Prune

This article is about the fruit trees and their fruit. For the trimming of fruit tree branches, see fruit tree pruning. For pruning of trees and plants in general, see Pruning. For other uses, see Prune (disambiguation).

Prunes

Raw plums which have not been dried into prunes

A prune is a dried plum of any cultivar, mostly Prunus domestica or European Plum. The use of the term for fresh fruit is obsolete except when applied to varieties grown for drying.

Most prunes are freestone cultivars (the pit is easy to remove), whereas most other plums grown for fresh consumption are clingstone (the pit is more difficult to remove).

Production

Plums, dried (prunes), uncooked

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy	1,006 kJ (240 kcal)
Carbohydrates	63.88 g
Sugars	38.13 g
Dietary fiber	7.1 g
Fat	0.38 g
Protein	2.18 g
Vitamins and minerals Vitamins Quantity %DV† Vitamin A equiv. beta-Carotene lutein zeaxanthin 4% 39 μg 4% 394 μg 148 μg Thiamine (B1) 4% 0.051 mg Riboflavin (B2) 14% 0.186 mg Niacin (B3) 12% 1.882 mg Pantothenic acid (B5) 8% 0.422 mg Vitamin B6 12% 0.205 mg Folate (B9) 1% 4 μg Choline 2% 10.1 mg Vitamin C 1% 0.6 mg Vitamin E 3% 0.43 mg Vitamin K 50% 59.5 μg Minerals Quantity %DV† Calcium 3% 43 mg Iron 5% 0.93 mg Magnesium 10% 41 mg Manganese 13% 0.299 mg Phosphorus 6% 69 mg Potassium 24% 732 mg Sodium 0% 2 mg Zinc 4% 0.44 mg
Other constituents	Quantity
Water	31 g
Link to USDA Database entry
†Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults, except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from the National Academies.

More than 1,000 plum cultivars are grown for drying. The main cultivar grown in the United States is the Improved French prune. Other varieties include Sutter, Tulare Giant, Moyer, Imperial, Italian, and Greengage. Fresh prunes reach the market earlier than fresh plums and are usually smaller in size.

Name

In 2001, plum growers in the United States were authorised by the government to call prunes "dried plums". Due to the popular U.S. perception of prunes being used only for relief of constipation, and being the subject of related joking, many distributors stopped using the word "prune" on packaging labels in favour of "dried plums".

Health effects

Prunes contain dietary fiber (about 7% per gram; table) which may provide laxative effects, a conclusion reached in a 2012 review by the European Food Safety Authority demonstrating that prunes effectively contribute to the restoration of normal bowel function in the general population if consumed in quantities of at least 100 grams (3.5 oz) per day.

Nutrition

Prunes are 31% water, 64% carbohydrates, including 7% dietary fiber, 2% protein, and less than 1% fat (table). Prunes are a rich source of vitamin K (57% of the Daily Value, DV) and a moderate source of several B vitamin and dietary minerals (10-16% DV; table).

Phytochemicals

Prunes and their juice contain phytochemicals, including phenolic compounds (mainly as neochlorogenic acids and chlorogenic acids) and sorbitol.

Uses

Russian prunes in chocolate with an almond in the middle

Prunes are used in preparing both sweet and savory dishes.

Contrary to the name, boiled plums or prunes are not used to make sugar plums which instead may be a nut, seed, or spice coated with hard sugar, also called a comfit.

See also

• List of dried foods
• List of plum dishes
• Pomology
• Zwetschge