Prunes vs. Metamucil vs. Vegan Diet, 5.0 out of 5 based on 6 ratings

Sources Cited

A. Attaluri, R. Donahoe, J. Valestin, K. Brown, S. S. C. Rao. Randomised clinical trial: Dried plums (prunes) vs. Psyllium for constipation. Aliment. Pharmacol. Ther. 2011 33(7):822 - 828

V. Stanghellini, R. F. Cogliandro. Dried plums vs. Psyllium. Aliment. Pharmacol. Ther. 2011 33(10):1180 - 1 - author - reply - 1181 - 2

M. A. Sanjoaquin, P. N. Appleby, E. A. Spencer, T. J. Key. Nutrition and lifestyle in relation to bowel movement frequency: a cross sectional study of 20 630 men and women in EPIC-Oxford. Public Health Nutrition 2004 7(1):77-83

E. P. Halmos, P. R. Gibson. Dried plums, constipation and the irritable bowel syndrome. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2011 Aug;34(3):396-7; author reply 397-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2036.2011.04719.x.

J. W. McRorie. Prunes vs. psyllium for chronic idiopathic constipation. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2011 Jul;34(2):258-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2036.2011.04713.x.

S. Lau, C. F. Donnellan, A. C. Ford. Do dried plums really help constipation? Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2011 Jun;33(11):1258-9; author reply 1259. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2036.2011.04649.x.

Acknowledgements

Images thanks to OliBac

Transcript

Though there is an International Prune Association keeping us all apprised of the latest prune news from around the world, in the U.S. the California prune board successfully pressured the FDA to change the name from prunes to dried plums, which evidently evokes more of a positive fresh fruit goodness image, in hopes of attracting their target audience, women.  Of course it might help if they actually included one or two on their Board.  In doing so though, they hope to de-emphasize its connections to digestive regularity issues. Why sell yourself short, though! Check this out: Randomized clinical trial: prunes vs. Metamucil, also known as psyllium. Constipation is a common problem that affects up to 20% of the world’s population. Nearly 60 million Americans suffer from chronic constipation, particularly a problem in women and the elderly. A pathological condition that is often severe enough to disrupt daily activities, derange quality of life, respond poorly to available medical remedies, and may prompt sophisticated and potentially harmful surgical procedures. Despite all this, it is still frequently considered a trivial issue and affected individuals tend to self-medicate either using OTC laxatives or ‘natural’ remedies, but none of these has been adequately investigated," until now. Fiber supplements can be inconvenient, taste nasty, cause bloating—even choking, so we need a food-based, natural, convenient tasty alternative, but do prunes work? Here are the study subjects at baseline. Each dot is a complete spontaneous bowel movement. Went from an average of 1.7 a week up to 3.5 on prunes, then back to baseline off prunes, then on Metamucil got up to 2.8, then back down. And remember the Bristol stool scale? Significantly better stool consistency on the prunes. They conclude treatment with dried plums resulted in a greater improvement in constipation symptoms than the commonly used fiber supplement, psyllium." So given their palatability, tolerability and availability, dried plums should be "considered as a first line therapy for chronic constipation.” If that's what adding one plant can do, what if all you ate was plants?

To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by Jonathan Hodgson.

To help out on the site please email volunteer@nutritionfacts.org

Dr. Michael Greger

Doctor's Note

Who can forget the Bristol stool scale? Even if you've already seen it you may want a refresher: Bristol Stool Scale. And while we're on the topic, here are some others on optimizing bowel function:

Prunes may also help improve the health of our skin—see Beauty Is More Than Skin Deep.

In general we should try to get our nutrients from whole food, not supplements (Some Dietary Supplements May Be More Than a Waste of Money).
                                                                                                        
See the previous video Dried Apples, Dates, Figs or Prunes for Cholesterol? for a comparison of prunes to other dried fruit in terms of cholesterol-lowering capacity. And if you're worried dried fruit may be too calorically dense, the next video Do Fruit & Nut Bars Cause Weight Gain? should help put your mind at ease.

