NUTRITIONISTS have advised Nigerians to consume fruits or drink fruit juice made from prunes  in order to prevent deadly  diseases.

 

 The health experts who spoke in Lagos recently during the  presentation  of  prune juice, stated  that   the need  to  consume  prune juice cannot  be over-emphasized  has it been   proven  to aid  digestion, thereby  preventing  obesity  and  other  health complications. 

 

Prunes, a fruit grown in the Western world but available in Nigerian fruit markets, is known not only to protect the brain from free radical damage but can also help to relieve constipation and prevent chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer .  

 

 A nutritionist, Dr. Remi Omotunde, said prune juice aids digestion, warning that many factors, including age and unhealthy dietary habits could affect the digestive system in  a  negative manner. “The digestion process slows down as we age, and that is why many old people become malnourished at a certain point because their foods are not broken down the way they used to be when they were young. To save the day, they need digestive support in the form of digestive enzymes, which the prune juice can readily provide. And even as juice, prune retains significantly higher amounts of the dried fruit’s nutrients, benefitting the body immensely in return, especially as a remedy for constipation,” Omotunde said.

 

    The nutritionist added that prune juice  can prevent the development of osteoporosis, “because it contains the trace mineral, boron, which is very essential to bone health.”       

 

 Omotunde explained that regular consumption of a fruit juice such as prune, which contains high dose of potassium, in addition to conscious healthy dietary habits, may work wonders in helping to lower the blood levels significantly and thus save one from the risk of developing stroke. He added that prune juice helps in slowing down the rate at which the body uses sugar, thereby helping the body to normalize its sugar level.

 

“This fibre content inherently helps the body to stimulate insulin production, thereby reducing an individual’s risk of developing Type-2 diabetes,” Omotunde said.

 

    According to Mr. Hyman Ilonze, the Business Development Director of MA&J Vitalife Products, Sole Representative of Prune Juice Processing Company, the potassium content of prune juice helps in normalizing blood pressure, thereby helps in reducing the risk of hypertension and other heart diseases.

 

    Ilonze  said he first came across  the  fruit juice   after it was introduced  to him  while suffering  from pile  in Britain. 

 

 “This nurse introduced me to the prune juice. And the very first time I took it, my symptoms were relieved almost instantly. Before then, I had great difficulties whenever I wanted to relieve myself, as I had to labour to push out the waste. By the time I started taking the prune juice, my digestive system improved, my haemorrhoids was healed and I have never stopped taking it more than 15 years since then,” Ilonze said.

 

 “The phenols – a type of antioxidant – found in prune juice protects the cells from damage that is caused by harmful free radicals. When your body is rid of free radicals, you are unlikely to develop certain chronic diseases such as cancer and heart issues,” a General Physician, Dr. Kemi Ilori-Gbadebo, said.