PRUNES. Not the most glamorous fruit on the market. Too bad.

These guys are pretty damn good for you. Too bad we only associate them with pooping and old age homes!
Yes, yes, yes they help you "go".....but that is definitely not all they have to offer.
For example, eating 10-12 prunes a day can actually reverse bone loss in postmenopausal women (Alive magazine, April 2011). The women who participated in a study that illustrated this showed improved bone formation markers after only 3 months of their daily prune intake.That's pretty impressive.  
Prunes work by stimulating osteoblasts, promoting new bone formation. Prunes contain the nutrients necessary for proper bone health: boron, calcium, magnesium, potassium and Vitamin K. Boron is necessary to convert Vitamin D to its active form.
Prunes have TONS of antioxidants. These guys help fight against disease. Antioxidants are crucial to good health as they fight free radicals that cause cellular damage. Prunes have higher antioxidant activity than blueberries.
Fibre is what they are most famous for and rightly so. They are a great source of insoluble fibre, the kind that stays in your digestive tracts and absorbs water - helping to make stool easier to pass. Gross, I know, but had to be said.
However, that isn't the only way they help with constipation. Prunes contain compounds that stimulate the intestine, causing it to contract. How cool is that?! This process is essential for regularity.
Prunes also contain a great amount of soluble fibre. This is the type that lowers bad cholesterol levels and consequently lowers the risk of heart disease. 
Although prunes will never be the cool, trendy fruit - buy some and reap the health benefits of this humble offering  :)

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