Prune Juice

Species Name: Prunus domestica

Also Known As: dried plum

Prunes are any of various plum species that have been dried. Prune juice is made from rehydrated fruit.

What is prune juice? Prune juice is made from dried plums, usually by re-hydrating the fruit in water and extracting the liquid.

Prune juice cannot be made from squeezing a prune as the dried fruit doesn’t have enough liquid.

Generally prune juice is commercially processed by soaking the prunes in a cooking tank for several hours, straining of the “juice” and then balancing the viscosity or thickness of the completed prune juice with purified water.

Home Remedies Using Prune Juice:

Benefits of Prune Juice:

Prune juice was introduced in 1932, after several years of development and testing. Prune juice includes soluble fiber which is great for normalizing blood sugar levers, assisting with insulin production, and weight control by producing a feeling of fullness.

The soluble fiber will also leech bile from the liver, which in turn forces the liver to produce more and use the body’s store of cholesterol.

The insoluble fiber found in prune juice causes the stomach to produce fatty acids that act as a natural laxative which helps the body cleanse the colon and maintain regularity. It is beneficial to liver and intestinal function.

Prune juice health benefits also include the following:

  • Antioxidant properties
  • Source of Vitamin A
  • Source of potassium
  • Regulate blood sugar levels through the prune’s soluble fiber
  • Weight loss by creating a sense of fullness
  • Prevents constipation
  • Lower cholesterol
  • Increases “good” bacteria in the digestive system

Babies older than six weeks old can be given prune juice for constipation.

There has been several research trials associated with prunes and prune juices including one that states, “Each subject from two test groups was asked to drink prune juice and eat whole fruit (single or double dose of prunes) as well, early in the morning, daily for 8 weeks; whereas each subject from the control group was given a glass of water to drink.

Blood samples were taken at week 0 and week 8 for chemical analysis. There was significant reduction of serum alanine transaminase (p 0.048) and serum alkaline phosphatase (p 0.017) by the lower dose of prunes. There was no change in serum aspartate transaminase and bilirubin.

Alteration in liver function by use of prunes may have clinical relevance in appropriate cases and prunes might prove beneficial in hepatic disease.”

Side Effects of Prune Juice:

One side effect of prune juice consumption may be diarrhea until your body has become regulated with its use.