10 Reasons You Should Eat Prunes Every Day
Here are 10 reasons why you should eat prunes:
Healthy Bones
Your bones are living, growing tissue that are affected by your diet and exercise. When you eat a well-balanced diet that includes prunes, your body will maintain and rebuild bone mineral density. As a yogi, bone health is especially important to keep your bones strong so you can continue a relationship with your mat for many years to come.
Stay Regular
A poor diet can wreak havoc on your digestive system and cause you to spend extra time in the bathroom. Prunes are a good source of fiber, and a digestive superfood that contains sorbitol, which provides a mild laxative effect. By eating prunes daily, you can maintain regularity in your digestive system and avoid constipation.
Heart Health
Exercise and a good diet contribute to heart health. Prunes are a good source of fiber, which helps to lower cholesterol and your risk of heart disease. Eating prunes is associated with lower blood pressure, as they reduce plaque buildup and bad cholesterol and limit inflammation in your body. The potassium in prunes helps keep your nerves and muscles working properly and limits increases in blood pressure from excess sodium intake.
Eye Protection
While sunglasses are essential to protecting your eyes from the damaging rays of the sun, the food that you eat also plays a vital role in providing you with vitamins that contribute to healthy eyes. Prunes are rich in vitamin A, including beta-carotene, which plays an essential role in eye health and protecting the cells in your retinas from the sun’s harmful rays. These essential vitamins can also lower your risk of age-related eye issues including cataracts and macular degeneration.
Fight Colds
Step aside oranges, because prunes are antioxidant-rich and can help prevent you from getting sick during cold season. Prunes are full of key vitamins that assist in healing the cells within your body, including manganese (which protects cells from damage caused by free radicals) and iron (which protects cells in your immune system).
Build Muscles
Yoga and strength training are great for building muscle, but the food you eat plays a significant factor in your muscle growth and development. Prunes contain boron, a mineral that helps you build strong muscles, improve your muscle coordination, and increase mental sharpness.
Treat Anemia
Anemia, caused by an untreated iron deficiency, is a condition that occurs when your body lacks healthy red blood cells. Prunes are a great vegetarian source of iron, which can help you treat and prevent iron deficiency and anemia.
Natural Energy
Prunes provide you with natural energy, without a spike in your blood sugar. The unique combination of fiber, sorbitol and fructose will give you sustained energy without a blood sugar or insulin spike, so they are diabetic-friendly and a healthy alternative to an energy drink.
Weight Management
The fiber in prunes plays a key role in increasing your feeling of being fuller longer. Snack on a few prunes before a meal and you will feel fuller and eat less throughout your meal, saving you calories and contributing to shrinking your waistline.
Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth
Instead of reaching for a sugary treat, eat a prune that is naturally sweet and contains essential vitamins and minerals. One prune contains just 24 calories and is the perfect bite-sized snack with a slightly sweet and chewy consistency.
