For many, eating sweets is indispensable. Experts have long been warning against overconsuming sugar. Yet, doing completely without sweets is not a solution either. A good alternative are prunes: they do not only taste great; they also provide health-promoting nutrients.

Anyone who attaches importance to a balanced diet can rely on prunes as a valuable element for more well-being. The fruits contain around 57 g of carbohydrate per 100 g. For comparison, the same amount of sugar provides 99.8 g of carbohydrate. A smaller amount of carbohydrate in the daily diet relieves the pancreas, attracts less of the appetite-inducing hormone insulin and prevents recurrent cravings.

Prunes also have a low glycaemic index (GI) of 29. In contrast, dried dates have a high GI of about 100. The higher the measured value, the more sugar enters the blood within a certain period of time after eating a defined amount of the food. Eating prunes prevents fluctuations in blood sugar levels and hence dulls appetite for sweetness. Their low GI is due to the sorbitol content and their high dietary fibre content of 7.1 g per 100 g. That is 23 % of the recommended daily amount.

For general well-being, maintaining digestive health is an important component. Since prunes do not only provide dietary fibre and sorbitol but also polyphenols, their daily consumption contributes in various ways to normal bowel function. In the intestines, dietary fibres are food for the micro-organisms settled there. A balanced microbiome not only strengthens our immune system, but also influences the healthy appetite through several messengers. Thus, eating prunes satisfies the appetite for a longer period of time, which leads to a reduction of the desire for more sugar.

The fruits contain nutrients that influence bone formation, structure, preservation or degradation. They also contain vitamin B6, copper and manganese – substances that contribute to the normal function of the immune system. Furthermore, they are high in potassium and vitamin K.

News from the Netherlands show how important a healthy diet is right now: scientists at Maastricht University report a potential link between vitamin K status and improved Covid-19 results. The study carried out by the Dutch researchers suggests a connection between low levels of vitamin K and the accelerated breakdown of tissue fibres, including elastin, which is involved with pulmonary disease.

People love prunes for their versatility, moist texture and taste. They can be kept in the cupboard for up to one year, and as an ingredient, they can complement sweet and savoury dishes in many ways. They are great as a snack or as an ingredient for bars or baked goods. Thanks to their sweetness, they thereby can even be used as a substitute for fat and sugar.

The dried fruits come, for example, from California. For these prunes, California growers use a special type of plum that is particularly suitable for drying. The prunes can be recognized by their characteristic, donut-like shape with a small dent in the middle that is caused by the gentle stone removal process. It ensures that the dried fruits maintain juicy and soft.