Prunes are dried plums, usually from the European plum. Prunes cannot be made from all plum species or types. Prunes are the firm-fleshed fruits (plums) of Prunus domestica cultivars with a high soluble solids content that do not ferment when dried. The term "prune" is no longer used for fresh plums, save when referring to plum cultivars grown for drying.
The majority of prune cultivars are freestone cultivars (the pit is easy to remove), but the majority of plums grown for fresh consumption are clingstone varieties (the pit is more difficult to remove).
Prunes include 64 percent carbohydrates, including dietary fiber, 2 percent protein, are high in vitamin K, and have a moderate amount of B vitamins and minerals. The laxative effect associated with eating prunes is most likely due to the sorbitol concentration of dietary fiber. Sugar plums are not made from boiling plums or prunes, despite their name.
The Food and Drug Administration gave plum producers in the United States permission to call prunes "dry plums" in 2001. Some distributors ceased using the word "prune" on container labels in favor of "dry plums" due to a perception that prunes treat constipation (seen as disparaging).
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