People who have looked into constipation treatments have likely learned about the prune. Prunes are thought to be good for treating constipation, possibly because of its high fiber content. However, many people don’t know that prune juice is also a good constipation treatment.
The cultivation and exploitation of plums has gone on for hundreds or even thousands of years, according to the best archaeological evidence. Modern prune makers follow an ancient tradition. Plums are plucked and collected in one area where temperature is raised to about 200 degrees Fahrenheit. In ancient times this was likely done in or near an oven. After drying, the prunes can be further processed to create related products.
It’s understood that high fiber helps give prunes its laxative properties for treating constipation. The average amount of fiber in a prune is almost 6% by weight. But there is little or no fiber in prune juice so how can the juice form be of benefit? It turns out that the other major component in prunes which gives it anti-constipation properties is the sugar sorbitol.
The content of sorbitol in prune juice is amazingly high. The sugar is a complex polysaccharide, meaning that it’s an extended chain of sugar-like molecules. When ingested, it tends to absorb a lot of water and stays in gut. In fact, because it’s not absorbed in the same way as glucose, sorbitol is often used as a sweetener that is calorie free.
Other fruits that have high sorbitol include the pear. People who have chewed sugarless gum may have also picked up on the fact that one of the main ingredients is sorbitol. This property plus the fact that it tastes slightly sweet means that it’s made its way into many foods that are touted as low sugar.
What gives sorbitol its powerful anti-constipation effects? Two things that we have mentioned are responsible: the fact that sorbitol goes through the gut without being digested and the fact that sorbitol has a tendency to retain a lot of water in the intestine. Together, this means that foods with sorbitol will become bulky with fluids.
The extra water and fluids means that the food mass becomes soft, dense, and thus moves more quickly through the gastrointestinal pathway. There are a number of other laxative agents that behave this way, and they are known as either osmotic or bulk laxatives. Prune juice, fortunately, is one of those things that one may drink anyway for other health benefits. That it’s a useful laxative is an added bonus for those interested in this class of treatments.
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