Can Prune Juice Help Clean Your Colon Walls?

Prune juice acts as a natural laxative. The juice does not clean the colon walls per se, but encourages the body to produce bowel movements that cleanse the colon "through the reflux that moves bowel contents," according to the University of Missouri Outreach and Extension.

Benefits

Laxatives may cause food to pass too quickly through your body, robbing you of needed vitamins and minerals. Prune juice produces the same effects as a laxative, but in a natural food method that won't become habit forming.

Features

According to the California Dried Plum Board, prune juice contains vitamins and minerals. Prune juice offers iron, potassium and vitamin A.

Significance

Prunes are dried plums, and provide both soluble and insoluble fiber, which help add bulk and water to stool, encouraging it to move through the colon. Prunes also contain sorbitol, which feeds good microorganisms in the intestines, according to the California Dried Plum Board.

Considerations

Prune juice also contains fiber. A single cup of prune juice gives you 2.6g of total dietary fiber.

Warning

If you have a medical conditions affecting your intestines, check with your doctor before consuming prunes. Prune juice is recommended for constipation that accompanies pregnancy, but the Mayo Clinic warns that prune juice may produce thinned stools in those with an ostomy.

References

• Mayo Clinic: Colon Cancer: Ostomy: Adapting to Life After Colostomy, Ileostomy or Urostomy
• California Dried Plum Board: FAQ
• University of Missouri Outreach and Extension: Prunes Anyone?
• Clemson Cooperative Extension: Focus on Fruits
• Mayo Clinic: Pregnancy Week by Week: Pregnancy Question: Pregnancy Constipation: Are Stool Softeners Safe?
• University of Maryland Medical Center: USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 15

Resources

• USDA: Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005: Appendix B. Food Sources of Selected Nutrients