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Plus, how many you should eat a day.
Chewy and sweet, prunes are essentially plums that have been dehydrated for preservation. They can last in your pantry for about six months and provide a ton of versatility in practically any meal. Plus, they are little nutritious powerhouses. "Prunes have many different health benefits, from gastrointestinal health to bone preservation, modulating immune response, diabetes and atherosclerosis and satiety," says Shirin Hooshmand, Ph.D., Professor of Nutrition at San Diego State University.
Although this yummy dried fruit offers up some serious health benefits, make sure to pay attention to ingredient lists and purchase varieties that solely list prunes as the only ingredient (try to avoid options with any added sugars or oils). Here's everything you need to know about prunes and why they are worthy of a spot in your grocery cart.
Prune superpowers go far beyond the bathroom! Here are some reasons to start incorporating prunes into your diet:
Unlike other fruit juices, most popular brands of prune juice do actually contain a good source of fiber per serving. Warm prune juice itself has been long used as a natural constipation remedy as well. "In my opinion, probably consuming prune juice could be effective in terms of bone health to some degree, but we only have data from clinical trials testing effects of whole prunes on bone health," says Dr. Hooshmand.
Dr. Hooshmand says how many prunes you should eat in a day depends on the size of the prunes themselves, but current research recommends 50 grams of prunes per day which is equal to about 5 to 6 prunes. If you're not used to eating prunes or other fiber-rich foods, start slow with 1 to 2 prunes per day and gradually work your way up. "For people who have a low intake of fiber in their diet, in general we recommend introducing prunes gradually, avoid consumption of prunes on an empty stomach and spread the intake throughout the day," says Dr. Hooshmand.
"There are plenty of different ways to enjoy the prune as part of your diet: from smoothies to salads and soups to savory dinner dishes. Prunes can even be used as a sugar and fat substitute in baked goods," Dr. Hooshmand shares.
Enjoy this yummy dried fruit by itself or try it in a variety of different ways:
Stefani (she/her) is a registered dietitian, a NASM-certified personal trainer and the deputy director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Nutrition Lab, where she handles all nutrition- and fitness-related content, testing and evaluation. She holds a bachelor's degree in nutritional sciences from Pennsylvania State University and a master's degree in clinical nutrition from NYU. Stefani is dedicated to providing readers with evidence-based content to encourage informed food choices and healthy living. She is an avid CrossFitter and a passionate home cook who loves spending time with her big fit Greek family.
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