[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/betterbones.com\/bone-nutrition\/many-prunes-need-eat-start-building-bone\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/betterbones.com\/bone-nutrition\/many-prunes-need-eat-start-building-bone\/","headline":"How many prunes do you need to eat to start building bone? (+ Recipes)","name":"How many prunes do you need to eat to start building bone? (+ Recipes)","description":"Print PDF eBook Facebook Twitter Gmail LinkedIn Pinterest Six is officially the new magic number when it comes to how many prunes a day provide bone-building benefit. The recently published clinical trial confirms the preliminary results I reported earlier \u2014 and makes getting enough prunes in our daily diet a real possibility! Here is more […]","datePublished":"2020-02-27","dateModified":"2026-04-28","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/betterbones.com\/author\/brownbetterbonesgmail-com\/#Person","name":"Dr. Susan E. Brown, PhD","url":"https:\/\/betterbones.com\/author\/brownbetterbonesgmail-com\/","identifier":72,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8e08d87bd45250c6616e1752933a6576aba077f335d97ee337a0cde5e435cbd3?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8e08d87bd45250c6616e1752933a6576aba077f335d97ee337a0cde5e435cbd3?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Center for Better Bones","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/betterbones.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Better-Bones-AMP.png","url":"https:\/\/betterbones.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Better-Bones-AMP.png","width":150,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/betterbones.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/prunes-osteoporosis-BB-Blog-2-20.jpg","url":"https:\/\/betterbones.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/prunes-osteoporosis-BB-Blog-2-20.jpg","height":1109,"width":2120},"url":"https:\/\/betterbones.com\/bone-nutrition\/many-prunes-need-eat-start-building-bone\/","video":{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"VideoObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=TjCYJf9A1fE#VideoObject","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=TjCYJf9A1fE","name":"Prunes and Bone Health","description":"Prunes are a known superfood for bone health, however, some people don't enjoy eating them raw. Dr. Brown discusses alternative ways to prepare prunes and incorporate them into your diet. You will also learn about the research on prunes and bone health.\n\n\u2192 Want to learn everything you need to manage & reverse your osteoporosis\/osteopenia naturally in one inspiring weekend with Dr. Brown? Join our bone health retreat & workshop! Learn more here: https:\/\/shop.betterbones.com\/pages\/love-your-bones-love-your-life-virtual-retreat\n\n\u2192 If you are interested in working with Dr. Brown to develop a personalized natural bone health program, read more about consultations here: https:\/\/www.betterbones.com\/consultations\/help-osteoporosis-osteopenia-fracture-healing-bone-health-concerns\/\n\n\u2192 Would you like your questions answered by Dr. Brown?  Comment below and she may address them in a future video!\n\nCheck out our website! \u2192 http:\/\/ www.betterbones.com\n\nWant to connect with Better Bones on social media?\nLike on Facebook \u2192 http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/betterbonesbetterbody\n\u200bFollow on Twitter \u2192 http:\/\/www.twitter.com\/drsusanbrown\n\u200bFollow our Instagram \u2192 http:\/\/www.instagram.com\/betterbonesbetterbody\n\u200bCheck out our Pinterest \u2192 http:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/betterbonesbetterbody\n\n#osteoporosis #osteopenia #bonemass #bonehealth #weightandbonemass #womenshealth #drsusanbrown #betterbonesbetterbody #preventosteoporosis\nExercise for bone health: patreon.com\/betterbones\n\nTranscription:\nhi everyone dr. Susan brown director of\nthe Center for better bones today I want\nto answer a few questions about prunes\nwe often get questions about prunes we\nwrite a lot about prunes because the\nresearch is showing that if you take\nprunes every day you have a great\nability to increase bone health and to\ndecrease the loss of bone so one of the\nwriters writes and says I don't like\nprunes how could I eat them and disguise\nthe flavor and texture well one thing I\ndo is I cook them with a bunt in water\nand they become almost soupy and you\ncould put them in your oatmeal you can\nput them in any other hot cereal you\ncould put them in your smoothie and you\nreally won't notice the prune taste so\nmuch also some people put lemon in with\nthose prunes makes cuts the sweetness a\nlittle and this same reader wanted to\nknow if you could use cooked prunes as\nwell as raw prunes both of those are\nfine we're looking for the phyto\ncompounds in prunes and either way you\ncan serve them cooked or raw and in fact\nthis person likes raw so fine raw it's\nfine\njust remember that raw prunes are a\nlittle harder to digest they may give\nyou