In comparison to other sweet fruits such as pineapple, oranges, peaches and apples, prunes may not be at the top of your list of your favorite fruits to eat. Prunes, however, boast more antioxidants than any other fruit according to Dr. Jonny Bowen, Board Certified Nutrition Specialist and Ph.D. This may be reason enough to add prunes to your diet. If you are a diabetic or trying to control your blood sugar for weight loss purposes, you may be curious on how much eating prunes can affect your blood sugar.
Glycemic Index
The glycemic index a numerical ranking system that measures the potential effect a certain food or beverage will have on your blood sugar levels. High glycemic index foods, ranking 70 and above, are quickly absorbed carbohydrates that will quickly raise your blood sugar. Low glycemic index foods, ranking 55 or under, absorb at a much slower rate and have a far less dramatic effect on your blood sugar. Normal glycemic index foods are ranked from 56 to 69 and have a moderate effect on your blood sugar.
Glycemic Index of Prunes
Harvard Medical School reports that the glycemic index ranking of pitted prunes is 29, plus or minus 4 points. Falling within the range 25 to 33, prunes are considered a low glycemic index fruit that does not dramatically affect your blood sugar and insulin levels. Keep in mind, this is the ranking for unsweetened prunes, not commercially sold prunes "treats" or prune juices that have been sweetened with additional sweeteners and sugars. Commercially sold prune juice may with added sweeteners will have a significantly higher glycemic index.
Comparsion to Other Fruits
Prunes are ideal choice if you want consume an antioxidant-rich fruit and not dramatically raise your blood sugar. Some people confuse prunes with "dates," another dried fruit. Dried dates, however, have a glycemic index ranking of 102, plus or minus 21. This is dramatically higher than prunes and will significant raise your blood sugar levels. Prunes have more antioxidants and a lower glycemic index ranking than apples, oranges, pears, peaches, bananas, watermelons and raisins.
Health Benefits
According to Dr. Jonny Bowden, author of "The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth," prunes are high in fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium and iron. The dietary fiber in prunes is what makes prunes known for helping promote "regularity," or daily bowel movements. This is why prunes are popular among many seniors who may struggle with constipation. A diet high in fiber also may prevent colorectical cancer, heart disease, diabetes, diverticular disease and other types of cancer. According to Dr. Jonny Bowden, prunes have more than twice the antioxidant capacity of blueberries and raisins.
