Prunes Nutritional Information

Prunes are actually plums that have been dried for the purpose of storing and preserving all its health benefits over longer periods of time. A prune is essentially sweet, sticky, chewy, and extremely rich in nutritional value. It is now officially known as dried plums. The best prunes are those that are free of food preservatives.

Canned prunes are high in sugar, and tend to do more harm than good. Always purchase prunes that you are able to see through the container, so that you may be able to assess the quality. Keep it stored in an air-tight container, and preferably in the refrigerator, to derive its maximum benefits.

Here is the value of every nutrient per 1 cup of pitted prunes, where:
g = grams
mcg = micrograms
IU = International Units

Nutrients             Nutrition
                             (per cup)
Calories                    418

Water                       53.8 g

Carbohydrates         111 g

Fats                           0.7 g

Proteins                    3.8 g

Vitamin A                1359 IU

Vitamin B1
(Thiamin)                0.1 mg

Vitamin B2
(Riboflavin)             0.3 mg

Nutrients             Nutrition
                             (per cup)
Vitamin B3
(Niacin)                   3.3 mg

Vitamin B6              0.4 mg

Vitamin C                  1 mg

Vitamin E                0.7 mg

Vitamin K             104 mcg

Calcium                 74.8 mg

Nutrients             Nutrition
                             (per cup)

Iron                         1.6 mg

Magnesium           71.3 mg

Phosphorus          120 mg

Potassium          1274 mg

Zinc                        0.8 mg

Copper                  0.5 mg

Manganese           0.5 mg

• Rich in Fiber: The high fiber content in prunes makes them suitable to deal with intestinal and stomach problems such as constipation. It is a known fact that even prune juice has been helpful even for babies, especially in dealing with constipation. Hence, prunes also decrease the risk of developing colon cancer. 

The bacteria produced while digesting prunes, helps in maintaining healthy function of the large intestine and liver, by eliminating the bacteria that cause diseases. The high fiber content also helps in reducing and regulating the cholesterol levels in the body.

• High Amounts of Potassium: The high levels of potassium in prunes, helps in regulating the blood pressure levels, thereby preventing the risk of developing cardiovascular health problems. Moreover, the richness of potassium helps in promoting bone health, by preventing the loss of calcium from the body via urine.

• Increases Iron Absorption in the Body: With its rich vitamin C content, prunes promote the absorption of iron in the body, indirectly making it a source of iron.

• Rich in Antioxidants: Antioxidants are useful in controlling the damage caused to the cells, and help in fighting free radicals that damage the fat cells in the body, effectively. These fat cells are essential for cell development, and are particularly important for the brain cells. 

Also, the beta-carotene (from Vitamin A) levels are high in prunes, that makes them another rich source of antioxidants. The presence of antioxidants in the body also helps in fighting off and preventing the growth of cancerous cells.

It is due to these properties that prunes have been found helpful in preventing several diseases such as asthma, heart disease emerging from diabetes, colon cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and atherosclerosis.

Aids in Weight Loss: Prunes reduces the level of glucose absorption from the body, thereby not only significantly contributing to weight loss, but also to the normalization of blood sugar levels in the body.

Prunes are filling and therefore, serve as a healthy snack with all these health benefits, and prevent one from heading for unhealthy bites as a result of hunger.

Fights Against Developing Breast Cancer: Women are more susceptible to breast cancer at the onset of menopause. Consuming prunes that are rich in fiber help in reducing the risk of developing breast cancer in such women.

Whether you like to add it to your cereal, or as a stuffing to your roasted chicken, mix it with nuts for a snack, or have it with a little yogurt, these are numerous benefits on offer. It is the perfect health food. Do not overdo its consumption, as the old saying goes, too much of anything is not good.

Disclaimer: This story is for informative purposes only, and should not be replaced for the advice of a medical professional.