A source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre, prunes boost your overall health and immune system.
Has your appetite for snacking increased this past year? When reaching for snacks, are you making mindful or mindless choices? If you feel overwhelmed, know that making nutritious snack choices to improve your health can be easy and delicious. Consider chewing on the following benefits that California Prunes provide to snackers of all ages.
California Prunes for Better Bones
California Prunes are good for your bones. Men and women usually reach peak bone development by age 30. After that, bone mass no longer develops and even decreases, which can lead to osteoporosis and increase the risk of fractures. Incorporating California Prunes into your diet when you’re young is a proactive way to manage your health. Strong bones can be maintained with the help of a healthy lifestyle that includes exercise and a balanced diet of foods containing nutrients like calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin K.
California Prunes contain boron, potassium, and vitamin K. They are also rich in phenolic compounds, which may stimulate bone formation. One study showed that eating a serving of California Prunes each day helped prevent bone loss in post-menopausal women, reducing the risk of osteoporotic fractures.
Beyond its bone health benefits, a serving of five (40 g) California Prunes is under 100 calories and promotes satiety to keep you from getting hungry between meals and their low glycemic index helps control blood sugar. The fibre and other nutrients in prunes can also help support gut health and maintain healthy cholesterol levels. California Prunes are also rich in antioxidants, which may reduce the risk of heart disease and certain cancers.
California Prunes is partnering with professional Canadian athletes as part of its TEAM UP campaign to highlight the role good nutrition and exercise can play in bone health. The goal is to inspire Canadians of all ages to think about their skeletal health and make mindful choices. These inspiring athletes share health tips and their personal journeys in podcasts and training videos, which can be found at californiaprunes.ca. However, you don’t need to be an elite athlete to reap the benefits of California Prunes. These nutritious gems are a great choice for everyone. A handful of California Prunes provides a boost of energy after your workout or simply as a mid-morning or afternoon snack. Prunes can be used in many ways you may not expect. They are a perfect addition to energy bars and trail mix or can be chopped for a salad or used in a delicious dish like turkey prune lettuce wraps or savoury beef stew.
Q&A
with Emma Troupe
How could someone incorporate California Prunes in their day-to-day diet
A few great ways are by adding a handful to your smoothies for nutritional benefits and as a natural sweetener, they are also great to bake with, or you can have a few on their own as a snack throughout the day. My personal favourite way to incorporate California Prunes in my diet is by blending them into my homemade almond or cashew milk for added sweetness! Since they are high in fibre and mineral potassium, California Prunes are a great addition to the diet as they boost digestion and support the cardiovascular and nervous system.
Which age group should incorporate California Prunes in their diet?
They are ideal for all ages because skeletal health is important at every age and life stage! Creating new habits like reaching for them as a healthy snack or adding them into smoothies or baked goods are great ways for younger generations to be more proactive about their health! Many vitamins and minerals are found in California Prunes; specifically, the mineral boron, which supports bone density and prevents bone loss in the future. Break bad habits and form new ones with California Prunes as you keep bone health top of mind.
