Eat Prunes, Lose Weight?

[Verona]

This sounds pretty sketchy to me, but according to research done at the University of Liverpool, prune eaters were able to lose more weight than a non-prune eating control group, with no negative side effects.

 

Now mind you, prunes are not way up there on my preferred food list, but I have to admit the study intrigues me.

 

Sunsweet, anyone?

 

 

 

 

[Excei]

I bet it is because prunes help you stay regular. I bet they speed up your metabolism too. I would buy into this study. I don't like prunes but I love raisins. I wonder if a study was done on raisins too? I mean after all they are just a dried up prune.

[CraigD]

This sounds pretty sketchy to me, but according to research done at the University of Liverpool, prune eaters were able to lose more weight than a non-prune eating control group, with no negative side effects.

I share your feeling of sketchiness, Verona.

 

A few red flags:

• Unless University of Liverpool’s person webpage for lead researcher Jo Harrold and 30 May 2014 news page are not acute and up-to-date, this research has not been published in a peer reviewed journal, only presented at a conference.
• The study was small (100 in the control and effect group combined)
• Jo Harrold is a psychologist, not an MD, nutritionist, or public health doctor. I could find no list of other researchers, so don’t know the expertise of others involved in it.
• A 2 June comment on the news page asking good questions about controls for the study has not been answered
• The study, and similar studies lead by Harrold, were funded by the California Prune Board.

That said, Harrold has published a study about prunes, Snacks of prunes and raisins reduce energy intake at ad-libitum meals compared to equi-caloric controls (2012) (2013), which showed that of groups within a population of 40 overweight women given controlled pre-lunch and pre-dinner snacks of either equal weights or equal energy (calorie count) of raisins, prunes, or jelly babies candy, the groups given the prunes or raisins ate less total energy each day than those eating candy. The authors speculate, reasonably, that this is because eating dried fruit makes you feel fuller than eating candy.

 

I’m personally confident the effect shown in this study and their more recent one is real and useful. However, I expect the effect would be stronger and healthier if undried fruit were used, because not only does it contain dietary fiber and other satiating substances, they contain more water, which is also satiating. Raisins and prunes are cheaper and have longer shelf-life than their undried fruits, but if cost and availability are not a barrier, I expect the fresh fruits are better.

 

Also, because dried fruits are very energy-dense and easy to eat, I question their value as weight loss/control diet foods, because, when not carefully portion controlled, as they were in Harrold’s studies, one can easily eat several thousand kilocalories of them in a sitting.

 

I bet it is because prunes help you stay regular. I bet they speed up your metabolism too. I would buy into this study. I don't like prunes but I love raisins. I wonder if a study was done on raisins too?

The study I linked above included raisins. They appear effective, though not as much as prunes.

 

I mean after all they are just a dried up prune.

Raisins are dried grapes. Prunes are dried plums.

 

Rather humorously, and despite the University of Liverpool’s reference to the “California Prune board”, in 2000, that trade organization changed its name, and the US package labels, from “prunes” to “dried plums”, because they felt prunes were negatively associated with old, constipated people. (for more, see this more serious 2004 article or this funnier article) :)

[labelwench]

Stewed prunes and almonds (you can simmer them together as it softens the whole almonds or add sliced just before serving) with a dollop of yogurt makes a very tasty breakfast or brunch and fiber in the fruit and nuts will keep you feeling satiated for much longer than toast or a bagel. There is also some research to indicate that prunes can prevent and reverse bone loss.

 

Among nutritional factors, recent observations suggest that dried plum, or prunes (Prunus domestica L.) is the most effective fruit in both preventing and reversing bone loss. Animal studies and a 3-month clinical trial conducted in our laboratories have shown that dried plum has positive effects on bone indices. The animal data indicate that dried plum not only protects against but more importantly reverses bone loss in two separate models of osteopenia.

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19274852

[Elisa]

I share your feeling of sketchiness, Verona.

 

A few red flags:

• Unless University of Liverpool’s person webpage for lead researcher Jo Harrold and 30 May 2014 news page are not acute and up-to-date, this research has not been published in a peer reviewed journal, only presented at a conference.
• The study was small (100 in the control and effect group combined)
• Jo Harrold is a psychologist, not an MD, nutritionist, or public health doctor. I could find no list of other researchers, so don’t know the expertise of others involved in it.
• A 2 June comment on the news page asking good questions about controls for the study has not been answered
• The study, and similar studies lead by Harrold, were funded by the California Prune Board.

That said, Harrold has published a study about prunes, Snacks of prunes and raisins reduce energy intake at ad-libitum meals compared to equi-caloric controls (2012) (2013), which showed that of groups within a population of 40 overweight women given controlled pre-lunch and pre-dinner snacks of either equal weights or equal energy (calorie count) of raisins, prunes, or jelly babies candy, the groups given the prunes or raisins ate less total energy each day than those eating candy. The authors speculate, reasonably, that this is because eating dried fruit makes you feel fuller than eating candy.

 

I’m personally confident the effect shown in this study and their more recent one is real and useful. However, I expect the effect would be stronger and healthier if undried fruit were used, because not only does it contain dietary fiber and other satiating substances, they contain more water, which is also satiating. Raisins and prunes are cheaper and have longer shelf-life than their undried fruits, but if cost and availability are not a barrier, I expect the fresh fruits are better.

 

Also, because dried fruits are very energy-dense and easy to eat, I question their value as weight loss/control diet foods, because, when not carefully portion controlled, as they were in Harrold’s studies, one can easily eat several thousand kilocalories of them in a sitting.

 

The study I linked above included raisins. They appear effective, though not as much as prunes.

 

Raisins are dried grapes. Prunes are dried plums.

 

Rather humorously, and despite the University of Liverpool’s reference to the “California Prune board”, in 2000, that trade organization changed its name, and the US package labels, from “prunes” to “dried plums”, because they felt prunes were negatively associated with old, constipated people. (for more, see this more serious 2004 article or this funnier article) :)

 

 

Haha, yes, whenever I hear the word "prune" I think of the elderly needing to be regular...horrible visual, so I see the need for rebranding. Informational post, thanks!  I do think that it is because of their laxative type properties that they are getting a reputation for helping with weight loss. And all dried fruit will fill you up and help you to eat less. I'm going to pass on the prunes though. Until I'm older anyway. ;)

[Verona]

....There is also some research to indicate that prunes can prevent and reverse bone loss.

 

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19274852

 

 

...I do think that it is because of their laxative type properties that they are getting a reputation for helping with weight loss. And all dried fruit will fill you up and help you to eat less. I'm going to pass on the prunes though. Until I'm older anyway. ;)

 

Well, I am older and dealing with bone loss and could stand to lose a few pounds, so maybe I should think about tweaking my diet to include some prunes.

 

CraigD, your research abilities astound me! Thank you so much for that helpful analysis.