Prune Juice for Constipation

Prunes For Laxatives: Fact Or Fiction?


Eating prunes and drinking prune juice for some reason always makes people titter about its anticonstipation effects. Are prunes truly a kind of natural laxative or is it merely an urban legend? It turns out that prunes do exert a laxative effect, and interestingly prunes have one of the strongest laxative effects due to the stacked effects of fiber and sorbitol.

The Wonders Of Sorbitol In Prune Juice

What is sorbitol you ask? Prunes contain a large amount of sorbitol, which is a a type of carbohydrate like fiber. Its molecular structure bears a similarity to sugar, namely in the form of chains of carbons and oxygens, but again is not digested efficiently by our gut. As a result, when it transits through the intestine, it stays undecomposed, and retains a lot of water. The water retention makes the stool soft and helps its passage through the gut. You are not the only one trying to digest the sorbitol. Gut bacteria are able to take in some of the sorbitol. When they do they geenerate gas which leads to potentially embarassing situations.

Plus Fiber

Prunes also have fiber. Everyone knows fiber helps digestion, prevents constipation, keeps us regular and so on. But not many people know how it works - and in fact, the exact digestive chemistry is not clear. What is known is that fiber is a carbohydrate which is only partly susceptible to being digested. In its partially digested form, it absorbs a lot of water which increases the bulk of the intestinal contents. This bulking effect leads to softer stools and faster passage.

Get Prunes And Prune Juice Conveniently Through Amazon

You can pick up both prunes in dried, canned form and in juice form at in bulk through Amazon, with whom we have partnered to bring you these three products. The first is the highly rated Sun-Maid dried prunes which are surprisingly big and fleshy. Not only are they satisfying but they provide all the natural laxative benefits. Two other products with satisfied customers are the conveniently packaged Ocean Spray prune juice packs, and the Carbatrol prune juice concentrate that is useable over long periods of time.

Adding Prunes And Other Fruits To Your Diet

Even though it will not resolve serious cases of constipation, prune juice has been found to have enough effectiveness to help one maintain a regular bowel. In so far as a diet rich in fruits and vegetables may be helpful for gastrointestinal issues, having prunes every now and then may make the stomach less uncomfortable and diminish the effects of constipation. We suggest that anyone wishing to embark on a change in diet to consult with his or her personal physician.

The Beverly-Travis Recipe

Prune juice and pulp forms the basis of the Beverley-Travis mix, ostensibly the most famous homemade laxative recipe, which we detail on our site. We have provided links to 3 prune juice products from the trusted source Amazon above. Check out the Beverley-Travis recipe to get the biggest benefits from the wonderful prune.