Prunes May Help You Poo But They're Also Delicious

Prunes. The word has been a punchline for decades, the food of senior citizens and a few health nuts. But how did an innocent dried plum become synonymous with bowel regularity?

The prune has a long and storied history, and for most of it, had nothing to do with bathroom habits. Plump, sweet-tart prunes have historically been an energy-packed snack, and a delectable ingredient in both sweet and savory dishes.

It was a group of plum growers in the 1920s who decided to market the prune as a cure for constipation. As time went on, the flaw in the strategy became apparent, as prune sales lagged behind other dried fruits.

To come full-circle, marketers in the U.S. tried to re-name prunes as "dried plums" in 1981, to escape the negative branding, but to no avail. We kept calling them prunes, and we keep relegating them to the Senior's table.

Before They Were Associated With Poo, They Were Fancy

Plums originated in China, and made their way to Europe and the Middle East as traders followed the Silk Road. The variety of plum prized for drying has a high sugar and soluble solids content, which made it easier to sun-dry them without fermentation. The resulting dried prunes stay soft and pliable, and were perfect for packing on ships to provide much needed nutrition on land or sea journeys.

The Romans valued prunes so much that they planted prune plums throughout the empire. The French took prune plums, saw promise, and developed a variety that is prized to this day, the Prunes D'Agen. The word "prune" is French for "plum," but the French prune trade cemented the word prune in the English language.

You can imagine, in a time before refrigeration was common, a sweet dried prune would be a delicacy. A stash of prunes in your larder meant you had fruit, even in the depths of winter.

Prunes provide vitamin K and smaller amounts of B vitamins and minerals. The combination of high soluble and insoluble fiber and sorbitol are the reason for the reputation as a laxative. Soluble fiber, you should note, is the kind that absorbs water and bulks up stool, and actually doesn't cause diarrhea.

Try a Traditional Prune Dish, for a True Appreciation of the Prune

Each culinary tradition where prunes found a place has its own approach to the fruit. Adding prunes to long-simmered meat dishes occurs across all of them.

A Moroccan tagine, where prunes add a sweet-tart note to a spicy-savory stew is one delicious use, while a French dish of chicken with prunes and olives employs prunes in a similar way.

For a sweet treat, try making Russian "prunes in chocolate." Simply slit one side of a large prune, remove the pit, and replace it with a whole shelled almond. Dip the stuffed prune in chocolate, and let cool. In France, prunes might be stuffed with marzipan before dipping.

The famous Prunes D' Agen are produced in the Southwest of France, the same region as Armagnac brandy. Try a regional specialty by simply steeping your prunes in Armagnac or another brandy, then serving as a dessert, topped with a dollop of whipped cream.

For a Spanish tapas approach to the prune, pit and wrap in bacon, then roast at high heat until the bacon is crisp. Serve with toothpicks for spearing.

Once you try some delicious dishes with "dried plums," you may just forget all about the prune jokes.

Sweet and Savory Prune Recipes

5 Sweet Prune Recipes

• Ukrainian Prune Torte
• Festive Prune Cake
• Prune Yogurt Spice Loaf
• Grandma Skeet's Prune Kolaches
• Banana Prune Muffins

5 Savory Prune Recipes

• Grilled Sausages With Prunes and Bacon
• Balsamic Prune and Goat Cheese Bruschetta
• Orange Juice Tzimmes
• Goat Shoulder Braised With Prunes and Preserved Lemons
• Prune and Olive Chicken