In the midst of Men's Health Week, the California Prune Board is highlighting the potential of prunes for men's wellness.
The fibrous dried fruit snack contains a wide range of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, while more than 70 studies have revealed the prune's potential in boosting gut, bone and cardiovascular health.
High in key nutrients such as vitamin K, vitamin B6 and fibre, prunes can contribute to overall wellness, while their balance of minerals like manganese, potassium and copper help maintain normal bowel function and the maintenance of strong bones.
“Men’s Health Week focuses on prevention and awareness, and we want to use it as an opportunity to encourage men to look at their diet and consider the benefits that simple yet powerful foods like prunes can have on overall health,” stated California Prune Board Registered Dietitian, Dr. Annamaria Acquaviva.
Prunes for healthy bones
Notably, prunes are the first natural food to have been awarded 'Bone Health Approved' status by the UK's Royal Osteoporosis Society, highlighting the dried fruit's wellness-boosting potential.
A 2021 study San Diego State University’s School of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences — the first to examine the benefits of prunes in men specifically — found that eating prunes daily could protect bone health in adults aged 50+.
After one year of eating 100g of prunes every day, participants experienced significant decreases in biomarkers of bone breakdown, while no changes were observed in the control group.
Those who ate prunes also experienced improvements in bone geometry, suggesting that bone strength was increased throughout the study period.
Prunes: the 'heartbeat' of health
Alongside their bone benefits, prunes have also been shown to boost cardiovascular health.
At the American Society for Nutrition's annual conference, the California Prune Board highlighted a 2023 research abstract linking prunes to heart health.
This report showed that long-term prune consumption in a small male cohort improved HDL cholesterol levels, as well as the ratio of LDL to HDL cholesterol.
Eating prunes also decreased oxidative stress, as well as the inflammatory biomarker, C-reactive protein.
“Prunes are extremely versatile as a sweet or savoury ingredient, while also doubling up as a tasty snack," added Dr Acquaviva.
"They are heroes for bone, gut and heart health, with the added benefit of being fat and sat-fat-free; containing only natural sugars."