5 grains of this fruit per day protects against osteoporosis

 Although it affects women more than four times as much as men, osteoporosis is a condition that affects both sexes, and this is sometimes due to a decrease in estrogen levels at the onset of menopause, which leads to a loss of bone density.

And new research, in Penn State, shows that eating plums on a daily basis may help women maintain bone density.

In a recent article published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers assessed the bone density of 235 postmenopausal women, after some of them ate 50 or 100 grams (about five or six) of prunes daily for a year.

The researchers measured the women's bone mineral density, bone geometry, and estimated bone strength and found evidence that prunes may be beneficial.

The results indicated that five or six plums per day was more beneficial, as participants were more likely to continue the diet.

"Consuming five to six prunes per day for 12 months resulted in preservation of bone in the hip, a finding that was noticeable at six months and persisted up to 12 months," said lead author Mary Jane D'Souza, Distinguished Professor of Kinesiology and Physiology. In another study, 3D bone imaging provided additional information about bone response to daily prune intake.

The results indicate that plum consumption maintains bone mass density and strength at the weight-bearing sites of the hip.

Women who did not eat prunes saw a 1.1% decrease in bone density, while women who ate five or six plums each day did not experience a significant loss in bone density.

Other preliminary findings suggest similar results for the tibia, which is a bone in the shin.

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