by T. Steele

Created on: May 10, 2008   Last Updated: June 16, 2008

Whoever said prunes were fun to eat? Come on, they are healthy! Since when has healthy food been good? Well, there is an exception. Prunes, also known as dried plums, are great sweet tooth satisfiers. It is chewy just like candy, and above all, it is sweet! Forget about the fact prunes contain beta-carotene that helps prevent colon cancer, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes as well as reduce the severity of asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. It is not important that prunes have potassium for cardiovascular health and fiber for regularity, lower cholesterol, and intestinal protection. No one keeps track that prunes help to absorb iron and lose weight. None of those things matter because prunes are sweet!

Come on, I am sure everyone has had prunes before. They are the ones elder relatives pull from out of nowhere. I can remember my aunt sitting in her rocking chair and me asking her for a treat. Like most kids, I was expecting some sugary sweet that would have me bouncing off walls. However, my aunt magically pulled out a huge bag of prunes from her side. I still have not figured out where she was able to hide those prunes, but she had them handy at all times like they were a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.

The prunes were far from the melt in your mouth M&M sensation, and it did not give me the warm and fuzzy feeling of a rice krispie treat, but it was sweet. Sitting on the porch that day, I thought that I might as well make the most of my snack so I popped a couple in my mouth. A few minutes later (okay, maybe not that quickly but it felt like it), I realized why my aunt loved her prunes as I sat next to the sink where my uncle's dentures were lying.

Prunes have a fabulous reputation for acting as laxatives, and that stuck with me forever. But what about the other benefits that prunes havethe not so obvious ones?

A recent study done by the Tufts University in Boston reveals that prunes may slow down the aging process in both the body and brain (hmmmm, maybe that's why my aunt was so sharp and stunning at 65). This study ranked the antioxidant level of commonly eaten fruits and vegetables. Guess what; prunes topped the list with double the source of antioxidant sources than other high scoring fruit. The antioxidant level can help reduce the diseases of aging (including senility) so we all enjoy a long, sweet life with our prunes.

If that does not encourage you to keep prunes close, then maybe this will. An ongoing study at Florida State University (Go Nolessorry, a little biased here) indicates that prunes may reverse bone loss after menopause. The study shows prunes restore lost bone in animal models of osteoporosis, and improves biomarkers linked to bone formation in postmenopausal women. This discovery is essential in adding the 10 million Americans inflicted with osteoporosis and the other 34 million at risk. This will allow a tremendous financial relief because let's face it, the cost of prunes are far less then the cost of prescriptions.

The saying, an apple a day keeps the doctor away,' would be better if it said, a few prunes a day keep the doctor away.' Please remember not to overdue eating the prunes though. I do not want you to have to make a clear path to the restroom or risk harming anyone who stands in your way so you can make a sweet deposit.

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