Gotta love a good ol' fashioned placebo effect.
Although many problematic poo-ers across the country swear that probiotic yogurts improve their digestion, the lack of scientific evidence has landed a few yogurt producers in hot toilet water (sorry).
A Miami federal judge granted a false advertising class action lawsuit
involving YoPlus digestive health yogurt due to allegations that General
Mills has no scientific backing for the advertising claims of special health benefits.
Growing to a
billion dollar industry in recent years, the market for medicinal foods has ballooned bigger than a gassy, distended abdomen. Companies like General Mills, Yoplait, and Dannon have capitalized on consumer interest allowing them to charge up to a 44 percent price premium for the "unique health-promoting" product over regular yogurt. In 2010, Dannon agreed to a $45 million settlement prosecuted by Blood Hurst & O'Reardon, LLP -- a firm also taking on Taco Bell and Hydroxycut.
Since most yogurts contain natural amounts of probiotics, it looks like we can stick to the cheap dairy products washed down with a glass of Metamucil.
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