One of the keys to healthy skin and a wonderful strategy to safeguard your organs is to stay hydrated.
It helps to consume the required eight glasses of water each day for this. But include prune juice in your diet is one way to give your day a little additional flavour and nutrition.
Prunes, or dried plums, which offer a variety of nutrients that might support overall health, are used to make prune juice. Prunes are an excellent source of energy and don’t significantly raise blood sugar levels.
Prunes have a lot of sugar, which makes it possible to dry them without them rotting. They include a lot of fibre, which can aid in bladder and bowel control.
The top 10 health advantages of prunes and prune juice are listed below.
Table of Contents
Health Benefits of Drinking Prune Juice
1. High in Potassium
Potassium, an electrolyte that supports a number of essential body processes, is present in reasonable amounts in prunes. Along with blood pressure, this mineral supports digestion, heartbeat, nerve impulses, and muscle contractions.
Since the body doesn’t naturally manufacture potassium, taking prunes or prune juice can help you avoid shortages. Just be careful not to consume too much!
Prunes are a Trusted Source for 637 mg of potassium per 1/2 cup. Nearly 14% of your daily suggested intake is represented by this. The average adult needs 4,700 milligrams of potassium per day.
2. Preventing High Blood Pressure
Prune juice’s potassium concentration aids in regulating the blood’s sodium levels.
Increased salt levels can cause high blood pressure, as well as a number of circulatory and heart issues. Trusted Source
The risk of hypertension is decreased in people who consume at least 4,700 mg Trusted Source of potassium per day.
According to estimates, about half of all ischemic heart disease cases worldwide may be caused by hypertension. The quantity of potassium consumed by adults in the United States is less than 2%.
3. Helps Digestion
Prunes have a lot of fibre, which helps stop haemorrhoids from developing as a result of constipation. Older individuals frequently experience chronic constipation, which can also be difficult for infants. Because it contains a lot of sorbitol, prune juice has a laxative effect. If it’s appropriate for you or your child, ask your doctor.
A serving size of six prunes has 4 grammes and a half cup offers 6.2 grammes of dietary fibre.
According to the “Dietary Guidelines for Americans: 2020-2025,” men and women in the same age range should consume 34 grammes and 28 grammes, respectively, of fibre daily. Between the ages of 31 and 50, women should strive for 25 g of fibre and males for 30 g. With 22 g and 28 g of fibre per day, respectively, the recommended fibre intake for women and men over 51 is still lower.
Even while prune juice doesn’t have as much healthy fibre as the whole fruit does, it still has a lot of the vitamins and minerals that the fruit has.
4. Help Reduce Your Cholesterol
Prune juice may also improve your heart health by decreasing your cholesterol. That substance has the potential to cause atherosclerosis (narrowing arteries caused by plaque build-up). Because it is more difficult for sufficient blood to flow through these channels as a result of atherosclerosis, heart failure, stroke, or heart attack might result.
Researchers refer to the fact that prunes contain certain antioxidants that may lower LDL cholesterol even though they are unsure exactly why prune juice can have this effect. Another factor appears to be soluble fibre.
5. It’s Got Plenty of Iron
Iron is essential for maintaining healthy blood, and prune juice is a good source of it. In actuality, 3 milligrammes of iron are present in just a half cup of prune juice. That is almost 17% of the adult daily recommended amount set by the FDA.
Hemoglobin, a substance in blood that delivers oxygen from your lungs throughout your body, is made possible by iron, which is a mineral. The most prevalent form of anaemia, which is a condition when your body doesn’t have enough healthy red blood cells, can be avoided by getting enough iron daily.
6. Good for Your Bones
Prunes include boron, a mineral your body uses to create and maintain healthy bones. In fact, this mineral is also utilised to treat osteoarthritis and osteoporosis, two bone disorders.
For instance, a 2016 study on animals discovered that prunes lessen the impact of radiation on bone marrow. That might aid in preventing the loss of bone mass. Prunes may be able to stop postmenopausal women from losing bone density, according to two further studies published in 2016 and 2017.
Boron is beneficial for more than just your bones. In addition, it helps your body in various ways, such as with wound healing, reducing inflammation, and improving magnesium absorption.
7. Prune Juice is Packed with Vitamins
Several essential vitamins for your health are present in prune juice, including:
- Vitamin B
- Niacin aka Vitamin B3
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin K
- Calcium
Minerals including phosphorus, manganese, copper, and magnesium are also present.
8. Builds Muscles and Bones
The mineral boron, which can support the development of strong bones and muscles, is a key component in dried prunes. Additionally, it might aid in enhancing cognitive function and motor coordination.
Prunes may be especially helpful in preventing radiation-induced bone density loss. Dried plums and dried plum powder can lessen the impact of radiation on bone marrow, avoiding bone density loss and enhancing bone health, according to a 2016 animal study.
Prunes may perhaps one day be used to treat osteoporosis. Another study showed proof that dried plums can stop postmenopausal individuals who are prone to osteoporosis from losing bone mass. To notice advantages, only 50 g (or five to six prunes) were required each day.
9. Lowers Risk of Colon Cancer
Although colon cancer can be aggressive, it is frequently difficult to diagnose. Research has revealed that including dried plums in your diet may lower your risk of developing colon cancer. Diet can help prevent colon cancer.
Eating dried plums can enhance and increase the microbiota (or good bacteria) in the colon, according to research from Texas A&M University and the University of North Carolina. Colon cancer risk can be decreased as a result of this.
10. Protects Against Emphysema
Emphysema is a type of chronic lung disease known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which makes breathing difficult. Although there are other factors, smoking is by far the most prevalent direct cause of both.
According to a 2005 study, an antioxidant-rich diet and lung health are positively correlated. According to a more recent study, plant polyphenols, which include antioxidants, may lower the incidence of COPD.
Prunes are rich in antioxidants, which work to counteract oxidation and prevent the harm that smoking does. Although no studies have specifically examined prunes for lung health, this may assist to lower the risk of emphysema, COPD, and lung cancer.