Plums and Prunes for Bone Health

The plum is related to the peach, cherry, nectarine, apricot and almond, and dried plums are commonly referred to as prunes. The Prunus domestica, or European plum is primarily used for making prunes, and the Prunus salicina, or Japanese plum is the most commonly eaten fresh plum.

Prunus domestica originated in western Asia, while Prunus silicina are native to China, and are mentioned by Confucius dating back to 479 BCE. Prunus silicina was first taken to Japan, hence the name Japanese plum, before being introduced to other parts of the world. In Chinese mythology the plum tree is associated with great age and wisdom.

Today plums are second only to apples as the most cultivated fruit, with China the leading producer, and the US, Serbia, Romania and Germany other large plum producing countries.

Health Benefits of Plums and Prunes

Nutrients
Plums are a very good source of vitamin C. They are also a good source of vitamins Bl, B2, and B6, and dietary fiber. Prunes are a very good source of provitamin A. They are a good source of potassium, thiamin, riboglavin, vitamin B6, boron and dietary fiber.

Glycemic Index (GI)
In a study to determine the estimated GI of various foods, it was concluded that plums and prunes have a low GI.

Osteoporosis
Several studies have demonstrated that dried plums, or prunes, which contain high amounts of polyphenols, can restore bone mass and structure.
In a 3-month study involving 58 postmenopausal women, dried plums significantly increased serum levels of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BSAP) activity. Higher levels of both serum IGF-I and BSAP are associated with greater rates of bone formation. Although further studies are desirable, these results suggest that dried plums may have beneficial effects on bone mineral density.
Another study concluded that dried plum polyphenols enhance osteoblast (bone formation) activity.
Prunes are a good source of boron, which is believed to play a role in prevention of osteoporosis.

Influenza
In a preliminary study in Japan, plum juice concentrate showed strong in vitro anti-influenza activity against human influenza A, and may be effective in preventing and reducing influenza

Cholesterol
In an 8-week study involving 41 men with mild hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol levels), daily dietary supplementation resulted in significantly lower LDL cholesterol plasma levels.

Laxative
Plums and prunes are both effective laxatives, with prunes being the more effective of the two. The laxative action of both prune and prune juice could be explained by their high sorbitol content.

Nutrient Values of Plums per 100g
Calories 46kcal	Energy Value 192kj	Total Fat 0.28g	Carbohydrates 11.42g	Sugars 9.92g
Dietary Fiber 1.4g	Protein 0.70g	Sodium 0mg	Zinc 0.10mg	Potassium 157mg
Iron 0.17mg	Magnesium 0.052mg	Copper 0.057mg	Calcium 6mg	Vitamin C 9.5mg
Vitamin E 0.26mg	Vit. B3 (Niacin) 0.417mg	Vitamin B6 0.029mg	Vit. B1 (Thiamin) 0.028mg	Vit. B2 (Riboflavin) 0.026mg

Plums and prunes contain moderate amounts of oxalate. Individuals with a history of oxalate-containing kidney stones should limit their intake of plums and prunes. References:
1. The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods by Michael Murray, Joseph Pizzorno, and Lara Pizzorno.
2. Benders' Dictionary of Nutrition and Food Technology.
3. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference.
4. Arjmandi BH, Khalil DA, Lucas EA, Georgis A, Stoecker BJ, Hardin C, Payton ME, Wild RA. Dried plums improve indices of bone formation in postmenopausal women. J Womens Health Gend Based Med. 2002 Jan-Feb;11(1):61-8. PMID: 11860726.
5. Bu SY, Hunt TS, Smith BJ. Dried plum polyphenols attenuate the detrimental effects of TNF-alpha on osteoblast function coincident with up-regulation of Runx2, Osterix and IGF-I. J Nutr Biochem. 2008 May 19. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 18495459.
6. Yingsakmongkon S, Miyamoto D, Sriwilaijaroen N, Fujita K, Matsumoto K, Jampangern W, Hiramatsu H, Guo CT, Sawada T, Takahashi T, Hidari K, Suzuki T, Ito M, Ito Y, Suzuki Y. In vitro inhibition of human influenza A virus infection by fruit-juice concentrate of Japanese plum (Prunus mume SIEB. et ZUCC). Biol Pharm Bull. 2008 Mar;31(3):511-5. PMID: 1850578.
7. Stacewicz-Sapuntzakis M, Bowen PE, Hussain EA, Damayanti-Wood BI, Farnsworth NR. Chemical composition and potential health effects of prunes: a functional food? Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2001 May;41(4):251-86. PMID: 11401245.

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