Prunes may protect bone health by reducing the decline in mineral density, researchers from the Pennsylvania State University found. This may be important for postmenopausal women, during this period the condition of the bones deteriorates significantly, the risk of fractures and the development of osteoporosis increases. The researchers presented their findings in an article in the journal Advances in Nutrition.

The researchers analyzed 16 nutritional studies conducted in rodents and 12 in humans. All of them have shown that eating prunes can reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in the body and promote bone health. So, one of the works showed that daily consumption of 100 g of prunes daily for a year increases the mineral density of the bones of the forearm and lower spine and slows down the deterioration of bone tissue during its renewal.

Also in women, consumption of 50-100 g of prunes per day for six months prevented loss of bone mineral density and reduced levels of TRAP-5b, a marker of bone degradation, compared with women who did not eat prunes.

“Together, evidence from in vitro, preclinical studies, and a small number of clinical studies suggests that prunes may help reduce bone loss,” the researchers say. “This may be due to changes in bone remodeling, suppression of inflammation and oxidative stress.”

Prunes contain minerals, vitamin K, phenolic compounds, and dietary fiber, the researchers note. All this, apparently, makes it possible to successfully resist the deterioration of bone tissue quality with age.

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