The benefits and harms of prunes

The benefits and harms of prunes roughly balance each other. Dried fruit helps the cardiovascular system and contributes to weight gain, which leads to cardiovascular diseases. It helps with constipation and is dangerous for diabetics, who often suffer from constipation.

Dried fruits are produced from plums of the “Hungarian” variety. The drupe itself has all the same properties as the dried fruit, but “diluted with water”. Drying fruits and vegetables has been known since ancient times. This is the easiest and cheapest way to stock up for the winter.

It turned out that it is this method that allows you to save the maximum of useful substances in plant products. If during heat treatment for preservation many vitamins are destroyed, then drying allows them to be preserved. Valuable prunes, from which the water was removed, namely a concentrated complex of minerals and vitamins.

What is useful prunes

The chemical composition of the drupes of this variety is one of the richest among fruits. This is the real benefit of prunes. It works even on those 20% of the population who are not amenable to autosuggestion. Dried fruit contains:

• organic acids: malic, citric, oxalic;
• pectins;
• cellulose;
• macronutrients: potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium;
• trace elements: zinc, iron;
• healthy sugars, of which 57% is glucose. The remaining 43% is shared between fructose and sucrose;
• complex of vitamins.

The beneficial properties of prunes are determined by a unique set of macronutrients.

But fruits also contain sugar, which is harmful. Moreover, the amount of sugar exceeds the amount of glucose.

The content of vitamins in prunes

The drupe contains vitamins of four groups:

• retinol;
• beta-carotene;
• B₁;
• В₂;
• B₃ (PP);
• В₅;
• B₆;
• B₉;
• WITH;
• E;
• TO.

Due to the amount of vitamins in one type of fruit, prunes are considered one of the most useful and have a wide spectrum of action.

Group A

Responsible for vision and antioxidant protection of the body. Deficiency leads to blindness. Blindness is cured by the introduction of vitamin A into the diet. Prunes can bring considerable benefits in this.

But too much is even more harmful than too little. A single dose of 25 IU/kg leads to acute poisoning, and a daily intake of 000 IU/kg for six months leads to chronic poisoning.

Group B

В₁ or thiamine is responsible for the activity of the central nervous system. Deficiency Harm: Severe disorders develop, including beriberi disease. Harm in excess: causes a deficiency of copper, vitamins B₂ and B₃.

В₂, he is riboflavin, is responsible for the health of the skin, reproductive function, growth regulation, the formation of red blood cells, thyroid function. In fact, riboflavin is responsible for the health of the entire body. Harm in case of deficiency: the work of the whole organism is disrupted.

B₃, it is also RR or nicotinic acid is responsible for the activity of the central nervous system, gastrointestinal tract, protects the cardiovascular system, prevents the occurrence of blood clots. Nicotinic acid is also involved in the formation of hormones. Due to the content of a large amount of nicotinic acid for women, prunes are especially useful.

В₅ or pantothenic acid is responsible for the metabolism in the body. Fatigue, depression, fatigue, insomnia are a consequence of the lack of this pantothenic acid.

B₆, he is admin. The main source is animal meat. Prunes are one of the few plant products from which adermine can be obtained. In this regard, its benefits for vegetarians can hardly be overestimated.

B₉ or folic acid. Harm in case of deficiency: growth retardation and impaired hematopoiesis. In humans, folic acid is produced by the intestinal microflora and its deficiency can occur only with serious disorders in the digestive tract. The fruit can be of great benefit in restoring bowel function.

Vitamin C

Ascorbic acid is a multi-tasking substance. Scurvy is the most famous consequence of the harm of its deficiency. In general, hypovitaminosis C causes a weakening of the immune system. Prunes benefit by increasing the amount of ascorbic acid in the body.

Vitamin E

The main role is to protect cell membranes from oxidation. The harm from a lack of vitamin E manifests itself in a very diverse way: from infertility and muscular dystrophy to liver necrosis and softening of the brain.

Vitamin K

Deficiency leads to serious changes in the body:

• cartilage ossification;
• deformities of developing bones;
• internal bleeding;
• salt deposits on the walls of blood vessels.

Considering the consequences of a lack of vitamins, the benefits of prunes are that it helps to replenish a whole range of missing vitamins.

Calorie Prunes

This item goes under the “harm” column. Due to the removal of water during drying, the calorie content of all dried fruits increases greatly and cannot be used for weight loss. But gaining weight due to a large amount of sugar and carbohydrates can be imperceptible to yourself. The calorie content of prunes per 100 g can vary even in dried ones. Depending on the degree and method of drying, the number of calories in prunes will differ.

Some manufacturers prefer to underdry plums so that the consumption of fresh plums is less for the same package weight. Such dried fruit is characterized by high humidity and sticks to hands, as if boiled in sugar syrup. When determining calories, you will have to look at the packaging, but there is no guarantee that the data is correct.

