Beneficial features
Regardless of the cause of the disease, prunes help regulate the functions of the digestive system in infants, preschoolers and adolescents. It is rich in vitamins and microelements.
The composition of this dried fruit in large quantities includes:
- retinol;
- tocopherol;
- β-carotene;
- ascorbic and pantothenic acids;
- calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and iron.
All these components have a beneficial effect on the immune system, increase resistance to viruses and pathogenic bacteria (virulent strains of E. coli, salmonella, etc.). They normalize hematopoiesis and promote efficient brain function. Vitamin A improves vision, helps maintain vigilance, and prevents the occurrence of many pathologies.
The energy value of dried plums is 241 kcal (1006 kJ). 100 g of this product contains 2.1 g of protein, 0.4 g of fat and about 63.8 g of carbohydrates.
The laxative effect of dried fruit is due to the presence in it:
- non-chlorogenic phenolic complexes;
- chlorogenic acids;
- sorbitol.
These chemicals moderately stimulate gastrointestinal motility. Slow down the reabsorption of fluid in the large intestine. Bound moisture is retained in the cavity where undigested food remains are located.
Prunes contain a large amount of antioxidants. These compounds neutralize the destructive effect of free radicals that cause the growth of tumors.
Scientists have proven that regular consumption of dried plums can prevent the development of colorectal cancer. Thanks to this product, the microflora of the distal parts of the colon is normalized. The structure of the mucous membrane is gradually restored, and the epithelium begins to fully function.
For constipation, it is useful to eat not only dried plums, but also fresh ones.
Constipation is the absence of bowel movements for several days. The main triggers for this disorder are poor nutrition, lack of water and drinks in the diet, and insufficient physical activity. In children, defecation disorders can also be caused by psychogenic factors. Thus, potty training sometimes turns into real stress for a child if adults are impatient and too demanding of him. Whatever the reason, prunes will help cope with constipation.
Effects on digestion
When peristalsis is disturbed, a person feels heaviness in the abdomen, feels full, and the patient develops abdominal pain. Unpleasant symptoms intensify after eating. Belching may develop, during which a sour taste is observed in the mouth. Another frequent companion to gastrointestinal motility imbalance is heartburn.
When defecation is delayed, the baby becomes restless, capricious and irritable. He often cries, tucking his legs to his stomach. The baby can spend a long time on the potty. Older children even avoid going to the toilet and complain about the inability to “go big.”
Prunes for constipation gently cleanse the gastrointestinal tract. It prevents stagnation of feces and accelerates their evacuation from the body. When consumed, the tone of the smooth muscles of the gastrointestinal tract increases. As a result, the contents of the cavity begin to actively move towards the rectum.
Organic acids present in dried fruit relieve spasms and produce an analgesic effect. The pectins contained in it cause swelling of feces. The walls of the cavity begin to intensively secrete mucous secretions. All this helps to empty the intestines quickly and painlessly.
How many prunes should a child eat if he is constipated?
The dosage will depend on the age of the child. Dried plums should not be given to babies under 6 months of age. If the baby is breastfed, they can be eaten by the mother. On the first day of treatment, you should eat 1-2 fruits during breakfast. They are thoroughly chewed and washed down with 1 glass of warm boiled water. After this, you need to carefully monitor the baby’s reaction during the day. If no rashes appear on the skin, the dosage can be increased the next day. It is allowed to eat up to 5-6 fruits per day.
Preschoolers are recommended to eat 3-4 plums daily. The course of treatment is continued until motor skills are completely improved. After this, for prevention, you can eat 2 dried fruits every morning instead of dessert. They are washed down with sweet tea or a glass of fruit juice. The total duration of treatment is no more than 3 weeks.
During the treatment period, it is important to avoid nervous tension. The situation in the family and kindergarten should be analyzed. It is advisable to discuss the problem with teachers. Everything possible must be done to reduce the emotional stress that the child faces in everyday life.
For school-age children, the amount is calculated based on body weight. If you weigh more than 45 kg, the daily portion should consist of 5-6 plums.
Will prunes help a baby with constipation?
When feeding with artificial formulas, you can prepare a medicinal compote. It has almost the same effect as the fruits themselves. Powdered formulas are absorbed much worse than breast milk. Therefore, in “artificial” people, stool retention is observed much more often. The medicinal compote will help improve digestion even in a small child. It is allowed to be given starting from the age of three months.
