California Prunes have been awarded ‘Bone Health Approved’ status by the Royal Osteoporosis Society (ROS), thanks to a growing body of evidence showing the positive effects prunes can have on skeletal health.
High in vitamin K and a source of manganese, both of which contribute to the maintenance of normal bones, California Prunes are the first natural food to have been given the accreditation by the UK charity.
The ROS works to improve the bone health of the nation and support everyone with osteoporosis to live well through their support services and advice.
The ROS Bone Health Accreditation Scheme and accompanying ‘Bone Health Approved’ logo enables consumers to easily identify food and drink, supplements, and living aid choices that contribute towards better bone health as part of an overall balanced diet and active lifestyle.
Esther Ritson-Elliott, director of international marketing and communications for the California Prune Board (CPB), said: “We’re delighted that California Prunes have been awarded ‘Bone Health Approved’ status by the Royal Osteoporosis Society.
“The CPB is dedicated to ongoing research into the beneficial effects California Prunes can have on health, with recent studies highlighting the positive role prunes can have on bone health in men over 50, and how a portion of prunes daily may help reduce bone loss in postmenopausal women.
“We are looking forward to working in partnership with the ROS to raise awareness of bone health and the role California Prunes can play in that.”
The charity welcomed the CPB’s commitment to research. Henry Mace, head of partnerships for the ROS said: “Our statistics show that there are currently 3.5m people living with osteoporosis in the UK, yet only one in four adults are aware of what the condition means.
“Thanks to our ‘Bone Health Approved’ scheme and logo, consumers can easily identify those products that contain bone-friendly nutrients like vitamin K, vitamin D, and calcium.
“High in vitamin K and as a source of other nutrients, California Prunes can play an important role in maintaining bone health as part of a balanced diet and active lifestyle.”
Approval for the ROS accreditation scheme is only given to products or services that can demonstrate benefits to bone health, according to strict nutritional and scientific criteria set out by established EU regulations.
