Dried plums — the best-evidenced food for constipation there is.
Prunes are dried plums, and the drying concentrates everything: sugar, fibre and
sorbitol.
They have better evidence for constipation than most over-the-counter
remedies. In head-to-head trials, dried plums outperformed psyllium for mild to moderate
constipation.
They are also being studied for bone density, with early results
suggesting a modest protective effect in postmenopausal women. That work is promising and
not settled.
Per 100g. Roughly 10 prunes.
Based on the nutrients and fibre this food supplies. These are supporting foods, not treatments.
Five to six prunes a day is the amount used in most constipation trials.
More is not better — it causes cramping.
Build up slowly. Going
straight to ten will produce a memorable day.
Drink water with them.
The osmotic effect needs fluid to work with.
Soak them in warm water
overnight if you find them too chewy — and drink the water too.
Sorbitol is poorly absorbed by the small intestine, so it reaches the colon and pulls water
in osmotically. That softens stool and stimulates movement mechanically.
Prunes also
supply around 7g of fibre per 100g and phenolic compounds that appear to stimulate gut
motility independently. The combination is why they outperform fibre supplements that only
provide bulk.
Diabetes: prunes are high in sugar per gram. Count them.
Diabetes: whole fruit over juice, portion aware, and better eaten
with protein or fat than alone.
IBS: several fruits are high-FODMAP
and commonly trigger symptoms — tolerance is personal.
Kidney
disease: potassium may need limiting. Ask your doctor for your numbers.
This is information, not a prescription. If you are managing a diagnosed condition or taking medication, talk to your doctor before making a large change to your diet.
Nutrition figures on this page come from standard food composition data. These links let you check the numbers and read the underlying research yourself rather than taking our word for it.