黑棗自古被認為是對健康是有益處的良好食材，其中纖維與多酚類具有保健功效，本研究探討攝取黑棗飲對改善腸道菌相及調節血脂功能的影響。將60位受測者平均、隨機分為每日攝食2瓶(50mL/瓶)、每日攝食1瓶及安慰劑三組，試驗共進行7週，第一週為飲食調整期，第二階段為4週的攝食期，最後停止攝食為2週的觀察期，試驗中每週測定受試者糞便重量及糞便中雙叉桿菌、乳酸桿菌、產氣夾膜梭菌、大腸桿菌、總厭氧菌的數量，並於攝食前及攝食後檢測食糜通過腸道時間、血脂、血糖及血中抗氧化物質含量。結果顯示，攝食黑棗飲約能增加45%糞便重量、約縮短26%食糜通過腸道的時間；連續飲用4週黑棗飲能顯著增加腸內雙叉桿菌與乳酸桿菌菌數，並顯著減少腸道中的產氣莢膜梭菌與大腸桿菌的菌落數；此外，攝食黑棗飲能顯著調降約6%血膽固醇及降低4%血糖值；並能增加體內總抗氧化力及提升麩胱甘?過氧化?之活性。本研究證實，攝食黑棗飲不僅能改善腸胃道功能、降低血脂及血糖，亦能增加血液之抗氧化能力。
Prune has long been considered to be a functional food. The study was focused on the regulation of intestinal function and blood lipids by prune essences. This was a randomized, placebo-controlled and double blind design. Sixty healthy subjects were assigned into three groups. The study began with one week of run in period, 4 weeks of administration period, and 2 weeks of follow-up period. During the administration period, each subject drank 2 bottles (50mL×2) of prune essences every day in the two-bottles group, each subject drank 1 bottle of prune essence every day in the one-bottle group, each subject drank 1 bottle of placebo every day in the control group. Fecal sample was obtained every week, blood was collected at the initial and end of study. Results showed that subjects drank prune essence significantly increased the colony number of Bifidobacterium spp. and Lactobacillus spp. (p<0.05), and greatly decreased the colony number of Clostridium perfringens and E.coli (p<0.05). The antioxidant capacity of plasma and antioxidative enzymes of erythrocytes were also significantly increased after the 4 weeks of continuous use of prune essence. In addition, total blood cholesterol and blood sugar were significantly reduced. In conclusion, the use of prune essence was effective in promoting the intestinal health and also increasing the antioxidant capacity.
