One of the first line treatments advised by physicians for constipation may have no pharmaceuticals at all. Rather, he or she will suggest that a patient go on a fiber-intensive diet, supplementing regular foods with psyllium or other sources of fiber. Some natural sources may also be suitable depending on whether they contain enough fiber.

A lot of people have heard of supplements such as metamucil that are fortified with loads of fiber. Metamucil is a product made by Procter and Gamble, marketed to people who suffer from constipation. But a little research will show that there are high fiber foods from entirely natural sources. Prunes, or dried plums, are one such example. The most interesting fact is that prunes contain another agent that is beneficial for treating constipation.

Plums have been a part of mankind’s food source for many millennia. Archaeologist evidence shows large number of pits in waste sites that go back to ancient times. Then as now, the process for manufacturing prunes has probably changed relatively little. The plum fruit is harvested from the plant and then arranged in a cool oven structure. The plums are dehydrated at 180 degrees Fahrenheit for a little under 20 hours. The resulting prunes are collected for further processing.

The chemical makeup of prunes is complex, which is one reason for its multipronged effectiveness as a constipation agent. And although we have sufficiently advanced technology to discern these chemicals, we have yet to fully understand the mechanism whereby each chemical aids in laxative activity.

The main fact that is well-known and undisputed is that prunes contain a large amount of fiber. A less well-known but established fact is that prune juice has almost no fiber, yet still is able to provide constipation relief to people who drink it. The reason is due to its sorbitol content. Sorbitol acts as a bulk laxative, and acts synergistically with fiber.

In addition, prunes are eaten for their high energy content. They contain a lot of complex sugars as well as simple ones, which allows one to get an energy boost and a slower sustained release over time. The other sugars include glucose, fructose, and of course fiber and sorbitol.

There are many other compounds in prunes that we don’t fully understand but believe to be of benefit to health. For example, phenolic compounds might synergize with the natural laxative action. Potassium in prunes and prune juice are hypothesized to be good for heart health. Prunes seem certainly like a wonder food.

There is no special preparation needed for eating prunes; they may be eaten plain. However, some studies have shown that prunes can mixed with other ingredients to form highly effective home recipes for natural laxatives. An example of this is the famed Beverley-Travis recipe.

Peruse the latest news concerning to | href=”http://naturallaxatives.info”>natural laxatives for constipation. The site discusses how to choose | href=”http://naturallaxatives.info/whole-psyllium-husks/”>psyllium seed husks.