Calorie content of fresh prunes

The calorie content of fresh plums is much lower than that of dried fruits. In 100 g of fresh prunes, there are only 249 kJ of calories, that is, 60 kcal. Considering that plums of this variety weigh 50–100 g, the calorie content of 1 piece of fresh prunes can range from 30 to 60 kcal.

Just 100 g of fresh plums contains:

• proteins 0,6 g;
• fats 1,75 g;
• carbohydrates 15,44 g.

The amounts of energy and carbohydrates in fresh fruit are small and can be misleading. When dried, the picture changes. The benefit of fresh fruits is that you can’t eat too much of them.

Dried pitted prunes calories

The calorie content of dried prunes increases by 4 times. 100 g dried plums contain 240 kcal. The carbohydrate content increases from 15,5% to 96%. The amount of fat decreases, as it is partially rendered during drying, and as a result, instead of 1,75%, the fat content in prunes is less than 1%. The content of protein, as well as carbohydrates, also increases almost 6 times: from 0,6% to 3,2%.

What is useful prunes for the body

Prunes are one of the few products of natural origin recommended by official medicine. The benefits of prunes for the human body are not only in the well-known laxative effect. In addition, he has a lot of “duties”:

• caries prevention;
• disinfection of the body with intestinal infectious diseases;
• regulation of blood pressure;
• prevention of vitamin deficiency;
• stimulation of the brain;
• vision improvement;
• strengthening the immune system;
• strengthening the central nervous system;
• improved secretion of gastric juice;
• osteoporosis prevention.

From the point of view of overweight people, this type of dried fruit is only harmful. But for people with a weight deficit, dried plums are beneficial. High-calorie dried fruits are used if you need to gain weight.

The high amount of calcium in prunes helps slow down the development of osteoporosis. Women benefit especially in this regard, as they have an accelerated leaching of calcium from the bones during menstruation.

Prunes: benefits and harms to a woman’s body

Prunes bring significant benefits to the body of a woman during menopause. At this time, a sharp decrease in estrogen provokes an increased leaching of calcium from the bones.

To prevent harm from osteoporosis, just 100 g of dried plums per day is enough. They contain all the elements necessary for inhibition of progressive osteoporosis.

During pregnancy, plums also do no harm, but the benefits from them are enormous. They are a source of a whole range of useful substances and contribute to the normalization of the stool. Since women often suffer from constipation during pregnancy, the help of dried fruits will be very helpful.

How to take prunes during pregnancy

During pregnancy, the main benefit of plums is the prevention of constipation. It is also the main harm, since with the careless use of this natural laxative, you can get a gastrointestinal upset. But in general, there are no contraindications to the use of dried plums during pregnancy and they do not bring harm.

In order not to suffer from a disorder, you just need to follow the measure: no more than 5 pieces of drupe per day, preferably no more than 2 times a week. The latter is adjusted depending on the state of the organism.

Take prunes in their pure form, decoction or mixed with other products.

Is it possible to prunes while breastfeeding

When breastfeeding, prunes will only harm children. Even the use of dried fruit by a mother can cause intestinal upset in an infant, since the child will receive the substances that make up prunes through mother’s milk.

The benefits of prunes for men

For the body of a man, the benefits of prunes are almost the same as for a woman. But in addition to the prevention of high blood pressure, which many overweight men suffer from, the prevention of problems with potency is also added.

Harm is also mainly associated with the high calorie content of dried fruit. Overweight men should not abuse this delicacy.

The benefits of prunes for children

Benefit for children can suddenly turn into harm. Although dried plums contain a lot of useful substances, when dried, they form a large amount of acrylamide, which is a carcinogen and a neurotoxin. The reasons for the appearance of this substance are unclear, since it is usually formed at temperatures above 100°C. Dried fruit manufacturing technology does not provide for such temperatures, but, nevertheless, acrylamide is formed on prunes and peaches.

The benefits of eating fruits are also significant. Children receive many of the elements they lack.

Prunes in folk medicine

The main and almost the only use of plums in traditional medicine is a laxative. Although in fact, prunes bring much more benefits in regulating the functioning of the cardiovascular system and blood pressure.

Prunes for constipation

A very effective remedy if there is no desire to use laxative medications. In action superior to dried apricots. But the purgen, of course, will yield. With constipation, you can use it in a “pure” form or make a decoction.

It is of great benefit in hemorrhoids, softening the stool. Here the benefits of fruits in the prevention of exacerbations.

How to use prunes for constipation

From constipation, you can use prunes:

• straight from the packaging without prior preparation;
• with kefir;
• in the form of a decoction;
• mixed with other products.

Taking it out of the package and eating it is the easiest way, but the body tends to get used to food. After a few days, you will need the entire package to get the benefits. Therefore, the consumption of dried fruits must be somehow diversified.

