WASHINGTON (Dispatches) -- According to Penn State researchers, that prunes are not only good for your gut, but also they may be good for bone health, too.
They found that prunes can help prevent or delay bone loss in postmenopausal women, possibly due to their ability to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, both of which contribute to bone loss.
Eventhough medications exist to treat osteoporosis, the researchers said there is a growing interest for ways to treat the condition with nutrition.
Mary Jane De Souza, professor of kinesiology and physiology said that Fruits and vegetables that are rich in bioactive compounds such as phenolic acid, flavonoids and carotenoids can potentially help protect against osteoporosis , “with prunes in particular gaining attention in previous research.”
Scientista believe that bones are maintained throughout adult life by processes that continually build new bone cells while removing old ones. But after the age of 40, this breaking down of old cells begins to outpace the formation of new ones. This can be caused by multiple factors including inflammation and oxidative stress, which is when free radicals and antioxidants are unbalanced in the body.