I am participating in a VIN campaign for California Dried Plums. I am receiving a fee for posting; however, the opinions expressed in this post are my own. I am in no way affiliated with California Dried Plums and do not earn a commission or percent of sales.
The older I get, the more I realize that the food I put in my mouth has a lasting impact on my health. While I certainly kick back and enjoy the occasional hot fudge sundae or bowl of chips, I try to make those a sporadic part of my diet. Eating a rainbow of colors, cooking from scratch, and focusing on a whole foods type of diet means more nutrients for ME and less of a struggle to button my jeans in the morning. Food can be fun, flavorful and full of nutrition OR it can be a bowl of empty calories. As a middle aged woman, bone health is a big concern for me. Did you know that World Osteoporosis Day was October 20th? Have you given any thought to your bone health recently? Did you know that California Dried Plums help support healthy bones? Sure, we all know that California Dried Plums are good for keeping our intestinal tract moving along regularly but what other dried plums benefits are there? Here are just a few reasons you need to up your intake of delicious California Dried Plums!
10 Health Benefits of Dried Plums
- Dried plums help support healthy bones
- Research suggests that eating two servings, (about 100grams or 10 to 12 dried plums), may improve bone mineral density (BMD) and slow the rate of bone turnover in post-menopausal women.
- Eating half that amount, just slightly more than one serving, about 50 grams or 5 to 6 dried plums), may help maintain bone loss in post-menopausal women.
- Vitamin K helps improve calcium balance and promotes bone mineralization. A 40gram serving of dried plums (4-5 prunes; about 100 calories) is considered an excellent source of Vitamin K, which provides 30% of the 80mcg Daily Value.
- Incorporating California dried plums as a regular part of nutritious food choices may support healthy bones. They contain vitamins and minerals such as potassium, copper, boron and vitamin K which may have bone-protective effects.
- California Dried Plums are The Whole Package: a naturally sweet, convenient and nutrient-dense snack and a versatile culinary ingredient. Emerging research suggests dried plums support healthy bones, and may support heart health, digestive health, immunity and healthy aging.
- One standard serving (4–5 dried plums) is about 100 calories. Additionally, each serving provides 3 g of fiber (and is considered a good source of fiber), 293 mg of potassium, 16 mg of magnesium and more vitamin K than any other fresh or dried fruit.
- Dried Plums promote digestive health.
- While we’ve known about dried plum’s nutrient profile with fiber and potassium, we are just beginning to learn about the benefits of other bioactive compounds such as phenolic compounds that may have general health-promoting benefits in the microflora (or microbiome) of the digestive tract and more.
- Dried plums may help manage weight through improved satiety perhaps by producing lower glucose and/or appetite-regulating hormone concentrations.
So, now that you know how healthy California Dried Plums are for you, how do you get more of them in your diet? Toss a bag in your purse, bring them to work, or bring them with you to the gym. Finding a few dried plum recipes is also a great way to eat more dried plums. They are delicious on salads, chopped up and tossed in your oatmeal, added into fried rice or even tucked inside brownies. They are incredibly versatile and you can find a ton of dried plums recipes on the California Dried Plums website. Chefs have been using dried plums (prunes) in both sweet and savory dishes for quite some time. You can check out the California Dried Plums Culinary Website for more information about how this delicious little bundle of sweetness has stepped into the culinary spotlight!
Learn more about California Dried Plums by following them on social media:
- Twitter: @cadriedplums
- Facebook: CaliforniaDriedPlums
- Instagram: cadriedplumboard
- YouTube: https://goo.gl/SQ7Sqw
What’s YOUR favorite way to eat California Dried Plums?
“I am participating in a VIN campaign for California Dried Plums. I am receiving a fee for posting; however, the opinions expressed in this post are my own. I am in no way affiliated with California Dried Plums and do not earn a commission or percent of sales.”
Diane is a professional blogger and nationally certified pharmacy technician at Good Pill Pharmacy. She earned her BS in Microbiology at the University of New Hampshire and has worked in cancer research, academics, and biotechnology. Concern over the growing incidence of human disease and the birth of her children led her to begin living a more natural life. She quickly realized that the information she was learning along the way could be beneficial to many others and started blogging and freelance writing to share this knowledge with others. Learn more about her HERE.
Can you believe I’ve never had a dried plum? I’ve never tried one! I should – they look really good!
They really make a nice, sweet snack!