Abstract
The effects of a green vegetable juice product on defecation and fecal flora in healthy humans were studied. The product tested is called “Oishii Aojiru” (Sunstar Inc.) and is made from green vegetables including broccoli, cabbage, celery, lettuce, spinach, parsley and the leaves of Japanese radish, apples and lemons. Seven healthy male volunteers aged from 28 to 52 years old (average of 41 years old) were employed as subjects after giving their informed consent. They were instructed to drink two cans of the product (160 g contents/can) per day and to follow a normal diet during the administration period of three weeks. They were also instructed not to consume any other type of vegetable juice, oligosaccharides, fermented foods or drugs, as these edibles could have had an influence on the defecation and/or intestinal microflora of the subjects throughout the study period. Significant observations during the administration period included an increase in the amount of defecation, a change in the fecal color from dark brown to yellowish brown, a decrease in the fecal odor and an improvement in feeling after defecation. No significant changes were observed in the numbers of total and major anaerobic bacteria suchas Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium and Eubacterium in the feces of the subjects during the administration period, but there was a significant reduction in the frequency of occurrence in lecithinase-positive Clostridium after the threeweek period. Furthermore, the fecal ammonia content decreased during the administration period. The results suggest that the green vegetable juice product “Oishii Aojiru” is useful in increasing the amount of defecation and in improving of fecal properties such as color and odor, in addition to having some beneficial effects on intestinal flora.
