Dried Plums/Prunes: The Secret to Health

The traditional image of prunes as a laxative dessert is not making justice to these versatile and delicious dried fruits. Most prunes are deep rich purple in color, and they are not only tasty but they are also highly nutritious. They are loaded with potassium, antioxidants and fibers. Prunes are a convenient healthy snack.

Plums are the second most cultivated fruit in the world, second to apples. The process of drying plums is thought to have originated thousands of years ago in an area near the Caspian Sea. The word prunes might be going out of fashion to make way for names like dried plums or plum raisins. In the United States, prunes are now called dried plums.

1. Prunes are a particularly good source of fiber and other nutrients important for good digestive health. Prunes contain about 3g of fiber per serving (4-5 dried plums).
2. Prunes provide soluble fibers, particularly pectin, which may lower blood cholesterol levels. These fibers can also help regulate blood-sugar levels. The fibers delay the absorption of glucose in the blood by slowing down the rate at which food leaves your stomach. Prunes may play a role in preventing and treating type 2 diabetes.
3. The insoluble fibers in prunes help speed food through the digestive tract, which may help, prevent overeating and weight gain.
4. Prunes rank among the top fruits for antioxidant activity. Foods high in antioxidants protect the body's cells from damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals damage cells and antioxidants are associated with the prevention of diseases such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, and the general effects of aging.
5. Due to their reduced water content, dried fruits are a more concentrated source of nutrients than fresh fruits. The antioxidant value of dried fruit is considerably higher than that of fresh fruits, and prunes have six times the antioxidant potential of fresh plums.
6. What causes the laxative effect of prunes is unknown; some believe that it is the high levels of fiber. However, the juice from prunes contains no fiber and is still extremely laxative. Prunes provide bulk and decrease the transit time of fecal matter, and this decreases the risk of colon cancer. Prunes provide "food" for friendly bacteria in the large intestine, and an acid is produced that helps keep your colon healthy.
7. Prunes have generous amounts of the mineral potassium, which is important for heart function and for maintaining normal blood pressure.
8. The potassium found in prunes may also help to promote bone health. Recent research has suggested that dried plums may restore bone mass in the animals. Based on these promising findings, researchers conducted a small clinical trial with post-menopausal women. Women who ate about 12 dried plums daily experienced an increase in biomarkers that measure the rate of bone formation. The women were not on hormone replacement therapy.
9. Prunes help your body absorb iron. The ability of plum and prune to make iron more available may be related to the vitamin C content of this fruit.
10. Prunes are very sweet in taste and they can be used as a natural sweetener. You can also sue prunes as a fat substitute, especially in baked goods.
11. Dried plums are low GI food: a measure of the impact carbohydrate foods has on the ability to raise blood glucose (sugar) levels. Research continues on the benefits of consuming diets with a low glycemic load (GL) in preventing and managing conditions including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and obesity.

Advice

• As prunes are a strong laxative it would be unwise to consume too many too quickly.
• Dried prunes may be sprayed with a substance to preserve them and people allergic to sulphide should avoid dried prunes.
• Prunes contain measurable amounts of oxalates, and individuals with existing and untreated kidney or gallbladder problems may want to avoid eating prunes.