You have probably been told from childhood to drink your milk if you want strong bones. It is true dairy gives your bones many essential nutrients needed for strong bone formation, but have you ever thought of prunes? Prunes are a powerhouse of nutrients and some of these nutrients are essential for your body to create and maintain your bones. These specific nutrients are the antioxidants and phytonutrients, boron, fibre vitamin C and K. Here is why:
- Boron
Boron is a trace mineral found in the soil. It is needed for strong bone development as it helps your body to use vitamin D and Calcium.
- Vitamin K
A largely undervalued vitamin, vitamin K1 has a very important role in preventing the bone eating cells called osteoclasts from activating too often. Vitamin K2 is also important as it helps calcium to be recycled which means it can be used again to help reform and replace bone, bone as an active tissue is continually replaced and built or lost depending on lifestyle and nutrition.
- Antioxidants
Antioxidants, vitamins like vitamin C and phytochemicals present in prunes help to fight free radicals. Free radicals are the bad guys for your body’s cells as they can cause damage, disease and illness. Your bone cells are not immune to this damage.
- Fibre
This one may come as a surprise but the types of fibre present in prunes help your bones keep their density. These types of fibres both soluble and insoluble which include cellulose, pectin and fructans help your body to absorb the nutrients into your blood stream from your gut to be used for your bone formation.
How much do you need? Before you consume a whole bag of prunes and have the runs for the rest of the day you only need around 4-5 prunes a day to benefit your bone density. This amount was found in a study to be just as effective on preserving the strength of your bones as eating up to 10 prunes a day. Try adding a few to your morning cereal to add natural sweetness or to a fruit smoothie. Prunes also taste delicious when added to a summer-based salad using spinach leaves, goats’ cheese and walnuts.
Take home message: A glass of milk a day is a great addition to your daily calcium needs for strong bones. Adding a few prunes to this routine may help strengthen them further while adding a few extra serves of fruit to your day at the same time. Fruit is a food group which most of us are lacking to meet the recommended serves daily anyways, so your body will thank you many times over!
References:
- Hooshmand S, Chai SC, Saadat RL, Payton ME, Brummel-Smith K, Arjmandi BH. Comparative effects of dried plum and dried apple on bone in postmenopausal women. Br J Nutr. 2011 Sep;106(6):923-930.
- Wallace, Taylor C. “Dried Plums, Prunes and Bone Health: A Comprehensive Review.” Nutrients 9.4 (2017): 401. PMC. Web. 22 Oct. 2018.
