Although women are more than 4 times more likely to suffer from it than men, osteoporosis is a disease that affects both sexes and causes bone weakness and brittleness.
This is partly because estrogen levels drop at the onset of menopause, which leads to a loss of bone density.
5-6 plums
And in this case, new research from Penn State has shown that eating prunes every day can help women maintain bone density.
In a recent article published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers assessed the bone density of 235 postmenopausal women, some of whom were assigned to eat 50g – about 5 or 6 prunes – or 100g of prunes per day. for one year.
They also measured the women’s bone mineral density, bone geometry and estimated bone strength, and found evidence that prunes may be beneficial.
The results indicated that 5 or 6 prunes per day were more beneficial, as participants were more likely to stick with the diet.
He also explained the importance of eating prunes as participants who ate between 10 and 12 prunes were more likely to drop out of the study.
Consuming 5 to 6 prunes a day for 12 months led to hip bone preservation, said lead author Mary Jane De Souza, senior professor of kinesiology and physiology, a finding that was evident at six months and lasted up to 12 months.
In another study, 3D bone imaging provided additional insight into bone response to daily prune intake.
Improving the quality of life of millions of elderly people
Furthermore, the results indicated that prune consumption maintains bone mass density and strength at load-bearing sites in the hip.
Women who didn’t eat prunes saw a 1.1 percent decrease in bone density, while women who ate 5 or 6 prunes a day didn’t experience a significant loss in bone density.
Other preliminary findings suggest similar findings for the tibia, which is a bone in the shinbone.
It is claimed that if this proves to be true, it could lead to improved quality of life for millions of older adults, as daily consumption of prunes could be beneficial to bone health in the long term.
