Prune Juice

High FODMAP

Serving sizes

Prune Juice changes rating with portion size. Its rating is estimated from what it is made of, so the servings are described rather than weighed.

Small serving Moderate
Moderate serving High
Large serving High

Sorbitol Excess Fructose

Prune juice is High FODMAP, a concentrated extract of prunes that packs a lot of fruit sugar into every sip.

Because it is prunes cooked down into a juice, it carries both sorbitol and excess fructose, so it is moderate even at a small serving and climbs to high by a moderate serving.
Juices concentrate the fermentable sugars that whole fruit spreads out, which is what makes this one hit hard in small amounts, and any added sweeteners can push it further.

If you are after that morning digestive nudge, a small serving of a low-FODMAP fruit or a spoonful of oats can be a gentler place to start.

Why prune juice is rated high

Prune juice is high FODMAP overall, a rating estimated from what it is made of rather than a measured serving. Prunes are dried plums, and plums carry sorbitol along with excess fructose. Drying concentrates those sugars, and turning the prunes into juice packs them into a drink that goes down quickly. Sorbitol leads the load here. A Small serving reads moderate, a Moderate serving is high, and a Large serving stays high, so no rung on the ladder comes in low.

What changes your risk

Drying, then juicing Prunes start as plums, drying removes the water and concentrates the sorbitol and excess fructose, and juicing gathers that into a drink. That double step is why prune juice sits where it does.
Serving size The Small serving is the lowest rung and it reads moderate. A Moderate serving and a Large serving are both high.
Stacking Prune juice with dried fruit, apple, pear, stone fruit, avocado, blackberries, honey, or anything sweetened with sorbitol adds more of the same subgroups to the meal.
Blends and added fruit Some prune juices are mixed with apple or pear juice, which adds even more excess fructose and sorbitol. Plain table sugar does not count as a FODMAP, but extra fruit juice does.
Heating it Warming prune juice or cooking it into a sauce or baked good does not break down the sorbitol or fructose. Heat leaves both in place.

Swaps

There is no low FODMAP juice that matches prune juice's dark, rich flavour, and other dried fruits and stone fruit juices carry the same problem. For a morning fruit option, kiwi, oranges, strawberries or a firm, just-yellow banana are low FODMAP fruits that sit well alongside oats. In baking, where prune puree or juice adds moisture and sweetness, mashed firm banana with maple syrup can fill the same role. Questions about using food for regularity are worth raising with a doctor or dietitian.

How to lower the load

Prune juice is easy to find in blended form, so reading the label for apple or pear juice tells you whether the drink carries even more of the same subgroups. Because sorbitol is also used as a sweetener, it helps to check sugar-free sweets, gum and some syrups that might end up in the same meal. For recipes that use prune juice in a braise or a glaze, orange juice with maple syrup and cinnamon gives a sweet, rounded flavour without the dried fruit.

Common questions

is prune juice low fodmap

No. Prune juice is rated high FODMAP overall, estimated from what it is made of. A Small serving reads moderate, and a Moderate serving and a Large serving are both high.

is prune juice high in sorbitol

Yes. Prunes are dried plums, which carry sorbitol, and drying plus juicing concentrates it. Excess fructose is present as well.

can i have prune juice during the low fodmap elimination phase

Because it is rated high overall and even a Small serving reads moderate, it does not fit the elimination phase well. Reintroducing sorbitol is something to plan with a dietitian.

what can i have instead of prune juice on low fodmap

Kiwi, oranges, strawberries or a firm, just-yellow banana are low FODMAP fruits that work at breakfast. Other dried fruits and plum, peach or pear juices carry the same subgroups and are not swaps.

Learn more

Informational only, not medical advice. Individual tolerance varies. Talk to a healthcare professional or a dietitian for personal guidance.

Prune Juice is an estimated rating: it is inferred from the food's ingredients and composition and cross-checked, not measured directly in the papers below. The low, moderate and high cutoffs are still those of Varney et al. (2017).

References

Fructan and free fructose content of common Australian vegetables and fruit. Muir et al. (2007), J. Agricultural and Food Chemistry 55(16):6619-6627.
Measurement of short-chain carbohydrates in common Australian vegetables and fruits by HPLC. Muir et al. (2009), J. Agricultural and Food Chemistry 57(2):554-565.
Quantification of fructans, galacto-oligosaccharides and other short-chain carbohydrates in processed grains and cereals. Biesiekierski et al. (2011), J. Human Nutrition and Dietetics 24(2):154-176.
Dietary sorbitol and mannitol: food content and distinct absorption patterns. Yao et al. (2014), J. Human Nutrition and Dietetics 27(Suppl 2):263-275.
FODMAPs: food composition, defining cutoff values and international application. Varney et al. (2017), J. Gastroenterology and Hepatology 32(Suppl 1):53-61. Supplies the low, moderate and high cutoffs used on this page.