How to Drink Prune Juice

Co-authored by Jason Piken and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: February 28, 2023 References

Prune juice is made from prune concentrate, water, and sugar. If you have digestion issues, you may have heard about the benefits of prune juice for constipation or bloating. Try adding prune juice to your diet to see if it eases the digestive issues that you have. Stop drinking prune juice if it makes your digestive issues worse or you have diarrhea or stomach cramps.^{[1]
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Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Alleviating Digestion Issues

1
Drink 0.5 cups (120 mL) of prune juice in the morning to improve digestion. If you have problems with constipation or bloating, consider starting your day out with prune juice. Try drinking 0.5 cups (120 mL) of prune juice a day for 1 week to see if it improves your digestion.^{[2]
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- Prunes contain fiber which aids in digestion and can help alleviate constipation and bloating.
Warning: If you experience any stomach pain, diarrhea, or cramping, try reducing your intake to 0.25 cups (59 mL) of prune juice per day.
2
Use 0.5 cups (120 mL) of prune juice to wash down a heavy meal. If you often have trouble passing heavy or dense meals, try following it with some prune juice. The added fiber will aid in digestion and make the meal less likely to constipate you.^{[3]
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- Meals that feature a lot of food low in fiber, like beef and poultry, are often harder to pass and can lead to constipation.
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Avoid drinking more than 2 cups (470 mL) of prune juice per day. Since prune juice is so high in fiber, it does have a mild laxative effect. If you drink a lot of prune juice, you could feel the laxative effects too much and disrupt your digestion even further.^{[4]
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4
Drink prune juice daily for 1 month to see if it helps your symptoms. If you are using prune juice to alleviate digestion issues and constipation, monitor your symptoms as the month goes by and see if they get any better. If your digestion still has not improved, talk to your doctor about alternatives.^{[5]
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Tip: You can also try drinking more water along with the prune juice to help your digestion issues.
5
Give your child up to 1 cup (240 mL) of prune juice per day for constipation. If you notice your child having trouble with digestion issues, give them up to 1 cup (240 mL) of prune juice per day. Make a 1:1 ratio of prune juice and water if your child doesn’t like the taste of prunes.^{[6]
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- If your child is younger than 12 months old and you think they are constipated, talk to their doctor to see if you should be giving them prune juice.
- You can also make prune juice popsicles for your child to eat throughout the day.
- Never give your child laxatives for constipation unless their doctor recommends them.
- If your child doesn’t show signs of constipation for 24 hours, you can stop giving them prune juice.^{[7]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Dealing with Side Effects

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Stop drinking prune juice if you have bloating, cramps, or diarrhea after 1 week. If your digestion issues are severe, your bowels could take up to 1 week to adjust to the added fiber that prune juice provides. However, if you are still feeling the side effects of prune juice after 1 week, stop drinking prune juice and talk to your doctor about alternatives.^{[8]
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- For some people, the amount of fiber in prune juice is too much for your bowels to handle. This could mean that prune juice makes your symptoms worse.
2
Cut back your sugar intake to account for the sugar in prune juice. Every 1 cup (240 mL) of prune juice contains about 16 g of sugar in it. If you are watching your weight or trying to cut back on sugar, consider an alternative to prune juice or find other areas in your diet where you can cut back your sugar levels.^{[9]
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- Too much sugar can disrupt the natural balance in your body and cause long-term pancreas problems.
3
Avoid drinking prune juice if you are on blood-thinning medication. Prunes contain high levels of vitamin K, which can thicken your blood and encourage it to clot. If you are taking blood thinners, do not drink prune juice.^{[10]
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- If you are taking blood thinners and having digestion issues, talk to your doctor about alternatives to prune juice.

Warnings

Lower your intake of prune juice if you feel any bloating, cramping, or gas to avoid digestive problems.^{[11]
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