Are Prunes Good for Sugar Cravings?

Yes, prunes can be a useful choice when you want a sweet snack because their natural sweetness offers a sweet taste and their fiber may help you feel full. In a small randomized crossover trial, a snack containing prunes was followed by less dessert consumption than an equal-calorie bread snack. Start with a small portion, particularly if you have a sensitive gut or need to manage your blood sugar.

Are prunes a good choice when you want something sweet?

Prunes are naturally sweet and chewy, and they provide fiber along with their natural sugar. They can be an alternative when you want something sweet, but they are not a proven way to stop sugar cravings.

Whether they help depends partly on what you want from a snack. If you enjoy their flavor and find them satisfying, they may be one of the best foods for sugar cravings to keep on hand. If you would rather have a drink, see the best drinks for sugar cravings.

How might prunes help with a sugar craving?

The most direct reason is their taste: Prunes offer sweetness without requiring you to prepare a dessert. For some people, that may be enough to satisfy a desire for something sweet, although others may still want the food they were craving.

Prunes also contain fiber, which can contribute to fullness. Feeling satisfied after a snack may make it easier to wait until your next meal, but fullness and a sugar craving are not the same thing. You can feel full and still want a particular sweet food.

Fiber is one possible explanation for the appetite findings in the study, not a proven mechanism. The researchers did not establish that fiber alone caused the participants to eat less dessert.

What does the evidence say about prunes and sugar cravings?

The available evidence is limited. In the randomized crossover trial, 45 healthy, normal-weight adults had a snack containing prunes on one occasion and an equal-calorie, equal-weight bread product snack on another. A crossover design lets researchers compare each participant's responses to both snacks.

After the snack containing prunes, participants reported less hunger before the meal and ate less dessert offered shortly after lunch. Their total energy intake at the meal was also lower. The study tested a snack that included prunes, however, not prunes on their own.

The results cover a short period and do not show that prunes prevent sugar cravings over days or weeks. They also do not establish that prunes work better than other fruits or snacks. The findings are encouraging, but they are not enough to promise a particular effect for everyone.

How can you use prunes when you crave sugar?

Try starting with 2 or 3 prunes when you want a sweet snack. That is a practical starting amount, not a dose proven to reduce cravings. Notice whether you enjoy them and whether they leave you satisfied.

Check the package if you want to avoid added sugar, and choose prunes that suit your preferences. A serving still contains natural sugar and calories, so consider it part of your usual food intake rather than a free addition.

You can eat prunes on their own or add them to a snack such as plain yogurt. If you are hungry enough for a meal, a few prunes may not be sufficient; have a meal or a more substantial snack instead.

There is no need to force yourself to choose prunes every time you want something sweet. An approach you enjoy and can fit into your normal eating routine is more useful than treating one food as a cure for cravings.

Who should be careful with prunes?

Prunes contain sorbitol and fiber, which can cause gas, bloating or loose stools, especially in larger amounts. If you have irritable bowel syndrome or are prone to diarrhea, introduce prunes cautiously and stop if they make your symptoms worse.

If you have diabetes, check the total carbohydrate on the package and fit the portion into your usual eating plan. A clinician or registered dietitian can help you plan snacks, especially if you use insulin or another medicine that can lower blood sugar. Do not change medication on your own.

See a clinician if you have persistent digestive symptoms or unusual thirst, frequent urination or fatigue. Seek prompt medical care for severe abdominal pain or blood in your stool.