If you haven't yet, you can subscribe to my videos for free by clicking here.

  • http://www.facebook.com/matty.ciuccio Matty Ciuccio

    I always wanted to be the tops at something! Hooray! Were #1!

    • Thea

      As Dr. Greger says, “We’re #1 at #2″. ;-)

      • http://jolkapolkaskitchen.blogspot.com/ WholeFoodChomper

        Love it! Nothing like a good poo pun! :) That Dr. G sure does have a good sense of humor.

    • LynnCS

      at #2

  • Teresa

    My whole life has changed since I eat way more and mostly vegetables. Thank you for this info.

    • http://nutritionfacts.org/ Michael Greger M.D.

      So glad to hear it!

  • invegat

    I have had IBS for over 40 years, I need the natural amount of crude fiber. I get that fiber from 1/4 cup/day Wheat Bran (AKA years ago Miller’s Bran)

  • HemoDynamic, M.D.

    What a Crappy study!
    In a good way.
    ;-)

  • b

    3.5 a week?! holy hell.

  • http://www.facebook.com/stevesayshello Steve Mayer

    It’s true. As a vegan I help keep the toilet paper manufacturers in business.

    • beccadoggie10

      Me, too.

      I used to think I needed dairy yogurt to stay regular, but that was because I did not eat enough fiber in beans and dark leafy greens.

  • Paul C.

    What study does the 10.9 BM/week for vegans number come from?

    • http://nutritionfacts.org/ Michael Greger M.D.

      Just click on the Sources Cited link above for all the linked citations.

  • mgibson

    Invegat……I also was a long time sufferer of IBS…..HIGHLY recommend the book Irritable Bowel Solutions by John Hunter, whose advice has solved my problems.

  • Matt Maggiacomo

    Since going vegan in July, I now have one very smooth, stress-free bowel movement every morning at about 7:30am. Also, thank you so much for these videos. They’ve helped a lot!

  • Editor d

    To quote Anthony Hopkins playing Kellogg in the film Road to Wellville, “They’re huge and smell no more than a hot muffin.” That’s what a plant diet has done for me.

  • http://www.facebook.com/ophira.swanson Ophira Swanson

    How many prunes was it?

  • http://www.facebook.com/vegangrrrl Laura Brown
  • Bruno Lacombe

    Any research on coffee and bms?

    • http://jolkapolkaskitchen.blogspot.com/ WholeFoodChomper

      Yes, I’d be interested in knowing this as well. Eating a mostly plant-based diet and a cup of joe in the morning really seems to help me with regularity.

      • Mirandamom

        Coffee works great for me!

  • http://www.facebook.com/rheynklaw Rheyn Kimberly Lim Allen-Willi

    Everybody poops — we vegans are just better at it. ;)

  • Coacervate

    “Whoever invented prunes must have been a genius!”
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5NxG_rr5aU&feature=youtu.be

  • Mike Quinoa

    I had my 0.9 BM this morning.

  • Kerry

    Stewed prunes work even better!

  • kk

    Thanks. Great video. Was just trying to talk someone out of supplements and into more whole foods. Science always helps.

  • Poohbah1

    Vegans are the shit!

  • LynnCS

    I’ve lived a life of struggling with off and on bad eating habits all while claiming to be a vegetarian. Finally, I made the decision to never eat anything except whole, high fiber foods. No more dairy or vegetarian junk. It’s taken a couple years to go all the way and start to heal a sick gut. It’s working…Yay, Vegan! Oh, and about the prunes. I’ll take them over all the horrible medications any day. Fresh is best.

  • http://www.facebook.com/rusti.hauge Rusti T Hauge

    So the appropriate slogan might be “At least vegans aren’t FOS?”

©2012 NutritionFacts.org - All Rights Reserved | In partnership with the Jesse & Julie Rasch Foundation
Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Contact Us