The results of the study suggested that drinking 125 milliliters, or about half a cup, twice a day works as an effective laxative, at least in cases of mild constipation. When it comes to eating prunes for digestive issues, many studies base their findings on eating 100 g, or approximately 10 whole prunes, each day.
A 2014 study in Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics found that participants who ate 100 grams of prunes a day for three weeks saw improvement in both the frequency and consistency of their #2.
Eating prunes, or dried plums, can alleviate constipation. According to a study in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, dried plums and their derivatives, such as prune juice, can prevent constipation and may prevent colon cancer.
Prunes have fiber as well as fructans and sorbitol, fermentable sugars that can have a laxative effect.
A poor diet and eating it led you to spend more time in the bathroom. Prunes are a good source of fiber and a digestive superfood that contains sorbitol, which provides a mild laxative effect. By eating prunes every night, you can keep regularity in your digestive system and avoid constipation.
That is, prunes appear to do exactly what everyone has always thought they do; they act as a mild laxative. Although some would think this action is obvious, this study by Attaluri et al may be among the first human clinical trial published in the peer reviewed literature that demonstrates prune efficacy.
They concluded that prunes are superior in providing safe, effective relief of mild to moderate chronic constipation. Chronic constipation is a frustrating condition, affecting up to 20% of the world's population.
Eating too many prunes and other dried fruits, like raisins and figs, can lead to or worsen diarrhea due to their high fiber and sorbitol content.
Feren says prune lovers are advised to eat around 30 grams, or three to four prunes, a day. That is equal to one serve of fruit – adults are encouraged to have two daily serves of fruit.
“In a clinical trial we performed, two packets of dried plums a day — each packet with five to six plums — was as effective as psyllium [a laxative] in improving constipation symptoms and restoring normal bowel habit in patients with mild to moderate constipation,” Rao explains.
How many prunes should I eat per day? Dr. Hooshmand says how many prunes you should eat in a day depends on the size of the prunes themselves, but current research recommends 50 grams of prunes per day which is equal to about 5 to 6 prunes.
Like many fruits, prunes are high in insoluble fiber, which adds bulk to food in the process of digestion while also helping it pass through the system faster.
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.
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.
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 can be attributed to the laxative property of prunes.
Fruits such as dried apricots, prunes, and raisins will keep at top quality in the pantry for six months. After opening, you may wish to store them tightly sealed in the refrigerator to preserve the quality for up to six additional months or freeze them for one month.
Plums and prunes are often used for their laxative effects, with prunes being more effective than plums. Prunes have three different ingredients that work together to help keep the digestive system working optimally.
Dried fruit for constipation relief
Aside from prunes, dried fruits such as figs, raisins, and dried apricots are excellent sources of fiber. Add dried fruit to cereal, or bake it into bran muffins.
To soften impacted stool quickly, you would most likely need to take an oral laxative, use an anal suppository, or do water irrigation.
If you are not used to high levels of fibre in your diet but you wish to try prunes to ease constipation, it would be advisable to start with 1-2 prunes each day, with adequate amounts of water, and build up slowly to find your tolerance.
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.
Between prunes and raisins, Cording still recommends reaching for the prunes. Still, raisins are a good source of fiber, she says, and can definitely help relieve constipation.