After six months, you can include puree in your diet. The starting dosage is half a teaspoon (during morning feeding). It is gradually increased to 20-30 g. It is allowed to add the ground mass to the porridge. Usually, after this, existing problems with bowel movements are completely eliminated.
Constipation Recipes for Babies
Some parents prefer to buy commercially produced products. Puree from jars has laxative properties. However, you can easily prepare it yourself at home.
Puree
You will need clean ceramic dishes and boiling water. Select 7-8 large fleshy fruits and wash them thoroughly. Then the prunes are poured with boiling water and left for 6-7 hours. You can do this in the evening to make fresh puree in the morning. Softened dried fruits are removed from the liquid and rubbed through a sieve with large mesh.
If the plums are severely dehydrated, you can boil them. The fruits are first poured with boiling water and kept in the liquid for up to 12 hours. Then they are placed in a saucepan, cold water is added and the dishes are placed on low heat for 25-30 minutes. After this, the prunes are crushed using a blender.
It is undesirable to add sugar, as it interferes with the breakdown of nutrients in the intestines. In addition, it can lead to a shift in the composition of the microflora, which will cause dyspepsia.
Compote
Dried fruits (10 pieces) are sorted and washed with warm running water. The fruits are placed in a thick-walled pan. Add 300 ml of cold water to the prunes and bring it to a boil. Boil the dried fruits for 10-15 minutes, then remove the container from the heat and add a little honey to the liquid (if the child is not allergic to it). If the baby is not yet 1 year old, use a safer sweetener, such as glucose.
Infusion
Finely chop 100 g of prunes with a knife and pour in 500 ml of boiling water. The dishes are covered with a lid and wrapped in a terry towel or other bulky fabric. The liquid is infused for 12-14 hours. The child is given 100 ml of decoction in the morning - 30 minutes before meals. For children of middle and high school age, the dosage is doubled.
Decoction
The fruits are cut with a knife and placed in a pan. For every 5 dried fruits add 200 ml of water. The container is placed on low heat, brought to a boil and boiled for 25-30 minutes. Then the resulting liquid is cooled and filtered through cheesecloth.
The recommended dosage for children under 3 years of age is 50 ml in the morning (25-30 minutes before meals). When treating a child aged 3-6 years, the amount of medicinal decoction is doubled. Schoolchildren can take 150-200 ml of the product (depending on body weight).
How to choose the “right” prunes
Not only the quality of prune compote, but also the health of the child itself may depend on the choice of product. Naturally, it is better to give preference to home-made dried fruits. This is facilitated by a wide range of different devices, equipment and capabilities that significantly speed up the process itself.
When choosing prunes, you should consider the following points:
- “Real” prunes actually have a largely unattractive appearance, but this does not mean that you need to choose bad fruits;
- Dried fruits should be black with intact skin;
- The surface should be matte. Prunes are given shine by treating the fruit with various chemicals or fats, which can cause an allergic reaction or poisoning;
It is better to choose prunes with dense pulp, without plaque (white spots may indicate a spoiled product) or mucus;- If possible, it's worth trying prunes when purchasing. It shouldn't be bitter.
At home, you can check the quality of prunes in a simple way. To do this, you need to immerse several dried fruits in cold water (it is better to take glassware) for half an hour. The correct choice of product will be indicated by the remaining clear liquid and a whitish coating.
Choose prunes with pits - it is believed that such a product retains more nutrients and has a pleasant taste.
Buy dried fruits, not dried plums. To produce the latter, a substance called “liquid smoke” is often used, which gives a characteristic smell and speeds up cooking.
Prunes for pregnant and lactating mothers
Stool retention is typical not only for babies during the formation of intestinal microflora. Pregnant women are also susceptible to constipation. This condition is often caused by hormonal changes in the body. Some expectant mothers, while expecting a baby, deliberately reduce the amount of fluid they consume because they are afraid of edema. This leads to a lack of moisture in the body and the development of constipation.
Untimely bowel movements are also a common problem for nursing mothers. This is due to the fact that the diet of women during lactation is very different from their everyday diet. Sometimes constipation is caused by intestinal injuries sustained during childbirth.
During pregnancy, prunes can be consumed for constipation. The main thing is that the woman is not allergic to it. The fruits are eaten in the morning - before or during breakfast. The daily dose of dried fruit should not exceed 70-80 g.
