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Prunes
given a new image
Oct . 11, 2007
Suzanne Havala Hobbs
It
isn’t every day that image consultants are called in
to make over a piece of fruit.
It
was several years ago at a dietetic association meeting that
I stopped to sample the “dried plums,” only to
find in my hand the sticky, sweet, wrinkled nugget formerly
known as a “prune.”
I wondered: Who were they trying to kid, and more importantly,
why?
As it turned out, the target audience – in addition
to dietitians – was women ages 25 to 54, the primary
consumers of prunes, many of whom also clung to the notion
that prunes were for old people. Constipated, “prune-faced”
old people. The industry had set out on a campaign to update
the prune’s image and underscore the nutritional greatness
of the fruit.
All prunes, of course, start out as plums. Most are grown
in California. There are more than 100 cultivars of plums
grown for drying. Prune plums are spread out on large wooden
tables and dehydrated in hot air. Other plum cultivars are
better suited to eating as fresh fruit.
Many dried fruits, including apricots and pears, have sulfites
added to them after drying to keep them from turning brown.
Not so prunes, for obvious reasons. Potassium sorbate, a safe
preservative, is typically added, though, to prevent mold
and spoilage.
The prune as nature’s laxative is one image that’s
hard to shake for those of us in the industry’s target
age range. I don’t know about you, but I’ll admit
I would think twice about snacking on prunes in public, lest
someone should think I need to.
The special laxative effects of prunes (and fresh plums) are
real. In addition to being high in bulk-forming dietary fiber,
prunes also contain natural sorbitol, a sugar alcohol or form
of carbohydrate that has a diuretic effect, promoting bowel
movement.
The reputation of prunes as a mild laxative masks the lesser-known
fact that prunes are also highly nutritious. They’re
rich in dietary fiber, potassium, iron, vitamin A, and other
health-supporting phytochemicals. Prune juice has a similar
nutrient content, though it contains little or no fiber.
Whether you snack on dried plums at the office or eat prunes
in the privacy of your own home, there are a number of ways
you can incorporate them into your diet:
* As an ingredient in other foods. Add chopped prunes to muffins,
cookies, quick breads, hot cereal, salad and rice pilaf.
* In place of oil and butter in recipes. Using a food processor,
blend pitted prunes with a small amount of hot water to make
a smooth, thick paste. You can use this puree cup-for-cup
in place of part or all of the fat in recipes. This works
particularly well in baked goods. Prune puree keeps in the
refrigerator for a couple of months.
* Stewed or in fruit compote. This is an easy, no-recipe dish.
Just place some prunes in a pan, cover them with water and
heat until boiling. Cover the pan and simmer for about ten
minutes or until the prunes soften and the water turns brown
and thickens slightly. Cool and serve. The prunes are already
sweet, so there’s no need to add more sugar. Some people
like to cook prunes with slices of lemon or orange, cinnamon
sticks, cloves and/or apple slices.
Prunes keep for a long time on the pantry shelf or in the
refrigerator. Just store them in an airtight bag or container
so that they don’t dry out.
Embrace the dried plum, despite its other name and image.
You’ll be rewarded with great taste and nutrition, regularly.
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