Juice Fasting

Prunes themselves do not grow on trees, they are made from plums. French plums are the fruit most likely to be made into prunes, and harvesting must wait until the plum is fully ripe.  These plums have a very high content of natural sugar which permits to dry without fermenting.  Formerly, prunes were dried in the sun, but now a dehydrating tunnel is used to prepare the prunes in only one day.  Those prunes that will be made into prune juice will then be moistened again, pureed, bottled, and shipped to stores.  Most prune juice is completely natural, and no artificial sweeteners or sugar needs to be added – prunes are sweet enough on their own.

While prune juice is sometimes the object of jokes, there is actually nothing humorous about the great health benefits that it gives you.  The biggest and best known, of course, is how well prune juice supports digestive health.  While it is true that prunes have a higher fiber content than prune juice (some prune juices are now available that do provide nearly the fiber of prunes), the juice contains a high amount of sorbitol, a natural sugar.  Sorbitol acts in much the same way that fiber does – it absorbs excess moisture in the intestines to make elimination easier and more regular.  Prune juice also contains a phytochemical that promotes normal contractions of the intestines, once again helping the body to function properly. Prune juice acts as a laxative and its high fiber content is helpful if you are suffering from sluggish bowels or constipation. Always ask your pediatrician if you are planning to give prune juice for babies less than a year old. Anything other than breastmilk or milk formula for the first 6 months can raise the risk of food allergies for the little one.

Besides the assistance that prune juice gives to the digestive process, it also contains large amounts of antioxidants, especially beta-carotene.  Beta-carotene works tirelessly to mop up free radicals which are formed when unstable atoms in the body bond with a nearby atom, which then becomes unstable, and tries to bond with another atom, and so on.  The end result of this is damage to normal cells or the DNA in them, leaving the body open to disease.  Antioxidants, however, have the ability to rush in and bond with the unstable atom, breaking the destructive cycle.  This is important in preventing damage to the heart or brain, and has some value in cancer prevention.

High blood pressure is a serious condition that can lead to heart attack, stroke, dementia, or kidney scarring or failure.  Diabetes and obesity often play a role in high blood pressure, so it is good to find out that prune juice can go a long way to helping those with high blood pressure attain a healthier level.  Potassium can be instrumental in lowering high blood pressure, and one glass of prune juice contains about 13% of the potassium that you need every day.

Prune juice also contains a healthy dose of lutein, which helps with keeping your eyes in good condition.  Blue light can be very damaging to the eyes, especially the retina, but it has been found that lutein, a plant chemical, has the ability to soak up this blue light before it can do harm.  The lutein in prune juice can also help to prevent or even correct, to some extent, macular degeneration, an ordinarily irreversible condition that eventually results in blindness.  As cataracts are believed to form from the actions of free radicals, prune juice can help to keep your cornea free from cataracts.  The lutein in prune juice will be particularly valuable to those over the age of fifty, as eye problems generally begin after this stage of life.

One of the most important functions of our body is the delivery of oxygen from our lungs to every part of us.  The part of the blood responsible for this is hemoglobin, it is what makes our blood look red.  Iron is essential for the formation of healthy hemoglobin – without strong hemoglobin we can become anemic and our bodies and brain will be deprived of the oxygen needed for normal functioning.  Prune juice is an excellent source of iron, and only 1/2 glass will provide you with nearly 5.2 mg of the iron you need every day.

When you are looking for a beverage that can provide a wide range of health benefits, and do it deliciously, think of prune juice – you will be surprised at how much it can help you and how good it tastes.

References

Chemical composition and potential health effects of prunes: a functional food?
6 fluid ounces prune juice contains 528 mg Potassium
KidsHealth: Formula Feeding FAQs: Starting Solids and Milk