It’s common knowledge that most of us in America aren’t getting enough fiber. The lack of substantial amounts of fiber in our everyday diet — at least 25g is recommended daily — can wreak havoc on our regularity. While there are a lot of ways to introduce more fiber into your diet, for many of us it can prove difficult to make these changes on a permanent and consistent basis.
Turns out that there’s a secret potion circulating — one that promises regularity, if consumed, er… regularly. Better yet, it doesn’t require any special orders online for an obscure ingredient you’ve never heard of. It is, in fact, made with just three simple ingredients that everyone can find at their local grocery store:
Apple sauce, prune juice, and oat bran
Floating around by different names — some sources call it “Recipe for Bowel Regularity” while others just tell it like it is and name it “Constipation Recipe” — this simple mix of everyday ingredients is often recommended to patients by medical professionals. A study of this applesauce mixture showed that patients had better outcomes using it daily for six weeks versus those that used commercial psyllium fiber that you’d buy at the drugstore.
We are not medical professionals, of course, and we encourage you to talk to your health care provider before starting any new regimen. If you want to try this home remedy to see if it helps you keep things moving, follow the recipe below:
Home Remedy for Constipation
1 cup applesauce
1 cup oat bran or wheat bran
1 cup prune juice
Mix together the applesauce, oat or wheat bran, and prune juice until well combined. Begin by taking 1 to 2 tablespoons of the mixture each evening, followed by a glass of water. If after two weeks of daily use no change in regularity occurs, increase to 3 to 4 tablespoons daily.
Store in your refrigerator or freezer. You can freeze the mixture in ice cube trays in 2 tablespoon portions for easy defrosting.
More Resources
Our round-up of foods that help you poop can help with bouts of constipation. Also read all about why fiber is important and how to get more of it into your diet. And don’t forget to check out our collection of high-fiber recipes.
