Dried Plums Promote Satiety and Lowers Energy Intake!!!

A prune comes from a variety of plum species and is usually sold as dried fruit. The U.S Department of Agriculture scientists at Tufts University ranked prunes as the highest fruit containing twice the antioxidant capacity in comparison to such fruits as blueberries, raisins, strawberries, etc. They are high in dietary fiber and are beneficial in preventing constipation, aids in weight loss, promotes healthy colon, maintains normal blood pressure, lowers inflammatory conditions and useful in maintaining healthy eye-sight.

Weight management means keeping body weight at a healthy level. Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet including fiber, avoid fried food, limit the amount of salt intake and be aware of portion size. Foods containing fiber would be green leafy vegetables, fruit, beans, bran flakes, nuts, root vegetables, and whole-grain foods. Physical activity is also included in this formula for maintaining a healthy weight.

Scientists at the Agricultural University of Athens, Greece tested the hypothesis that a snack including dried prunes eaten before a meal would be more effective in providing a greater feeling of satiety than a snack of equal nutritional value and equally weighed bread also eaten before a meal. This was a randomized within-subject crossover study involving 45 healthy, normal-weight subjects. The results were when subjects consumed the snack with the dried prunes they consumed less dessert and had lower energy intake at mealtime. Also, the subjects’ feeling of hunger, desire and motivation to eat were lower at all times between snack and meal. An explanation as to why the snack with the prunes was more effective could be due to the prune’s high fiber content creating a feeling of fullness. Adding dried prunes to a snack seems to promote satiety which could influence weight management.¹

¹ Farajian P, Katsagani M,  Zampelas A. Short-term effects of a snack including dried prunes on energy intake and satiety in normal-weight individuals. Eat Behav. Aug2010;11(3):201-3.