# What readily available food or drink is a quick, powerful laxative? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 4, 2005, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-readily-available-food-or-drink-is-a-quick-powerful-laxative/329421 "2005-11-04T04:23:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2005, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-readily-available-food-or-drink-is-a-quick-powerful-laxative/329421/41 "2005-11-05T14:06:58Z")
A whole bad of diet candies washed down with hot liquid (coffee is best) will do it for most people. Just stay near a toilet. If I grossly overeat one day, then have nothing but liquids the next day, early afternoon I desperately need a toilet. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2005, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-readily-available-food-or-drink-is-a-quick-powerful-laxative/329421/42 "2005-11-05T17:36:22Z")
> [@The Chao Goes Mu](#): > > [**Magnesium Citrate**](http://www.valu-rite.com/vr/magnesium-citrate.html) will get you trotting in about 20 minutes. > Chug the whole bottle in one sitting and let the games begin. A bottle of Welches grape juice does me in 15. ---
**Author:** ![sj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@sj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sj2)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2005, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-readily-available-food-or-drink-is-a-quick-powerful-laxative/329421/43 "2005-11-05T19:29:25Z")
> [@Good Egg](#): > > 2 words: Taco Bell. 3 Letters: KFC ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2005, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-readily-available-food-or-drink-is-a-quick-powerful-laxative/329421/44 "2005-11-05T22:14:11Z")
The one major thing that really makes me have to take a dump is food. And the more I eat, the more I have to poop! You would almost think the two were related. Gawsh ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2005, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-readily-available-food-or-drink-is-a-quick-powerful-laxative/329421/45 "2005-11-05T22:21:11Z")
Drinking coffee brewed from Ft. Lauderdale water before the boil-water order was lifted after hurricane Wilma did the trick for me. Maybe. ---
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2005, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-readily-available-food-or-drink-is-a-quick-powerful-laxative/329421/46 "2005-11-06T01:22:33Z")
If you’re looking to have regular bowel movements, just eat an apple every day. Apples are wonderful for you and keep your digestive system on its toes. Now, if you’re looking for a way to have explosive fun, I’ll leave that to the other dopers to suggest. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2005, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-readily-available-food-or-drink-is-a-quick-powerful-laxative/329421/47 "2005-11-06T09:43:24Z")
Every Asian food market I’ve ever shopped in sells an herbal tea usually labelled “Chinese Sliming (sic) Tea” which contains senna, among other things. Senna is a well known laxative–[cite.](http://www.wholehealthmd.com/refshelf/drugs_view/1,1524,560,00.html) So it does help promote weight loss utilizing a method anorexics swear by… :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2005, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-readily-available-food-or-drink-is-a-quick-powerful-laxative/329421/48 "2005-11-06T12:54:18Z")
Two cups o’ coffee in the Morning gets me going for My Daily Poo Poo. Good To The Last Drop, indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2005, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-readily-available-food-or-drink-is-a-quick-powerful-laxative/329421/49 "2005-11-06T13:03:31Z")
While surfing ebay for some of the laxative teas and what not, I came across [Confido](http://cgi.ebay.com/Confido-NON-HORMONAL-THERAPY-FOR-PREMATURE-EJACULATION_W0QQitemZ5632858457QQcategoryZ45206QQcmdZViewItem) . Have fun. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2005, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-readily-available-food-or-drink-is-a-quick-powerful-laxative/329421/50 "2005-11-06T22:31:27Z")
As for herbs: Senna is by far the most widely used. It’s effective but many people might find its action too harsh. It’s also said to be habit forming. Cascara sagrada is milder but just as effective, and probably less habit forming. In my opinion, the best herbal remedy is an Ayurvedic compound called _triphala_ (‘three fruits’), made of _Emblica officinalis, Terminalia belerica,_ and _Terminalia chebula._ It is the mildest of all, although the most effective in the long run for toning the bowels. It isn’t habit forming at all. I quit using senna years ago, and I don’t even use cascara anymore either because my diet gets enough apples and coffee, and fiber in general. Since I’ve been dealing with my liver, one thing I’ve noticed is bile production provides a stimulus to bowel activity. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2005, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-readily-available-food-or-drink-is-a-quick-powerful-laxative/329421/51 "2005-11-06T22:46:51Z")
Red capsicums. And another vote for dried apricots. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-readily-available-food-or-drink-is-a-quick-powerful-laxative/329421.md?page=2)