A few recipes:

1. Rinse the plums in hot water and soak in kefir for 2-3 hours. Up to 20 pieces of prunes can be consumed per day.
2. Grind prunes and mix with honey. Take 1 tsp. in the morning.
3. Brew 15 drupes with boiling water in the evening and let it brew until morning. Consume three equal servings throughout the day.
4. Grind equal parts dried apricots and prunes. Mix the resulting mass with honey. Take 1 tsp. on an empty stomach in the morning. Children after 1 year ½ tsp.
5. Soak equal parts of dried apricots, prunes and figs for 2-3 hours. Mix with cinnamon and grind. Make small balls. For constipation, take 4-6 pcs. in a day.
6. Boil 200 g prunes for 20 minutes. with 75 g of sugar over low heat. Cool and strain. Dosage for adults – 1 tbsp. a spoon. If constipation occurs in a breastfed child, the infusion should be taken by the mother.

The benefits of using these recipes are in easy softening of the stool.

Prunes during pregnancy from constipation

Dried fruits do not cause harm during pregnancy. In case of constipation in a pregnant woman, she can use the above recipes. It is only important not to overdo it and not cause diarrhea, otherwise there will be more harm than good.

A decoction of prunes for constipation for babies

The digestive system of an infant up to 4 months is not yet ready to absorb the whole complex of substances contained in prunes. Drinking a decoction of prunes as a remedy for constipation while breastfeeding a newborn can cause serious harm to the child. In this case, the nutrition of the mother is reviewed.

How to give prunes for constipation to children

If for an infant from prunes there will be only one harm, then children older than a year can already be slowly given prunes in case of constipation. But if for adults the norm is 3-4 plums per day, then children need to start giving prunes from a decoction and starting with 1 teaspoon.

How to brew prunes for constipation for adults

It would be easier to eat it like this than to brew prunes for constipation, but if there is a problem with weight or these fruits are not among your favorites, then it is easier to use a decoction. The recipe for a decoction is simple: 4-5 pieces of dried fruit per glass of water. Pour plums with hot water and boil over low heat for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep for about 5 hours.

With less fruit or more water, you get a compote of dried fruits, which was often served earlier in canteens. This drink did not bring any harm in those days. Benefit, however, is also in doubt.

The benefits of prunes for weight loss

Dried prunes are not harmful by their properties, but by the fact that they destroy hopes for losing weight with food and without exercise. Dried plums are too high in calories to help you lose weight. Provided that we are talking about real weight loss, and not about dehydration as a result of diarrhea, which harms the body.

From fresh prunes, there is almost no harm to the psyche and body, but there are much more benefits. Fresh plums can be eaten much less. But in all recipes, dried fruit is indicated as an ingredient. Below are a few recipes for “weight loss”, or rather, dehydration.

№ 1

Ingredients:

• rosehip 100 g;
• prunes 300 g;
• buckthorn bark 50 g;
• water 1,6 l.

Pour dried fruits and buckthorn with water and cook over low heat for 25 minutes. Add rose hips and boil for another 45 minutes. Infuse overnight in a warm place. Strain, put in the refrigerator. Take half a glass at 21-00.

Especially the bark of buckthorn, which is superior in effectiveness to dried plums. For this reason, this decoction can do more harm than good.

№ 2

Grind in a meat grinder:

• 100 g of raisins, rose hips and dried apricots;
• 400 g dried plums;
• 50 g senna;
• 200 g figs.

Mix everything with honey, transfer to a glass container, store in the refrigerator. The mixture is offered to eat instead of sweets or eat 1 teaspoon in the morning and evening.

We must again remember that all the ingredients have a laxative effect, and for weight loss you can’t eat all this instead of sweets and you need to replace breakfast and dinner with a mixture. Dehydration from the abuse of the mixture will not bring anything but harm.

№ 3

Grind in a meat grinder:

• 400 g of dry apricots and plums;
• 1 pack of senna.

Mix with honey and store in the refrigerator. Take 1 tsp. evening daily. In this recipe, the harm is minimal, but there is no need to expect much benefit either.

From the above recipes it can be seen that when losing weight from them, at best, there will be no benefit, since they will only eliminate possible constipation. In the worst case, trying to lose weight in this way will cause harm and soiled sheets, due to diarrhea resulting from the action of the laxative.

Restrictions and contraindications to taking prunes

Dried fruits can cause deadly harm in diabetes, allergies, urolithiasis and a tendency to be overweight. In the latter case, plums should be consumed very carefully, controlling their quantity.

Conclusion

The benefits and harms of prunes are of interest to many of those who do not want to use pharmaceuticals. The benefits of dried fruits have been proven for a long time. Some mixtures are recommended for convalescents after diseases of the cardiovascular system. The drupe can cause serious harm with a very limited list of diseases. With the immoderate use of this fruit, the harm will be psychological.