“How much prune juice should I drink?” is a frequently asked question on totalhealth. In response to this, and supplementary to his article, senior Gastroenterologist, Dr Premchand provides a useful summary of relevant studies and what the medical literature says about the health benefits of prunes. The fact of the matter is that there is a distinct shortage of published studies, but of the few that do exist the results look highly promising. And this combined with all the anecdotal evidence means that plums and prunes get a big thumbs up. As for quantity, that is probably a matter of personal taste, as well as experience!
Prunes are so much more than just wrinkled plums. As Dr Premchand explains, some nutritional experts describe plums as ‘paleofoods’ meaning that humans have been eating these products for millennia, unlike modern foodstuffs such as wheat. The logic is that our bodies have been evolving and adapting to consume certain food types, and there is therefore a possible risk with the over-reliance on modern mono-agricultural products. The theory would make sense and it would therefore seem foolish not to make plums/prunes and other natural fruits a good part of a balanced diet just because we are waiting for more evidence.