Special care should be taken when breastfeeding. On the first day of treatment for constipation, you can eat no more than 1-2 fruits. It is important not to consume other new foods during this time. After this, observe the baby’s reaction. If the child does not have indigestion, the next morning the dose can be increased to 3 fruits.
Recipes
If you are constipated, you don't have to eat prunes alone. You can prepare a delicious dish from it that both children and adults will enjoy.
Prunes with kefir
Select 4 fleshy fruits, wash them thoroughly and chop them with a knife. Pour 150 ml of kefir into the mixture and mix. If desired, you can add a little sugar. The resulting “medicine” is consumed in the evening: 2 hours before bedtime. For children of senior school age, the dosage is doubled.
Dried fruit mixture for constipation
To cope with constipation, prunes can be combined with dried apricots and raisins. Each of these dried fruits helps enhance intestinal motility. It is better to take not bright orange dried apricots, but dark brown ones. The first one has a sour taste, so many children do not like it. The second one is prepared from ripe apricots, due to which it has a sweeter taste. You can rinse the mixture with water, place it on a plate and pour over yogurt. It will be both a medicine and an excellent dessert at the same time.
Candies
Mix in equal proportions:
- dried apricots;
- prunes;
- figs;
- ground walnuts.
Dried fruits are passed through a meat grinder, then nuts and honey are added. The resulting mass is mixed well. Then, use your hands to form dense balls, which are laid out on a plate in one layer. If desired, the candies can be rolled in cocoa powder, sesame seeds, finely chopped nuts or coconut flakes.
Recipes for decoctions, drinks and infusions
There are many healing drinks with prunes that help cope with constipation problems. Taking into account the general health and age of the patient, different doses and frequency of administration of these infusions are prescribed. Are prunes effective for constipation, and how to use them correctly? We’ll talk about this below.
In its pure form, dried fruits will be the simplest depressant. Plum fruits can be used in this form from the age of two. The fact is that this fruit must be chewed thoroughly, and children under 2 years old will not be able to do this.
For adult patients, to get rid of constipation, it is enough to consume up to 10 berries on an empty stomach in the morning, and then drink plenty of water. In childhood, it is enough to eat 5 berries a day.
Attention! Depending on the severity of the condition, treatment with prunes lasts from one day to five days. If the therapy does not have an effect, you should urgently contact the clinic.
A prune drink with the addition of oatmeal effectively copes with even the most severe constipation. To prepare the decoction, take 200 grams of dried fruits and the same amount of Hercules flakes. Fill all this with water - 400 ml. Place the mixture on the fire and brew over low heat for 25 minutes. Use the prepared decoction 4 times a day with an interval of 3 hours between doses.
This decoction is also suitable for children under one year old, only the amount needs to be reduced - up to 2 large spoons at a time. You can be treated with this remedy for no longer than 5 days.
Precautionary measures
In addition to useful components, prunes contain a dangerous compound - acrylamide. It is a carcinogen and has neurotoxic effects. If the plums were dried at low temperatures, the amount of this substance will be insignificant. However, its concentration increases when the fruit is exposed to heat. Therefore, prunes should not be eaten regularly.
It is forbidden to exceed the dosage, as this can lead to the development of diarrhea and flatulence. You should not expect an immediate effect: the laxative effect of dried plums develops gradually. During treatment, it is important to ensure that the child drinks enough fluids daily.
At the first sign of an allergic reaction, consumption of prunes should be stopped. After this, you need to give the child an antihistamine. To avoid unwanted consequences, it is better to consult a pediatrician before starting treatment.
Prunes are effective for constipation in a child, but you shouldn’t expect results right away, it’s still not an enema.
The regimen for introducing decoctions and compotes of dried fruits into the diet
Children begin to drink prune decoctions in small portions, about the size of a teaspoon, reaching 100-160 ml by six months. It is necessary to carefully monitor the baby's reaction to new foods, especially dried fruits and berries.
Children's doctors recommend starting with single-ingredient drinks to identify possible allergic reactions and individual intolerances to certain foods. To enhance the laxative effect, prune compote for babies can be enriched with dried dried apricots and figs.
If your baby refuses to drink prune broth, do not force him. Try to solve the problem of gas formation and constipation with dill water, and return to dried fruit drinks a little later. It is possible that he will like the sweet compote more over time. The sourness that is present in dried plums can be masked with honey or other dried fruits.
