Juices And Weight Loss – The Connection:
If your new year resolution was to lose a few pounds, you should think about changing the foods in your daily diet. You do not need to starve yourself to lose weight. There are many foods that are capable of helping you in your weight loss endeavors. They are nutrient-dense and contain many substances that help in burning fat and making you lose weight while allowing you to keep them off at the same time. Apart from foods, what you drink makes a lot of difference as well, so keep an eye out for juices that can help you lose weight. Many juices that you find in the market are loaded with sugar and other additives that do not help with weight loss. Even some fresh fruit juices that you can make at home may add on unwanted pounds, so you need to be careful about what you choose to drink every day. When it comes to prune juice in particular, there’s not enough research to back up it’s effectiveness of weightloss. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that prune juice may help with shedding the pounds. It is definitely worth giving a try as it will not cause any adverse effects on your health.
How Does Prune Juice Help With Weight Loss?
Prunes can be of immense help when you want to lose weight (1). Though there is some nutrient loss during juicing, prune juice may still be effective, even if not as effective as directly consuming prunes. It is also important to keep in mind that while prune juice is believed to be good for boosting weight loss, you cannot lose weight by only drinking it. There are a lot of other factors that come into play such as your diet, exercise regimen, etc. Obviously, you need to make it a part of a healthy weight loss plan and not depend solely on it to lose those unwanted pounds. Although there is no scientific evidence for the link between prune juice and weight loss, it is believed to work effectively. One reason is its ability to help in regulating bowel movement, thus eliminating wastes properly from your body (2), (3). This in turn puts less stress on the other organs of your body that flush out toxins and allows them to work on burning fat and producing energy. However, the use of laxatives, natural or otherwise is not recommended, unless you are dealing with bowel irregularities. The laxative-like effects of prunes are provided by sorbitol, which is a sugar alcohol (4). Despite its name, there is no alcohol content. It works as a natural laxative as it is able to draw excess water in your body into the large intestine. This in turn stimulates bowel movement. It is highly efficient in eliminating waste from the body, which is why the FDA considered the display of health warnings on the packages of chewing gum, as sorbitol is a key ingredient in these products (5). It has been reported that many people had to lower their intake of chewing gum as there were cases that involved rapid weight loss and even hospitalization. Prune contains many other nutrients such as fiber, antioxidants, and potassium (6). As you know, dietary fiber is important for the digestive system and affects everything from digestion to the elimination of waste from the body (7). It also works as an appetite suppressant as the foods that contain fiber can help you feel satisfied for a longer time (8). This means that by consuming prunes and drinking prune juice, you do not need to snack often in between meals, which in turn helps you when you are trying to lose weight.
How To Use Prune Juice For Weight Loss:
Using prune juice to satisfy your cravings for a snack or something sweet can help you lose weight. Keep in mind that you should always make sure that the juice you buy is 100 percent natural. There are many brands that add refined sugars, and they will not help in your weight loss goals. Some brands also have prune juice mixed with other fruit juices, but these are fine as they are natural and provide you with extra health benefits. The key is to avoid the consumption of refined sugar. If you have a craving for a sweet treat, do not give in to the temptation of cakes, candy, soft drinks or ice cream. Drink a glass of prune juice instead. However, you also need to remember to limit your intake of this juice. You get 182 calories from one cup of prune juice (9). When you drink 5 glasses a day, it comes to almost 1,000 calories. It may be healthier than other drinks but drinking too much of it will only make you gain calories while you are attempting to lose them. So, you may drink a glass of prune juice only when you need something sweet to snack on and don’t find whole prunes available.
Tips To Remember:
Here are a few tips that you should keep in mind if you are making prune juice a part of your weight loss plan:
As mentioned earlier, always use only 100% organic and natural prune juice that does not contain any added sweeteners.
Since prune juice works as a laxative, you should limit its intake. If you use it as a sweet snack, divide two glasses of the juice to consume throughout the day. Of course, the amount you take in depends on your ideal weight, so you can adjust it accordingly.
If you do not like the taste of prune juice, mix it with another 100% fruit or vegetable juice that does not contain any sweeteners.
Avoid following a prune juice diet. This is when people consume nothing but juice and water to lose weight. Needless to say, this is an unhealthy way to shed the pounds that you do not want because your body does not get the nutrients that it needs to stay fit and healthy. You should incorporate this juice into your diet and use this along with regular workouts to lose weight healthily and effectively.
How many prunes should I eat to lose weight? You can eat 5-6 prunes a day to make the most of its benefits. Should you drink prune juice on an empty stomach? Yes, prune juice on an empty stomach helps reap its benefits better. Is it okay to drink prune juice at night? Yes, it is okay to drink prune juice at night. However, drinking it early morning on an empty stomach helps clear your digestive system faster.
