The Magic of Prunes for Bone Health

Looking for ways to prevent osteoporosis? Let’s talk about foods for bone health, including how eating prunes helps bone health.

Thanks to the folks at Sunsweet, an official partner of World Osteoporosis Day, for sponsoring this post! All opinions are my own, as always.

Learn all about the prune’s benefits and about increasing bone density.

What foods for bone health should you be eating? What are the best foods for osteoporosis prevention? Is eating prunes for osteoporosis prevention a thing?

Yup, prunes and bone health are a thing, and you can get started this World Osteoporosis Day!

Happy World Osteoporosis Day! Let’s talk about what you can eat to help keep your bones strong and how to build bone density. Prunes and osteoporosis happen to be a magic combination, and I’ll tell you why.

Did you know that today, October 20, is World Osteoporosis Day? If there’s any day to focus on fine-tuning your eating plan to help keep your bones strong, today’s the day! Let’s talk about ways to prevent osteoporosis.

Sunsweet recently conducted a study of 1,001 Americans, asking them questions about bone health. The findings are super interesting.

Osteoporosis facts

Survey finding: Only 40 percent of Americans are concerned about bone health—and just 38 percent of millennials and 39 percent of Gen X’ers are familiar with osteoporosis.

I’m a Gen X’er myself, and I’m one of those 39 percent with knowledge about osteoporosis.

Just in case you aren’t, though, let’s do a quick primer: Osteoporosis is a disease of the bones, caused by when your body loses too much bone, creates too little bone, or both. 

The disease can lead to weakened bones and breaks (not fun!). About a third of women and 20 percent of men over age 50 will break a bone because of osteoporosis, and an osteoporosis-related fracture happens every three seconds worldwide.

That’s why it’s important to start focusing on bone health now and how to avoid osteoporosis if possible, so you can help prevent those bone breaks later.

Calcium and bone health

Survey finding: More than 90 percent of Americans associate the nutrient calcium with bone health.

Getting enough of calcium is essential for bone health throughout every stage of life. Not taking in enough of the mineral puts you at risk for osteopenia, a condition that can lead to osteoporosis.

Top foods for bone health? You can get calcium from foods including dairy (like cottage cheese, milk, and yogurt), and calcium-fortified orange juice and cereal.

Prunes and bone health

Many nutrients—such as potassium, magnesium, and vitamin K—are also important for bone health, and these nutrients can all be found in prunes.

Potassium may aid bone health by helping to heighten bone mineral density, decreasing the risk of bone breakdown. Magnesium is a mineral important for bone structure, and vitamin K helps with bone mineralization.

Plus, research in Osteoporosis International found that eating five to six prunes a day can help prevent bone loss.

And other research in The British Journal of Nutrition revealed that eating even more prunes––10-12 a day!––is connected with increased bone mineral density!

So if you’re wondering how to increase bone density, prunes are a top food for bone health.

How to eat prunes

Survey finding: Only half of Americans are currently taking any steps to prevent bone loss—and only 12 percent of survey respondents consider themselves knowledgeable on how diet, exercise, and other factors affect bone health.

That’s where prunes for osteoporosis prevention come in. Start with small changes, like adding prunes to your daily diet.

Here are a few of my favorite ways to eat prunes:

Prunes for breakfast

I’ll add a ¼ cup serving of Sunsweet Amaz!n Diced Prunes as a topper to my morning oatmeal, cottage cheese, or Greek yogurt. Eating prunes for osteoporosis prevention has never been so tasty!

Snack on prunes

I like to bring five to six individually wrapped Sunsweet Ones with me in my purse—or sometimes in a bento snack box so I can eat them while on the go.

Cook with prunes

Muffin and cookie recipes aren’t just for raisins! In any recipe that lists dried fruit, swap in Sunsweet Amaz!n Diced Prunes to add some bone-health-helping goodness.

Try prunes in these prune recipes:

• Citrus Salad Recipe
• Mediterranean Vegetable Salad
• Cheese Appetizer

Exercise and bone health

You can also exercise to help prevent bone loss. My favorite exercises are walking and Pilates—and weight-bearing exercises or muscle-strengthening activities like these (as well as running, yoga, and weight lifting) help strengthen bones.

Building strong bones is so important for both the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.

Bottom line

Prunes are very important for bone health. Research shows how eating them every day can help strengthen bones and help prevent osteoporosis.

Sources

• Research in Osteoporosis International
• Research in The British Journal of Nutrition

I’d love to hear from you! Do you eat prunes for osteoporosis prevention? What are your top tips for increasing bone density? How are you celebrating World Osteoporosis Day?