Anyone who has changed a diaper after the kidlet has been in the sandbox knows that sand is a remarkable cathartic. Anyone who has watched raccoons or baboons rummaging about for edibles may have noted that they must be eating a fair amound of dirt and sand as well. There is good evidence that fiber facilitates bowel transit and maintains good intestinal health. However, what if fiber was really only partly mimicking the roughage we really evolved to eat: sand. Consider the wolf - a diet of meat and bugs would have little fiber... except for adherent dirt and sand. Sand has the added benefit of being immune to bacterial digestions, and thus would not produce flatulence as vegetable fiber does.

I propose that clean sand be marketed in tablets, to be used in lieu of current fiber supplements. Like these supplements, sand tabs could also be used to correct constipation. Colored or glittery sand could be provided for the sake of variety, and for people curious about the transit time of their bowels.
-- bungston, Nov 02 2004

Glittery poo. That's all I have to say.
-- Machiavelli, Nov 02 2004


These could be encapsulated or coated to prevent the sand from gritting up your mouth. Ever get a mouthful of sand? Yuck!
-- squirrelecule, Nov 03 2004


Well don't that just stick in your craw.
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Nov 03 2004


I think [bungston] intended for the sand to come in capsules of some sort, as they were referred to as //tabs//. Even if they were only tightly compressed (like firm sugar cubes), it would serve the purpose of not immediately and completely dissolving in your mouth.
-- vigilante, Nov 03 2004


[Mach] I thought you said Gritty poo, which may well be a side effect of this.. anyone know ?
-- neilp, Nov 03 2004


"Scouring you clean from the inside out..." Ouch.
-- lostdog, Nov 03 2004


Sand is scratchy - I think you should test this and report back [bungston].
-- DocBrown, Nov 03 2004


To quote John Wayne "The boys' got sand !"
-- Gridley, Nov 03 2004


Or wet and dry paper?
-- thud, Nov 03 2004


I was expecting some sort of short-shelf-life version of the Ten Commandments.

Horses suffer from consuming too much sand with their diet, as a result of dining on the ground. Be cautious in your doseages.
-- normzone, Nov 04 2004


That "of" offends my aesthetic sensibilities, UB.
-- bungston, Nov 04 2004


Is it too disgusting to eat a frikken vegetable once in a while?

This idea might actually improve the beaches in New Jersey. ++
-- sartep, Nov 04 2004


[sartep], that's nasty! hehe
-- k_sra, Nov 04 2004



random, halfbakery