How to Make Prune Juice Taste Better

Living a healthier lifestyle usually means incorporating more fruits, vegetables, and other superfoods into your diet. Though fresh fruit juice can be healthy and tasty, there is one fruit juice that is notoriously hard for people to enjoy. Prune juice!

Prune juice has so many health benefits, but it usually isn’t the first drink that people reach for. But there has to be a way to make it taste better, right? This list dives into tips that will show you how to make prune juice taste better. If you follow these tips, you will have a much easier time incorporating nutrient-packed prune juice into your diet.

What is Prune Juice?

Prune juice is made from a dried plum (prunes). Prunus domestica is the typical plum that is used in prune juice. Since plums are high in natural sugars, they can be dried easily without going through a fermentation process. 

People usually describe prune juice as thick and overly sweet yet bitter. This is likely due to the fact it is made from dried fruit. In the drying process, the plum’s juices and sugars become concentrated in the plum. There is less water in the fruit, so prune juice‘s texture becomes thicker. This may not sound appetizing, but with a few simple tweaks, prune juice can be taken to the next level.

Why Drink Prune Juice?

Despite its unique taste, prune juice is incredibly nutritious. Prunes are packed with nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin C, iron, magnesium, fiber, and many more. Thanks to its high levels of potassium, prune juice has been shown to help those with blood pressure problems. Unlike other fruit juices, prune juice is also low in calories and added sugar and does not contain any saturated fat. So, you can enjoy all the health benefits of prune juice without guilt.

Be careful not to drink too much, though. Prune juice is high in dietary fiber, which is great for your digestive system, but it is also a natural laxative. But if you drink too much, you may become bloated and have other digestive problems.

What’s The Difference Between Plum Juice and Prune Juice

Though prunes are dried plums, their juices are quite different. Plum juice has higher water content, so it is much thinner than plum juice. This makes it lower in many of the benefits that prune juice has. Plum juice is still healthy, but it does not have the same number of antioxidants, fiber, and B vitamins as prune juice. 

Since prune juice is dried, much of its flavors are concentrated, which is why it tastes so sweet. Plum juice, on the other hand, keeps its lighter, more tangy flavors. Many feel that fresh plum juice is more refreshing than prune juice, and it is likely because of this difference in taste.

How to Make Prune Juice Taste Better

 

Combine with other juices

There are many different combinations you can make with prune juice. Some favorites are to blend prune juice with apple juice or orange juice, or even lemon juice. Since they have a strong taste, it is harder to taste the bitterness of the prune juice. Experiment with a variety of fruit juice flavors and see which you enjoy the best! 

Take this tip to the next level and make it fancy! Blend the prune juice with another juice of your choosing, and pour it into a pitcher. Add in some cut-up fruit and mint to make it look like a classy and refreshing drink. It is the perfect option for a hot summer day or family gathering.

Ice it up

One of the easiest ways to improve the taste and texture of prune juice is to simply add ice. Lots of ice. The ice will help dilute the prune juice thinning out the texture and lessening its strong taste. On a hot day, there is nothing better than a nice, cold drink – even if it is prune juice!

If you have small children, a fun way to do this tip is with shaped ice cubes. There are plenty of fun ice molds out there, like bears, hearts, and even cartoon characters. By adding a little bit of icy fun to their drink, your kids (or you) may enjoy drinking the prune juice a little more.

Blend it into a smoothie

Rather than making a smoothie with milk or water, opt for prune juice instead. It is the perfect way to trick your kids (and yourself) into drinking more prune juice. There are plenty of prune juice smoothies out there, so find a recipe that fits what you like.

Some fruits that go well with prune juice are apples and berries. Apples give a great level of natural sweetness that combat the prune juice‘s bitter notes. Berries, on the other hand, help make the color of the smoothie a bit more palatable. Prune juice tends to look kind of brown, which many kids may not like. By adding in some raspberries or strawberries, you can get a much nicer purple color that will be more visually appealing. They will also add a sweet and tart flavor that will taste amazing with the prune juice. 

To make the smoothie creamier, feel free to add in some milk or sugar-free yogurt. It will add a good amount of protein to the prune juice smoothie as well! Chia seeds are a great addition to any prune smoothie recipe that you choose.

Dilute It

Adding it to another drink may feel like a lot of work just to incorporate prune juice into your diet. If you want a quick and easy way to drink more prune juice, simply dilute it with water! Prune juice has a strong flavor, but by adding a bit of water, you can make it more palatable. There is no specific ratio for diluting prune juice, so experiment until you find the ratio that is perfect for you. If you are trying to get your kids to drink prune juice, many parents say a 1:1 ratio is the best.

Depending on the season, you can add cold or hot water. Adding hot water may sound strange, but a cup of warm prune juice tastes more like a cup of fruity tea. It is an awesome way to keep drinking prune juice during the colder months.

Sweeten it

Some of the complaints about prune juice are that it is too sweet. So why would you sweeten it? Well, some people may prefer it if it had a different sweet flavor in it. For instance, the sweetness from honey tastes much different than the natural sweetness from prune juice. This tip is not for everyone, but it is a good option for those that want to combat the bitterness of prune juice. Or, those who simply think it is not sweet enough! There is nothing wrong with having a sweet tooth.

Turn it into a spritz

This is a great tip for those that are trying to cut back on drinking sodas. Instead of reaching for a soft drink, mix prune juice with some seltzer water and get a sweet, fizzy drink! This is a simple recipe, but you can add in other flavors, fruits, and herbs to make it fancy. 

Similar to the smoothie tip, add prune juice to your favorite mocktail. It will be a great drink that you can share with your whole family regardless of the occasion. Spritzing up prune juice is an awesome way to get everyone on the prune juice train. Have fun with it, and see what prune juice seltzer ideas you can come up with.

Make a Prune juice dessert

Prune juice doesn’t have to just be for drinking. You can use its natural sweetness and thicker texture in baking and cooking! Combine it with butter and spices to make it into a sauce, then pour it over your favorite sponge cake. Or, pour some prune juice over Vanilla ice cream! Let’s be honest; ice cream makes everything better. 

I recommend pairing the prune juice with more mellow and mild desserts. Pairing it with a sweet dessert may feel overwhelming. Mild flavors will help balance out the strong flavors of the prune juice.

FAQ

Does prune juice need to be refrigerated?

You Might Also Like:

• What is a Pluot Fruit?
• Learn How to Make Fruit Salad
• How To Make Apple Cider Vinegar Taste Good
• How to Make a Smoothie with Frozen Fruit and Water
• How to Make Coconut Water Taste Better