Consuming Prunes As Digestive Aids
The physician who sees a patient with constipation may suggest a first-line treatment that has no medicines. This treatment is known as high fiber therapy, involving increased consumption of fiber rich supplements and foods. Psyllium and bran are two examples of excellent seed-sources of 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 ingredients of the prune have been found to be diverse and complex, which is likely to be a reason for its efficacy against constipation. But even though the chemicals can be analyzed and categorized, we still don’t fully know how they act on our physiology.
The things we do understand regarding its anti-constipation properties are two folds. First, we know that the high fiber content of prunes means that eating it helps bulk up foods in the way traditional fiber supplements aid digestion. Two, we also know that prunes contain a lot of sorbitol which is a sugar-like substance that retains water and makes stool softer and therefore faster-moving in the gut.
On top of ingredients with laxative properties, prunes are a high energy source. The high energy is derived from its mix of both simple and complex sugars such as glucose and fructose. People who eat prunes get a quick energy boost as well as a sustained one from digestion of complex sugars.
A stream of suggestive evidence shows that prunes contain a large number of other compounds that aid in health. Phenolic compounds are found in high concentrations and have been linked to enhanced laxative effects, further supporting the use of prunes for constipated patients. Potassium is also in high concentrations. Like bananas, eating prunes may help reduce muscle fatigue and improve efficiency.
Although there’s no need to prepare the prunes in a special way before eating, a commercial food preparer in the United Kingdom stumbled upon a home recipe for treating constipation that involves blending prunes with other fruits and vegetables. The recipe, known by the name Beverley-Travis, has become famous and even studied for its efficacy in improving digestive health.
Obtain for free the most up-to-date information and facts concerning natural laxative. Additional resources provided for prune juice constipation can be located here.
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March 06 2010 03:38 pm | herbal remedies