Eat Dried Plums to Improve Your Bone Health: Study

Eating dried plums daily prevents osteoporosis, according to a study.

Osteoporosis is bone diseases categorized by decrease in bone mass and density. This condition is typical among seniors and women due to severe calcium deficiency and weakness. According to data by the International Osteoporosis Foundation, every year osteoporosis causes more than 8.9 million fractures around the world. Experts at the San Diego State University and Florida State University found intake of California dried plums stalls decline of bone mass and weakness.

Their study led by Bahram H. Arjmandi, professor at the Department of Nutrition, Food and Exercise Sciences at the FSU gave 100 grams of dried plums to 160 post menopausal women along with calcium and vitamin D supplement.

Women who ate dried plums experienced increased bone mineral density in Ulna and spine. The study detected three pathways that allowed restoring bone structure and bone formation.

The experts discovered that dried plums slowed down rate of age induced bone resorption or loss bone volume but ensured speedy formation of new bone. This may aid improvement of bone health in patients of osteoporosis and other serious bone conditions. Although, the researchers could not identify accurate mechanisms that promoted new bone by taking dried plum, they believe this method may also benefit in improving heart and digestive system.

In addition, the study also observed that consumption of dried plums helps control weight gain by inducing satiety and reducing the levels of blood glucose and appetite-regulating hormones.

"Nature has created dried plums to be unique in nutrient composition. They really are the whole package. In more than 15 years of research, I have never seen a fruit like dried plums. Research suggests that dried plums may actually help to regenerate bone in people who have experienced bone loss. This is a serious issue for men and women alike, and dried plums continue to show promising results in the prevention and reversal of bone loss," said Arjmandi in a news release.

More information is available online in the British Journal of Nutrition.