a little more gas and bloating and\nalways spread your prunes throughout the\nday I mean there are people that can\ntake six at once but I certainly find\nit's easier for me I get less gas or\ndisruption if I have a little at every\nmeal in fact I like them as a dessert to\nhave a couple stewed prunes after every\nmeal the research is now showing that\nsix prunes are enough to make a\nsignificant difference in reducing the\nrate of bone breakdown originally the\nstudy was done on 12 prunes now we know\nsix you can make a little Jam thicken up\nthose prunes and they're easy to take\nanother person writes and asks if the\nequivalent weight which is about 50\ngrams of prunes\nfor six and a hundred grams for twelve\nif the equivalent weight of damsons work\nd AMS ons damsons are a fruit that's in\nthe subfamily of prunes i tend to\nsuspect they would probably work but the\nresearch is on\nruins as the California prunes so I\ndon't really know what to say about that\nthe research is done on California\nprunes damson should work but I don't\nknow prunes remember six a day a simple\nthing to do very high in antioxidants\nand antioxidants are central to halting\nbone loss you'll hear more about that\nlater we'll talk soon","thumbnailUrl":["https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/TjCYJf9A1fE\/default.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/TjCYJf9A1fE\/mqdefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/TjCYJf9A1fE\/hqdefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/TjCYJf9A1fE\/sddefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/TjCYJf9A1fE\/maxresdefault.jpg"],"uploadDate":"2017-10-23T20:25:20+00:00","duration":"PT2M50S","embedUrl":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/TjCYJf9A1fE","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCm6Zry9uGdrZpm05sQLIxMw#Organization","url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCm6Zry9uGdrZpm05sQLIxMw","name":"Dr. Susan E. Brown","description":"Dr. Susan E. Brown, PhD, is a medical anthropologist, a New York State Certified Nutritionist, and the author of Better Bones, Better Body -- the first comprehensive look at natural bone health. Dr. Brown specializes in osteoporosis, osteopenia, bone health regeneration, and auto-immune disease. She is also famous for her natural approach to bone health; check out her Better Bones programs and products.","logo":{"url":"https:\/\/yt3.ggpht.com\/ytc\/AIdro_m0l08uY9k8RO1FbN8-VsYIOa8fiq9BtocNNM_k3xw7a7s=s800-c-k-c0x00ffffff-no-rj","width":800,"height":800,"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=TjCYJf9A1fE#VideoObject_publisher_logo_ImageObject"}},"potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=TjCYJf9A1fE#VideoObject_potentialAction","target":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=TjCYJf9A1fE&t={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"},"interactionStatistic":[[{"@type":"InteractionCounter","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=TjCYJf9A1fE#VideoObject_interactionStatistic_WatchAction","interactionType":{"@type":"WatchAction"},"userInteractionCount":4409}],{"@type":"InteractionCounter","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=TjCYJf9A1fE#VideoObject_interactionStatistic_LikeAction","interactionType":{"@type":"LikeAction"},"userInteractionCount":63}]},"about":["Bone Nutrition"],"wordCount":948,"keywords":["alkaline diet","bone density","prunes"],"articleBody":" Print PDF eBook\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFacebook\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTwitter\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGmail\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLinkedIn\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPinterest\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSix is officially the new magic number when it comes to how many prunes a day provide bone-building benefit. The recently published clinical trial confirms the preliminary results I reported earlier \u2014 and makes getting enough prunes in our daily diet a real possibility!Here is more about the study findings along with two great side dish recipes that include prunes:Table of ContentsToggle     5 Minutes ReadClear findings: prunes are good for bonesMore On Prunes for Bone HealthTwo hearty prune recipes for bone healthShredded butternut squash with prunes and pistachiosSavory prune stuffingClear findings: prunes are good for bonesResearchers ran a six-month trial comprising 48 women in their late 60s\/early 70s who were identified as having osteopenia in which 16 participants ate 50 g, or roughly six prunes, 16 others ate 100 g, or 9-10 prunes, and the remaining 16 was a control group and ate dried apples instead. (Watch an interview I conducted with researcher Dr. Shirin Hooshmand while the study was ongoing.)The researchers measured the participants\u2019 bone mineral density in the hip, lumbar spine and ulna (forearm) and examined specific bone health indicators in the blood at the start of the study and again three months and six months later. They also