The Fruity Beverage That Boasts Benefits For Sleep And Poop

A quick scroll through your social media feed will show off the latest product or concoction (like the viral TikTok Sleepy Girl Mocktail) that promises a good night's sleep. And if you care about your digestive health, you've probably seen TikTok videos pushing drinks, supplements, or hacks to help you poop. Anyone else remember the tip about eating dragon fruit to poop instantly?

But here's the thing. You don't need one supplement to help you poop and another to help you sleep. A simple glass of prune juice might help with both, just not in the way you'd expect. A lot of sleep supplements these days include magnesium, one of several important minerals that help your body relax. An 8-ounce glass of prune juice gives you about 8% of your daily magnesium needs, so it's not exactly enough to fix a magnesium deficiency. But prune juice has other minerals that can support sleep, too.

You've probably also heard that fiber is key for getting things moving, and a glass of prune juice gives you just under 3 grams of fiber. That fiber, combined with the fluid from the juice, definitely helps. But what really makes prune juice a go-to for constipation is a natural sugar it contains that gives your digestive system a gentle nudge.

There are plenty of natural sleep supplements that combine certain herbs or amino acids, but specific vitamins and minerals can also support better sleep. You may already know about the benefits of magnesium, but the Sleep Foundation says vitamins C and D, along with some B vitamins, may also play a role in healthy sleep patterns. Prune juice doesn't have vitamin D, but it does give you 10% of your daily vitamin C to help reduce oxidative stress that can interfere with sleep. You'll also get 12% of your daily riboflavin (vitamin B2) and 29% of your vitamin B6, which may help ease insomnia.

When it comes to digestion, prune juice has more than just fiber going for it. Prune juice also contains sorbitol, a natural sugar alcohol that's sometimes used as a gentle laxative to relieve constipation. A 2022 study in the American Journal of Gastroenterology had people with chronic constipation drink 54 grams (just about 2 ounces) of prune juice or a placebo every day for eight weeks. The folks who drank the prune juice noticed improvements in both the softness and frequency of their poop. Researchers credited the combo of sorbitol, polyphenols, and pectin in the juice for helping to get things moving.

If you're dealing with hard stools or pooping less than three times a week, prune juice might be a natural way to help relieve constipation. You can also try eating a few prunes if your constipation is mild or moderate. Instead of chugging an 8-ounce glass of prune juice like you would with apple or orange juice, it's better to start with a 4-ounce glass in the morning and see how your body handles it. Too much prune juice at once can lead to watery stools and gas. If your body seems to tolerate the prune juice, you can have another 4 ounces in the evening.

That said, prune juice isn't the best choice for everyone. Because the sorbitol in prune juice has a laxative effect, people with irritable bowel syndrome or other digestive issues should check with their doctor before drinking it. And if you're trying to lose weight, prune juice might not be your best choice. A 4-ounce glass of prune juice doesn't sound like much, but it still adds 81 calories and almost 19 grams of sugar to your diet.