Five Plums a Day…
Dried plums are naturally sweet, fat free, and loaded with:
- fiber (one whole gram per prune!)
- vital vitamins A, B, C and E
- potassium
- magnesium
- iron
What prunes don’t carry is also important:
- No fat!
- No sodium!
- No cholesterol!
A high-power dietary supplement
The compounds contained in dried plums can help:
- Regulate blood glucose metabolism
- Maintain proper electrical balance
- Correct and prevent iron deficiency
- Enhance cardiovascular health
- Help fight osteoporosis
- Regulate digestion
Cancer fighter and brain enhancer
As if such a track record wasn’t enough, prunes have also proven to be staunch allies in the fight against certain types of cancer and a study from Tufts University in Boston indicates that prunes may help slow down the aging process in both the body and the brain.
Nutrient-dense dried plums are high in plant substances called polyphenols–strong antioxidants that help:
- neutralize cellular damage
- decrease inflammation
- prevent cancer
- protect DNA against damage
Small wonder that dried plums are thought to aid longevity and slow the aging process!
Blood glucose metabolism regulator
Despite dried plums’ high carbohydrate content (26 grams per serving) and sweet taste, they have a low Glycemic Index. Dried plum’s sugar profile and total nutrient composition helps moderate the glycemic response for those with diabetes.
Electrical balance keeper
Prunes contain potassium, which, along with sodium and chloride, helps maintain the proper electrical balance in cells and body fluids, and regulate the nerves and muscles. It is also needed for nerve impulses as well as for producing energy from protein, fat and carbohydrates during metabolism.
One cup (8 fluid ounces) of prune juice provides about 470 mgs of potassium (13 percent of the 3500 mgs Daily Value).
Iron deficiency correction and prevention
Lack of iron is the most common known form of nutritional deficiency. Iron, an essential mineral that carries oxygen in the bloodstream and muscles, is especially important for pregnant or lactating women, and for infants and toddlers.
Many women have a low intake of iron-rich foods, which can contribute to iron deficiency anemia. Not only do dried plums help boost the body’s absorption of iron, but when eaten consistently over time they can help contribute to an adequate iron intake. One cup (8 fluid ounces) of prune juice provides about 14% (2.6 mgs) of the Daily Value of 18 mgs.
Cardiovascular health enhancer
The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Study showed that a combination diet rich in fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy foods, and low in saturated and total fat could help control high blood pressure. This combination diet was high in dietary fiber, potassium, calcium, and magnesium, low in cholesterol and moderately high in protein.
Dried plums may help control or lower blood pressure:
- they are a good source of dietary fiber
- they provide potassium
- they contain no cholesterol
Men with moderately elevated cholesterol levels experienced a reduction in both total and LDL cholesterol after adding 10 to 12 dried plums (100 grams, providing 6 to 7 grams of dietary fiber) to their daily food intake. An animal study subsequently showed that isolated dried plum fiber significantly lowered cholesterol and helped establish dried plums’ potential to lower serum cholesterol and the risk for heart disease.
Prunes also contain soluble fiber, which reduces heart disease risk by lowering blood cholesterol levels.
Finally, prunes are chock full of phenolic compounds–the same class of powerful antioxidants found in berries, red wine, and green tea–that inhibit the oxidation of LDL (harmful) cholesterol, and can help reduce the risk of heart disease.
Osteoporosis fighter
Prunes contain exceptional amounts of boron, which is essential in preventing osteoporosis. They are also potassium-rich, a key to bone health that decreases calcium excretion caused by high-salt diets.
In a study led at Oklahoma State University in 2004, researchers found that a diet supplemented with dried plums produced significant restoration of bone mass in female rats whose ovaries had been surgically removed.
“I’ve never seen more consistent results!” says Professor Bahram H. Arjmandi, an expert on the effects of functional foods, i.e. dietary components that provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition.
Digestion regulator
Says Leo Treyzon, M.D., specializing in clinical nutrition and gastroenterology at the University of California, Los Angeles:
“California Dried Plums are a good choice for maintaining and achieving digestive health, due to their unique combination of nutrients including soluble and insoluble fiber”.
California Dried Plums contain sorbitol, a non-fermentable sugar that helps desirable intestinal microorganisms develop and is one of the secrets behind prunes’ well-known laxative qualities.
California Dried Plums also contain fairly equal proportions of soluble and insoluble fiber, both of which are crucial for a healthy digestive system:
- Soluble fiber mixes with water in the stomach to become more viscous. This can result in the stomach emptying more slowly, giving a feeling of satiety, and helping the body absorb important nutrients.
- Insoluble fiber adds bulk and pulls water into the intestine, resulting in a softer stool that is more quickly eliminated.
By improving digestion, insoluble fiber eases hemorrhoids and lowers colon cancer risk. It also produces a compound that helps maintain the body’s population of friendly bacteria, which may be instrumental in fighting cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis.
Prunes are particularly useful for elderly people who take large doses of codeine-based painkillers that can cause constipation.
For more on dried plums and the digestive system, visit www.Tummywise.com
Back to Health Benefits