Consuming Prunes As Natural Digestive Aids Share
Jul 17th, 2010 by Morris Townsend
One of the first line treatments advised by physicians for constipation may have no pharmaceuticals at all. Rather, he or she will suggest that a patient go on a fiber-intensive diet, supplementing regular foods with psyllium or other sources of fiber. Some natural sources may also be suitable depending on whether they contain enough fiber.
A good number of people will also have come across manufactured products such as Metamucil. Metamucil is made by Procter and Gamble, and has high psyllium fiber in crushed form that can be taken with water. One question one might ask is whether there are natural high sources of fiber? The answer is yes. A prime example is the prune. But more interestingly, the prune contains another ingredient that has excellent laxative properties.
A prune is actually a dried plum and has been part of human diets for thousands of years. The earliest evidence for drying plums comes from California and France. Then as now, plums were plucked and then dehydrated in hot air at 200 degrees Fahrenheit for a little less than a day. After dehydration treatment, dried plums can be turned into juice, puree or other products.
The chemical composition of a prune is actually quite complicated which is what makes it an ideal food that acts as a natural laxative. Even though we can analyze its chemical composition, our understanding of how each chemical acts in relieving constipation is somewhat unclear.
What we do know is that prunes contain high dietary fiber, around 6% by weight. The processed juices tend to have little or no fiber because of filtering, but juices still have a natural laxative effect. This is possible due to its high sorbitol content. Sorbitol is a long polymeric sugar. The weight content of sorbitol is almost 15% on average.
Moreover, people who eat prunes find that it’s a source of high energy because it has both simple and complex sugars such as glucose, fructose, sorbitol and fibers. These sugars don’t act directly as natural laxatives, but ensure that the natural laxative action is accompanied by nutrition.
There are many other compounds in prunes that we don’t fully understand but believe to be of benefit to health. For example, phenolic compounds might synergize with the natural laxative action. Potassium in prunes and prune juice are hypothesized to be good for heart health. Prunes seem certainly like a wonder food.
Prunes can be eaten plain or be further processed to be part of one’s diet. The famous Beverley-Travis natural laxative home recipe is made up of high fiber and high sorbitol foods, one component of which is our dear friend the prune.
