When it comes to improving bone health, evidence suggests that eating prunes is a good food-based option to help prevent fractures and osteoporosis.
Prunes, or dried plums, continue to attract attention in studies that they are good for your bones.
One of the newest studies on prunes, published earlier this year in the journal Advances in Nutrition, found that eating 10 prunes daily for a year led to improved “bone density” in the forearms and lower spine. showed reduced signs of bone turnover. “
“In postmenopausal women, lower levels of estrogen lead to increased oxidative stress and inflammation, increasing the risk of weakening bones that can lead to fractures,” says the Department of Nutritional Sciences and Physiology at Penn State University. Associate professor and author of the study said in a written statement. “Incorporating prunes into your diet may slow or reverse this process and help protect your bones.”
Osteoporosis, a condition in which bones become weak and brittle, can occur in anyone of any age, but researchers say it’s most common among women over the age of 50. fractures every year.
Osteoporosis is traditionally associated with women, but it can affect men as well.
A study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food in 2021 is one of the first studies to study the effects of dried plums on bone health in men.
“After years of researching the positive effects of prunes on bone health in women, we are delighted to find that prunes also play a beneficial role in bone health in men,” says San Diego Nutrition. Shirin Hushmand, professor of science at State University, said in a written statement. “We look forward to continuing to study the role prunes play in men’s bone health and to better understand the mechanisms of action.”
The National Osteoporosis Foundation estimates that more than half of Americans over the age of 50 have either osteoporosis or low bone mass.
Our bodies work to keep bones healthy, but around the age of 40, old bone cells are destroyed faster than the body can generate new ones. According to researchers at Penn State University, the imbalance can be the result of inflammation and oxidative stress, which is when the body’s free radicals and antioxidants are out of balance.
Although drugs exist to treat osteoporosis, researchers say there is growing interest in food-based methods to treat the condition.
“Fruits and vegetables rich in bioactive compounds such as phenolic acids, flavonoids and carotenoids may help prevent osteoporosis,” said a professor of kinesiology and physiology and one of the study’s authors. Mary Jane De Souza, a person, said in a statement.
Prunes have many nutritional benefits, including minerals, vitamin K, phenolic compounds, and dietary fiber, all of which may help counter some of the effects of aging.