analyzed participants\u2019 nutrient intake to account for all other potential factors affecting bone health, like Vitamin D status, calcium intake, exercise and overall nutrition.In the apple-eating control group, BMD stayed unchanged or decreased. But in both groups of women who ate prunes, spine bone density increased, while forearm and hip BMD remained the same. Those who ate 100 g of prunes had a slightly greater increase in vertebral BMD than the 50-g group, but the difference between the two groups wasn\u2019t significant \u2014 and in both groups (but not the control), a specific marker of bone resorption called tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP-5b) was significantly lower at both three months and six months into the study, indicating that eating either amount of prunes had a positive, long-lasting impact on bone turnover.Based on these findings, the researchers concluded that the lower prune intake \u2014 50 g or six prunes \u2014 was adequate for most women to get the benefits.More On Prunes for Bone HealthTwo hearty prune recipes for bone healthIf you\u2019re losing bone and want a simple way to improve your bone health, the message here is quite simple: aim to include two prunes at each meal.There are many interesting recipes out there that incorporate prunes alongside alkalizing vegetables. Here are two of my favorites that besides being tasty, also help build stronger bones!Shredded butternut squash with prunes and pistachiosIngredients1 medium butternut squash (1 \u00bd pounds)2 medium shallots, finally chopped1\/3 cup shelled natural pistachios, coarsely chopped3 large prunes, coarsely chopped2 Tbsp preferred cooking oil2 tsp mint (finely shredded fresh or dried)1 to 1 \u00bd Tbsp fresh lemon juiceKosher\/coarse saltCayenne pepperPreparationPeel and chop butternut squash (sized to fit in tube of food processor). Using the food processor shredding disc, shred squash (about 3 \u00bd cups). Heat cooking oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot. Add shallots and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Add shredded squash, turn up the heat to medium high and cook for 3 minutes, stirring, until the squash is tender, like a pur\u00e9e. Stir in the pistachios, prunes, mint and lemon juice. Add salt and cayenne to taste. Serves 6.– Recipe created by Sara Moulton, author, Home Cooking 101 via sunsweet.com.Savory prune stuffingIngredients2 Tbsp olive oil3 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), cut into 1-inch pieces (4 cups)1 1\/4 cups chopped celery1 Tbsp minced garlic2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into 1\/2-inch cubes10 ounces pitted prunes, chopped into 1\/2-inch pieces1\/2 cup sherry or vermouth (or warm water to avoid alcohol)6 cups (1\/2-inch) white bread cubes (soft Italian or French bread)2 large eggs, beaten to blend2 tsp crumbled dried sage1 tsp chopped thyme1\/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsleyLarge pinch ground clovesLarge pinch grated nutmeg1 cup (+\/-) either beef, chicken or vegetable stockKosher salt to tasteFreshly ground black pepper to tastePreparationToast bread cubes at 350 degrees for 15 minutes (or just leave out uncovered overnight to dry). Soak prunes overnight (or at least 2 hours) in sherry (or vermouth). Saut\u00e9 leeks and celery until softened (approx. 10 minutes). Add garlic, saute for 2 more minutes. Add apples and continue to cook until softened (approx. 10 more minutes). Add prunes and the soaking liquid to the mixture.In large bowl combine eggs, sage, thyme, parsley, cloves and nutmeg, whisk until evenly combined. Add egg mixture to the leek and prune mixture, gently combine with the toasted bread cubes. Use broth to moisten the mixture if needed. Place the stuffing mixture into a large baking dish and bake in oven for approximately 40 minutes to 1 hour at 350 degrees.Stuffing variations:To make a heartier stuffing cook off \u00be pound of either ground pork or sweet Italian sausage (casings removed) and add it \u00a0to the stuffing mixture before the final baking.Roasted chestnuts also make a great addition to this recipe (whether you roast your own or use prepared ones). I would suggest using approximately 10 oz and either halve or quarter the nuts.Substituting corn bread for the bread cubes will give an interesting texture and depth to this recipe.Gluten free is easy enough with the substitution of gluten free bread cubes.Share these recipes with a friend!\u00a0Reference:Hooshmand S, Kern M, Metti D, et al. The effect of two doses of dried plum on bone density and bone biomarkers in osteopenic postmenopausal women: a randomized, controlled trial. Osteoporos Int 2016;27:2271\u20132279.Compare all the options in our comprehensive resource on which supplements actually help bone density."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Bone Nutrition","item":"https:\/\/betterbones.com\/bone-nutrition\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"How many prunes do you need to eat to start building bone? 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