As well as being rich in fibre prunes also supply sorbitol and phytonutrients which all work to support bowel function. This means eating prunes can increase stool volume and frequency making them a natural laxative which helps to promote healthy bowel movements.
How Many Prunes a Day Should You Eat? To get the best results, Dr. Hooshmand (and other researchers) recommend that you consume 100 grams (between 9 and 10 prunes) a day. If you are concerned about weight gain or you are on a low carbohydrate diet, then you can reduce your daily dose to 50 grams.
Prunes are a good source of both insoluble and soluble fiber. Insoluble fiber helps keep your bowel movements regular, while soluble fiber helps to moderate digestion and absorb nutrients from your food.
Prunes are a good source of fiber, which helps to lower cholesterol and your risk of heart disease. Eating prunes before going to bed is connected with lower blood pressure, as they decrease plaque buildup and bad cholesterol and limit inflammation in your body.
Prunes Can Cause Diarrhea
If consumed in excess, the insoluble fiber in prunes can cause or worsen diarrhea. This is why you need to avoid them when you have diarrhea (2). There have also been certain cases of people who had experienced diarrhea post the ingestion of prunes and prune juice (3).
This means eating prunes can increase stool volume and frequency making them a natural laxative which helps to promote healthy bowel movements. They also have prebiotic properties which means they supply the fuel to support the beneficial bacteria which reside in our intestines.
Too many prunes could cause diarrhea resulting in dehydration that may result in kidney damage, fainting, weakness and tremors, according to the National Eating Disorders Association.
(Research shows that drinking as little as 2 ounces of prune juice a day can increase bowel movements.) A second half-cup serving at night before bedtime might be worth trying if your system responds well. (Five dried prunes is the rough equivalent of a half-cup of juice.)
Osteoporosis, or loss of bone mass and density, afflicts many people, especially people over 50, leading to an increased risk of breaks and fractures. A new randomized controlled study finds that eating 5-6 prunes a day can preserve bone mass and density, arresting the development of osteoporosis.
The participants drank 200 grams (about 1 cup) of 100% prune juice or a similar-tasting placebo drink every day for eight weeks. After only three weeks, the people drinking prune juice reported fewer hard and lumpy stools than did those who were drinking the placebo. After seven weeks, most had regular bowel movements.
If you're not used to eating prunes or other fiber-rich foods, start slow with 1 to 2 prunes per day and gradually work your way up.
Ten prunes daily can strengthen bones
Eating prunes led to two positive benefits: less oxidative stress/inflammation and stronger bones. Specifically, clinical trials found that eating about ten prunes (100 grams) daily for an entire year improved bone mineral density within the forearms and lower spine.
Prune juice appears to offer some benefits for people with constipation, but eating whole prunes may be just as effective. In a 2018 study, people with a low fiber intake who consumed 80 g or 120 g of prunes each day had higher stool weight and passed stool more frequently than those who did not consume prunes.
In traditional medicine, prune juice has been used to treat hepatitis — a liver disease. When there are problems with your liver, it produces harmful chemicals. Prune juice vitamins and antioxidants reduce these chemicals, helping to maintain liver health and fight disease.
“If we eat too many prunes, they will most likely give us the runs,” says Feren, stressing that quantity is key, as prunes are not meant to be eaten in bulk. Feren says prune lovers are advised to eat around 30 grams, or three to four prunes, a day.
Eating just 5 to 6 prunes daily may increase HDL "good" cholesterol, lower inflammation, and increase antioxidant activity—all positive outcomes when it comes to heart health support.
Prunes. The nutrients in dried plums — vitamin B6, calcium, and magnesium, to name a few — help make melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep. Use prunes as a whole-grain toast topping, mix them into trail mix, or eat them on their own about 30 minutes before bedtime.
Apples are rich in fiber and promote healthy digestion. Apples also contain pectin which assists in removing toxins and building a stronger intestinal lining. Avocados. This fruit has both soluble and insoluble fibers at a ratio of one to three.
Apart from being rich in vitamins, fiber and minerals, apples are also rich in phytochemical and pectin, which all help in detox. Pectin flushes out food additives and metals in our body. The acids in apple (malic and tartaric) help in digestion.
Increasing evidence from 10 studies suggests that, in addition to antiresorptive effects, prunes exert anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.
Use of prune is cardiovascular protective by reducing blood cholesterol and light density lipoproteins. They have added blood pressure lowering effects. Prunes reduce both systolic and diastolic blood pressure that is not different from placebo.
This allows the gut to adjust to the increased fibre intake and minimise the risk of symptom exacerbation. Prunes are high in both fibre and sorbitol, and these components both promote laxation in people with constipation. However, sorbitol is also a FODMAP, and may trigger unpleasant symptoms in some people with IBS.