For decades, bone health advice has sounded almost identical: take your calcium, don’t forget vitamin D, exercise regularly, and hope for the best. But what if one overlooked, everyday food could quietly influence how your bones rebuild themselves—possibly doing what supplements alone sometimes can’t?
Key Takeaways
- Prunes support bone density: Their phenolic compounds help regulate bone remodeling and improve BMD.
- They enhance supplements: Prunes may boost the effectiveness of calcium and vitamin D.
- Beyond bones: They also support heart health and reduce inflammation markers.
This Simple Fruit Could Change How Your Bones Age
The latest anti-aging research shows that strong bones are vital to your longevity and help the body maintain bone strength as you age. And that's something people over 50 need now more than ever. You see, Americans have a widespread, worrying bone problem.
According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, more than half of Americans over the age of 50 are either living with moderately weakened bones or have already developed osteoporosis. An osteoporosis diagnosis means the bones are so porous they’re in danger of fracturing from a fall, jostle or even a tiny sneeze. Interestingly, one way to know if you're at risk for osteoporosis is to take a look at your arm fat-- no kidding!
The latest research shows one fruit can help. The scientists found that eating prunes, sometimes called dried plums, can help remedy weak bones.
Increase Bone Density Naturally
Studies show that prunes contain natural compounds called phenolics, which can increase your body's bone mineral density (BMD) by influencing the signals sent out by the body's cells.
These signals constantly adjust how the bones in the body are remodeled—a process that breaks down old bone tissue and replaces it with new bone cells. During remodeling, osteoclasts pull apart sections of the bones while other cells called osteoblasts build new ones. It's a little like having one road crew tear up old, worn-out sections of the highway while another is busy putting down parts of a brand new road.
During these functions, the cells communicate with each other. But if the signals get crossed – which can be more likely as we age – the osteoclasts may be too effective in eliminating bone cells while the osteoblasts fall behind in their reconstruction job.
The result? Weaker bones.
According to researchers at George Mason University in Virginia, the phenolics in prunes help maintain cell signaling that keeps the osteoblasts and osteoclasts on track to maintain better bone mineral density.1
For instance, research at Florida State University (in conjunction with other institutions) found that postmenopausal women who ate five to six prunes daily had better bones at the end of six months than women of the same age who didn't eat prunes.2
Now, that’s a lot of prunes! However, if you’re faced with osteoporosis, it’s much easier to eat a handful of prunes every day than to suffer a debilitating fracture that might not heal.
Prunes are so effective at improving bones that even astronauts may soon find themselves snacking on them as their rocket ships hurdle through space.
Laboratory tests involving NASA show that prune powder helps to fight off the bone-thinning effects of weightlessness. The researchers concluded that prunes "could be an effective countermeasure against the skeletal deficits observed in astronauts during spaceflight."3
Some additional research suggests that prunes may be the “missing link” for those who take nutritional supplements but aren’t seeing the needed increase in bone density.
Prunes Strengthen Results of Vitamin D, Calcium
For decades, researchers have cited calcium and vitamin D as the key nutritional ingredients for building bones.
Consider the experience of a 55-year-old woman who participated in a year-long bone health study that involved taking calcium and vitamin D supplements.
As reported by a Penn State clinician, during her 12 months of taking calcium and vitamin D, her bone mineral density still declined. However, when the official study ended, she kept taking vitamin D and calcium supplements but added prunes. And that's when her bone mineral density finally started increasing!4
Best of all, prunes have a wealth of other health benefits. In addition to all of the science that suggests prunes can help relieve constipation and promote healthy digestion and elimination, new studies are pointing to the cardiovascular benefits of this little fruit.
Help For the Heart
When researchers at San Diego State University examined the heart health benefits of prunes in 48 postmenopausal women, they found that adding prunes to meals (again, about five or six a day) improved a variety of biomarkers in the blood that indicated a drop in risk for heart disease.
Specifically, the six-month study demonstrated that prune consumption reduced levels of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor–alpha–inflammatory proteins released by white blood cells that can increase your chances of heart problems.5
So, if you're interested in improving your heart and bone health, as well as your digestion and elimination, a few prunes every day may prove to be just what the doctor ordered. I’d choose them first over medication every time.
Summary
This article reveals that prunes (dried plums) contain powerful phenolic compounds that support bone health by improving the communication between bone-building cells. Research shows that regular prune consumption can increase bone mineral density, especially in postmenopausal women, and may even enhance the effectiveness of calcium and vitamin D. Additional studies suggest prunes also support heart health and reduce inflammation, making them a simple, natural addition for aging well.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many prunes should I eat for bone health?
Most studies suggest about 5–6 prunes daily for measurable benefits.
Can prunes replace calcium and vitamin D?
No, but they may enhance how your body uses those nutrients.
Why are prunes effective for bones?
They contain phenolic compounds that help regulate bone remodeling signals.
Are prunes only helpful for postmenopausal women?
While heavily studied in that group, their benefits likely extend to others concerned about bone health.
Do prunes have benefits beyond bone health?
Yes, they support digestion, reduce inflammation, and may improve heart health markers.
