Sunsweet Ones make it easy to tote
healthy, individually wrapped prunes. Photo
courtesy Sunsweet.

Today is Four Prunes Day. It may sound like a funny name for a food celebration. But four prunes are the minimum of what people who want more “digestive regularity” should take per day (up to a maximum of 9 prunes a day).

We love prunes and prune juice. But many Americans steer clear of them, perhaps because of their association with regularity, which goes back to before great-grandmother’s day. A campaign several years back tried to change the name of prunes to “dried plums” (which is what prunes are) to make them more appealing.

But as anyone who has ever made a pork or chicken roast with stuffed prunes knows, the dried fruits are delicious on their own. One of our favorite hors d’oeuvre is prunes stuffed with chicken liver mousse (you can marinate the prunes in Cognac overnight before stuffing).

The 21st-century view of healthy prunes should be as a high-antioxidant* fruit full of fiber†, potassium‡ and magnesium. A clinical study currently underway indicates that prunes may have the ability to reduce bone loss in post-menopausal women and may help fight osteoporosis.

While dried fruits such as prunes are easy to tote around for a healthy snack, Sunsweet Growers has made it even easier with Sunsweet Ones, which are individually wrapped. Four prunes have approximately 100 calories.

Some say that prunes are a good remedy for a sore throat. With cold season approaching, we’ll have to try that!

*Its high betacarotene content can help prevent cancer and help slow aging of the brain and body.
†Prunes are a good source of whole fruit fiber, and this may help keep hunger pangs at bay.
‡Studies suggest that potassium may help prevent hypertension and stroke. It may also play a role in helping support cell energy by regulating fluid balance, nerve impulses and muscle contraction to increase energy. Source: Sunsweet.