Skip to content

Going to the Bathroom Like Clockwork Good

Prune_1 Because I’m a sucker for gimmicks, I’ve been eating Activa yogurt since it was launched earlier this year. I’m not exactly wild about yogurt but it’s easy to transport to work, is low in fat and calories (well, that Greek stuff isn’t and that’s probably why it actually tastes good) and this particular product is supposedly filled with good bacteria that they’ve named Bifidus Regularis™ (honestly, I don’t know how you invent a bacteria). Over the years I’ve taken acidophilus (I always thought it was a yeast prevention, but my dad also took it for ages which is kind of strange now that I think about it because he was so not into vitamins or health in general), so I figured why not get more probiotics through food.

But I never gave much thought to the angle Activa was actually pushing until I saw a new flavor at Pathmark this weekend: prune. Prune? I’ve never encountered prune yogurt in my lifetime. Prunes are for pooping, duh. I should’ve looked more closely at their advertising claims bolstered by an illustration of a taut stomach with an arrow pointing downward, “helps naturally regulate your digestive system” and “helps reduce long intestinal transit time.” Ah yes, the dreaded long intestinal transit time (I actually discovered I suffered from such an affliction when I ate baked and ate blue velvet cake and my toilet water shockingly ended up turquoise a full three days later).

So, I’m mildly bothered by eating Metamucil in yogurt form but I’d much prefer this over anything hawked by those horrible Yoplait “getting a foot massage while shoe shopping for chocolate covered heels good” girls.

No Comments Post a comment
  1. Meredith #

    I have researched this because I was totally convinced I had Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS, as I lovingly refer to it). However, my sister (who’s a chemist) told me that any yogurt with “active cultures” has this same effect. So, in essence you can buy cheaper yogurt (I know what a rip Activia is… they mark it up just because it makes you shit), and still have all the good benefits. On a side note, I’m uncomfortable with the phrase “long intestinal transit time.”

    October 27, 2006

Leave a Reply

You may use basic HTML in your comments. Your email address will not be published.

Subscribe to this comment feed via RSS