Prune Juice for Constipation

Welcome to The Prune Juice for Constipation Guide!

Let’s take a look at prune juice as an aid for relieving constipation: what it is, how it works, how much you should take to get the desired effects and where you can get it.

Prunes are dried plums. Despite the marketing efforts of plum growers over the past few years, the prune name continues to be associated with plums that have been dried in various ways.

For our purposes, we’re interested in how prunes (and more specifically, prune juice) can be used as an aid to promote bowel regularity and mitigate symptoms of constipation.

Why Do Prunes Relieve Constipation?

Prunes contain several compounds that assist in reestablishing digestive regularity.

First off, they are high in fiber. Fiber is basically mass that moves through your stomach and intestines. As the fiber moves through you, it pushes everything in its way forward and, eventually, all the way out of the body.

Beyond its fiber content, prune juice also contains a few compounds that are suspected to contribute to prune juice’s laxative powers.

Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol naturally contained in prunes. When sorbitol reaches the intestines, it initiates a sequence of chemical interactions that result in water being drawn into the intestine. The increase of water in the intestines then leads to a bowel movement.

Additionally, prunes contain diphenyl isatin, which is another chemical compound believed to act as a laxative.

Whether prunes produce their mild laxative effect because of their fiber content, sorbitol, diphenyl isatin or the combination of all three is mostly an academic conversation.

For your purposes, here’s the skinny on prunes and prune juice: they act as a mild laxative and can help you if you suffer from constipation.

When Prune Juice Can Help Constipation

Unfortunately, prune juice isn’t recommended if you currently suffer from acute constipation. Prune juice’s effects are mild. It is not meant to act as a cure-all for every possible instance of constipation.

If you are having trouble staying regular, then you can try a moderate daily dosage of prune juice for a while. Drink a four-ounce glass of fresh prune juice twice daily–preferably upon waking and just before going to sleep.

There are some fantastic natural supplements that are made out of prune, like the Botanic Choice Prune supplement. They help to cleanse and strengthen your gastrointestinal system without having to drink prune juice, so if you find your really dislike the taste of prune juice this might be a good option for you.

You can also take the gels in addition to the prune juice, especially if you find your constipation is not clearing up and you want that extra ‘ummph’.

Then, pay special attention to how your body feels.

It is good to give prune juice 10 to 14 days to work as its effects are cumulative.

Not only does prune juice act as a laxative and precipitate bowel movements, but it also softens stools.

Again, if you currently suffer from severe constipation, then you will want to consult a doctor and receive expert supervision over your constipation condition. There are prescription anti-constipation medications that are far more powerful than prune juice, and you may need to rely on these more intense medications instead of the milder action of prunes and prune juice.

Plums or Prunes?

If prunes are merely dried plums, then why are they touted as being more effective as a laxative than plums?

Thanks to the fact that they have been dried, prunes contain more fiber by volume than plums. The thick fibrous mass can scour the intestines more effectively than the more easily digestible fresh plum flesh.

This doesn’t mean that plums aren’t effective as a laxative. However, you should be able to tell the difference if you try eating several plums and then, the next day perhaps, try eating the same quantity of prunes.

Although prune juice doesn’t contain the fiber that prunes and plums contain (it is juice, after all), it does contain the active chemical compounds that induce bowel movements when those chemicals reach the digestive tract.

Since the fiber in prunes can be a bit unpleasant when it reaches a stopped-up digestive system, prune juice can stimulate bowel movements more gently. For this reason, prune juice is often recommended for elderly and sickly patients suffering from constipation.

How to Make Your Own Prune Juice

Let’s say, for whatever reason, you are interested in brewing up your own fresh prune juice.

Here’s how you would do that:

First, remove the seeds from your prunes and place them in a pot.

Then, fill the pot with water–aim to have about five parts water to the volume of prunes you have placed in the bowl. The number of prunes you soak will depend on how much prune juice you want to make.

Place your pot over low heat and bring the prunes and water to a low simmer.

Heat your water and prune mixture for three hours.

After three hours, place the mixture into a blender or food processor and blend thoroughly.

You can strain the remainder for a smoother prune juice, or simply leave the prune residue in your mixture to get the full benefit of all the fiber in the prunes.

And there you have it–fresh prune juice!

Conclusion: Prune Juice is a Natural Cure
for Mild Cases of Constipation

Prune juice has many benefits beyond being a natural laxative.

However, in this article we are primarily concerned with whether prune juice can aid in relief from constipation.

As long as your case is mild, prune juice may be just the thing you need to relieve your condition.

A natural supplement like the Botanic Choice Prune and Senna gel tablets can help speed up the process when taken in conjunction with the prune juice, or can be a good option for those who don’t like prune juice and prefer to take the tablets instead.

The Colon Cleanse supplement can help to boost your digestion and speed up your elimination process, relieving your constipation faster.
Taking a supplement in conjunction with your prune juice, or alone, can help to clear the constipation faster.