Prunes Get Their Mojo Back

Wrinkles can be cool – if you're a prune.

Many of us have had a long love affair with our crinkly, locally grown prunes, even if they weren't considered the coolest fruit in the bunch. But that's changing. Interest in nutrition and healthier eating has made these funny-looking chewy nuggets into another form of California gold.

Prunes have even become chic. Chefs such as Sacramento, Calif.'s Randall Selland incorporate them into both savory and sweet dishes, such as roasted sturgeon with prunes, capers and pine nuts, or a salted caramel chocolate tart with added richness from prunes. This fruit thickens sauces as well as adds a dark, subtle sweetness. In addition, pureed prunes make an excellent fat replacement in baked goods, adding fiber and nutrients without a lot of calories.

Boomers, inherently prune-resistant, are warming up to prunes' benefits. New research points to prunes' power in helping maintain bone health. Prunes' high fiber content makes them a potent natural laxative. Grandma was right again: Eat more prunes.

To read the rest of the story, please go to: The Sacramento Bee