Plums for your bones – Food for healthy bones
Eating plums for your bones can help prevent or slow bone loss by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress. There are two delicious recipes on my plum blog.
Skelly and I spend a lot of time promoting strong bones and how to nourish them. But many women we meet don’t think about it – until it’s too late.
Some women are so concerned about preventing cancer and heart disease that they don’t bother to worry about their bones. But the thing is: as a woman, you have a 50/50 chance of breaking a bone as you get older. Those are pretty bad odds.
Broken bones are even more common in women than heart attack, stroke and breast cancer combined. [1]
And supporting your bones is easier than you think. You can do something good for your bones with every meal.
Let me give you just one example of powerful bone food...
I’m talking about plums
Or as some people like to say, ‘dried plums’.
As we age, lower estrogen levels can lead to inflammation and oxidative stress. These can increase bone loss and fractures.
Plums rich in minerals
Vitamin K, phenolic compounds and dietary fiber. These can all combat oxidative stress and inflammation.
The evidence was recently published in the journal Advances in nutrition. [2]
Researchers looked at 28 studies in both humans and animals. They found that women who ate about ten plums a day for a year improved bone mineral density in the forearm and lower back. They also found that eating just 5 to 10 plums per day for six months prevented loss of bone mineral density and reduced bone resorption.
Plums help reduce bone loss because they are high in polyphenols. These are powerful antioxidants. Other fruits are also rich in polyphenols, including apples, blackberries, cherries, grapes, pears, pomegranates, raspberries and strawberries. [3]
More antioxidants than any other fruit
Plums also give you a boost of a little-known bone mineral called drill. It ensures that bones do not lose calcium and magnesium. It also helps your body produce and use vitamin D, which is crucial for bone formation.
And of course, prunes have additional benefits for your colon and help you stay regular. Studies show they improve your gut microbiota (bacteria) and may help reduce your risk of colon cancer.[4]
Low glycemic index
If you’re worried about getting too much sugar from dried fruit, plums are still a good choice. One serving of about 60 grams or 6 plums is only 29 on the glycemic index. [5]
Everything below 55 is considered low. That means they won’t give you a sugar rush thanks to their high fiber content. Just make sure that the plums you buy do not contain added sugars.
Skelly and I are always looking for easy ways to sneak a little spice into our day. We like to chop up a few plums and throw them on our morning oatmeal. You can also add them to a healthy green smoothie (make sure these are pitted plums) or to your yogurt. Or just grab a few for an on-the-go snack.
Osteoblasts – Bone building cell
Last: “Animal and cell studies suggest that prunes and/or their extracts improve bone formation and inhibit bone resorption through their action on cell signaling pathways that influence the differentiation of osteoblasts and osteoclasts.” [6]
From my bones to yours,
Irma Jennings INHC,
Your holistic bot coach
[1] JA Cauley et al. “Incidence of Fractures Compared with Cardiovascular Disease and Breast Cancer: The Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study” Osteoporosis Int. 2008; 19(12): 1717–1723.
[2] Janhavi et al., “The Role of Plums in Modulating Inflammatory Pathways to Improve Bone Health in Postmenopausal Women,” Advances in nutrition, 2022; nmab162, https://doi.org/10.1093/advances/nmab162
[3] Jonny Bowden, “The 150 Healthiest Foods in the World, Revised Edition: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth About What You Should Be Eating and Why.”
[4] Texas A&M AgriLife. “Plum good health benefits.” ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/09/150927120304.htm (accessed February 23, 2022).
[5] What is the glycemic index of plums? https://www.livestrong.com/article/415499-glycemic-index-of-prunes/ (accessed February 25, 2021).
[6] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28422064/
Want more bone-loving recipes?
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7 Day Meal Plan – Simple Cooking for Bone Health
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Below, my team created two plum recipes:
1 for vegetarians/vegans and the other for animal protein eaters.
I would appreciate giving these recipes a vote just below the description.
Tempting Tempeh with Plums
View all recipes here.
- 2 – 8 Oz Tempeh organic packages
Marinade
- 1 cup water
- 8 plums
- 1/4 cup syrup Black belt
- 2 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 3 clove garlic minced meat
- 1 teaspoon thyme dry
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger ground
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Make the marinade by combining the water, molasses, prunes, vinegar, mustard, garlic and spices in a high-speed blender.
Marinate the tempeh in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the marinated tempeh in a glass baking dish.
Bake at 400 degrees F for 15-20 minutes
Cook once – eat twice
The nutritional information is calculated automatically and may vary based on the ingredients and products used.
Calories: 119kcalCarbohydrates: 30GEgg white: 23GFat: 1GSaturated fat: 1GPolyunsaturated fat: 1GMonounsaturated fat: 1GSodium: 636mgPotassium: 487mgFiber: 2GSugar: 23GVitamin A: 183IUVitamin C: 2mgVitamin K: 12µgCalcium: 64mgIron: 1mgMagnesium: 64mgPhosphorus: 31mgSelenium: 5µgZinc: 1mg
Powerful pork chops with plums
View all recipes here.
1 Frying pan
1 Meat thermometer
1 covered bowl
- 4 pork chops Bone-in pork tenderloins, about 6 oz each
Marinade
- 1 cup water
- 8 plums coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup syrup
- 2 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 3 clove garlic minced meat
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper ground
- 1 teaspoon thyme dry
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger ground
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
Marinade
Using a high-speed blender, combine the water, molasses, prunes, vinegar, mustard, garlic and spices.
Pork chops
Marinate the chops in a covered container in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Remove the pork from the marinade.
Heat a frying pan until hot.
Place the pork chops in the pan and sear on one side for 3-4 minutes.
Place the skillet in the oven and bake.
Chops are ready when a meat thermometer registers 140-145 degrees F.
Start checking the meat after 6 minutes – check again every minute (best to use the thermometer on the side of the chop).
Extra marinade: bring to a low boil, reduce and use as a dressing over the pork.
The nutritional information is calculated automatically and may vary based on the ingredients and products used.
Calories: 326kcalCarbohydrates: 30GEgg white: 30GFat: 10GSaturated fat: 3GPolyunsaturated fat: 1GMonounsaturated fat: 4GTrans fat: 1GCholesterol: 90mgSodium: 700mgPotassium: 988mgFiber: 2GSugar: 23GVitamin A: 190IUVitamin C: 2mgVitamin D: 1µgVitamin K: 12µgCalcium: 74mgIron: 2mgMagnesium: 99mgPhosphorus: 333mgSelenium: 50µgZinc: 2mg
