The Best Fruit to Eat for Stronger Bones

Plums are high in disease-fighting antioxidants which is important for bone health.

By Janis Graham
From Reader's Digest
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Plums
Christian Teubner / StockFood Creative / Getty Images
Get your fill of fresh plums now, while they're at their peak.
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When you think of foods that keep bones strong, plums probably don't make the list. But recent studies suggest that Prunus domestica, the small, egg-shaped plum that's dried into prunes, is the very best fruit for bone strengthening, says researcher Bahram Arjmandi, PhD, at Florida State University, Tallahassee.

In animal studies, dried plums not only prevented bone loss but also reversed it. Preliminary research in postmenopausal women suggests that plums may be just as powerful in humans (a larger, longer study is under way). What's so special about the plum? It's high in disease-fighting antioxidants and is a particularly good source of boron, potassium, and vitamin K -- all of which are important for bone health. Women in the recent study ate eight to ten dried plums (aka prunes) a day, but Arjmandi suspects you'd get skeleton-strengthening benefits from as few as three. Get your fill of fresh plums now, while they're at their peak. For the rest of the year, rely on frozen, dried, or canned plums: Eat them plain, toss them into cereal and savory grain dishes, or stew with onions, garlic, and carrots, then serve alongside poultry or meat.

Recipe to try:
Ginger Plum Stir-Fry

From Reader's Digest - July 2009
 
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