With the changes in modern people's living habits, constipation has become an unspeakable secret for many urban people. In addition to medication to relieve constipation, many people hope to relieve constipation through food. Fruit is a good choice for people. Some people have no reaction to eating bananas or dragon fruit. I heard that drinking prune juice can relieve constipation. Is this true? Is drinking prune juice harmful to the body for a long time?
Can prune juice really relieve constipation?
Prunus belongs to the Rosaceae family, and Prunus is also known as Chilean prune, California prune, French black date, etc. Although it is called plum, it is actually a type of plum and is rich in nutrients, including fiber, vitamin A, minerals, trace elements, etc.
Drinking prune juice does have a laxative effect. According to American medical research, the occurrence of constipation is mostly caused by the lack of sufficient peristalsis in the intestine. Natural prune juice contains water-soluble natural pectin fiber and insoluble plant fiber. The combination of these two fibers can effectively increase constipation. Intestinal motility and increased bowel movements.
Prunes contain a substance called sorbitol , which is a sugar alcohol that is not easily absorbed. After consumption, the unabsorbable part will enter the colon, causing hypertonic water absorption, which increases the osmotic pressure of the intestine, causing more water to be sucked into the feces, softening the feces, making it easier for the feces to be excreted from the body, resulting in a similar lactulose These osmotic laxatives have a laxative effect.
However, the sorbitol content in prunes is closely related to the variety of prunes, and everyone’s physique is different. Eating the same amount of prunes may not result in laxatives for everyone. Prunes themselves also contain fiber, which can help increase intestinal motility and increase the frequency of bowel movements. Compared with other foods, the laxative effect of prunes is worthy of recognition.
"Chinese Prescription Drugs" published a paper "Clinical Observation of Prune Juice in Preventing Constipation after Mixed Hemorrhoid Surgery", which selected 420 patients with mixed hemorrhoids who underwent concurrent surgery from January 2015 to April 2018 for a controlled study. The results It shows that prune juice can effectively prevent postoperative constipation in mixed hemorrhoids and is highly safe.
What harm does long-term drinking of prune juice do to the body?
Although prunes have the effect of relieving constipation. However, it is not recommended to take it for a long time or to take it in excess. Because on the one hand, it may cause diarrhea due to the laxative effect, especially for people who often have diarrhea, try to eat less and no prunes.
Moreover, prunes are rich in organic acids, sugars and dietary fiber. Excessive consumption may cause symptoms such as gastric bloating, diarrhea, and indigestion. And although prunes do not taste very sweet, they contain high levels of glucose and fructose . Patients with diabetes should eat less to avoid raising blood sugar.
In addition, it is not recommended to eat too much spinach when eating prunes, because the mineral calcium content in prunes is relatively high, while the oxalic acid content in spinach is relatively high. Eating the two together will cause a chemical reaction to generate calcium oxalate , Calcium oxalate is a precipitate that is difficult to digest and will increase the risk of kidney stones and stomach stones.
What foods help relieve constipation?
In addition to prunes, there are many foods that can help relieve constipation. For example:
1) Oats and other whole grains: oats, rye , quinoa , whole wheat and other whole grains are not only rich in insoluble dietary fiber, but also contain a kind of soluble dietary fiber : Beta-glucan, so it can be eaten as a staple food instead of rice.
2) Fruits such as dragon fruit, kiwi fruit : Dragon fruit, kiwi fruit and other fruits are also good helpers for relieving constipation like prunes, but do not eat too much at one time to avoid excessive sugar intake.
3) Enoki mushrooms and other fungi: Enoki mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, fungus, and other fungi are actually very rich in insoluble and soluble dietary fiber, which is helpful for relieving constipation. Enoki mushrooms are also called "see you tomorrow" .
Summary
In short, prune juice is rich in a variety of nutrients and can help relieve constipation symptoms. However, it is worth noting that constipation is often related to our living habits. In addition to representatives of fruits, whole grains and vegetables such as prunes, we should pay attention to drinking more water, avoiding sitting for long periods of time, and developing good habits to effectively improve constipation.
References
[1] Liu Yuchang. Clinical observation on prune juice preventing constipation after mixed hemorrhoid surgery [J]. Chinese Prescription Drugs, 2018, 16(7):2.
