Tasty Trick Shields Against Bone Loss
I get it, ladies. Facing life after menopause can often be frustrating.
When you pass this critical phase, your risks RISE for osteoporosis, weight gain, UTIs, sleep problems, hypertension, breast cancer, and more.
But one of the most troubling postmenopausal risks just got a little smaller…
Because research has revealed a simple (and frankly, TASTY) way to protect against it.
And that’s bone loss.
Prunes don’t always get the respect they deserve.
If you’re like most folks, when you think of them (IF you ever do), it’s about their ability to help keep you regular.
And that IS a vital benefit.
But it turns out prunes have a hidden superpower. They ALSO protect against bone loss in menopausal women.
In a recent study, researchers investigated the bone-protective effects of prunes in 183 postmenopausal women 55-70.
Besides the prunes, the study participants also took in enough calcium and vitamin D to reach their daily recommended amounts (1,200 mg of calcium and 800 IU of vitamin D).
After 12 months, inflammatory cytokines and activated monocytes (immune cells) levels had plunged in the ladies who ate five to 10 prunes daily.
These inflammatory markers are connected to bone signaling pathways. Lowering them is an indicator of LESS bone loss in postmenopausal women.
A previous study from the same author found that postmenopausal women who didn’t eat prunes lost 1.5 percent of their hip bone density compared to women who ate five to six dried plums daily.
And ultimately, that could reduce your risk of a hip fracture in the future.
As the saying goes, let food be thy medicine.
More research is needed, of course. But if you’re a postmenopausal woman, consider adding prunes to your grocery list for extra bone support.
P.S. STOP sabotaging your bone health using this SIMPLE solution.
SOURCE:
De Souza MJ, et al., “Prunes preserve hip bone mineral density in a 12-month randomized controlled trial in postmenopausal women: the Prune Study.” Am J Clin Nutr. 2022 Oct 6;116(4):897-910. doi: 10. 1093 /ajcn/nqac189. PMID: 35798020.
