A Pre-Meal Prune Snack for Weight Management

A common weight management strategy is to focus on foods that provide higher levels of satiety (feelings of fullness) in an attempt to reduce hunger and overall calorie intake.  Foods rich in protein and fiber are commonly used as part of this weight loss strategy.  A new study explored the potential benefit of including prunes (dried European plums) as part of a pre-meal snack as a strategy to reduce subsequent food consumption.

In their study, researchers provided 45 healthy, normal weight men with one of two pre-meal snacks.  One of the pre-meal snacks included prunes, while the other pre-meal snack included a bread product (instead of the prunes) and had the same caloric value and weight.  After consuming their pre-meal snack, the study volunteers were offered an all-you-can-eat meal with dessert.  Food and dessert intake and feelings associated with appetite were assessed.  The study investigators reported that:

• Volunteers consuming the prune-based snack consumed fewer calories at the following meal.
• Consuming the prune-based pre-meal snack also resulted in a lower amount of dessert consumed after the meal.
• At all time points tested between consumption of the snack and the following meal, volunteers who ate the prune-based snack reported less hunger and a less desire to eat.

The results of this study suggest that prunes have a satiating effect, thereby reducing food consumption at the next meal.  The study investigators suggest that the ability of prunes to increase one's feeling of fullness is likely due to their fiber content; one-fourth cup of prunes contains more than 10% of the daily value of dietary fiber.  In addition to promoting satiety, dietary fiber has been reported to have a number of potential health benefits, so including fiber-rich foods is a healthy choice for any diet plan. 

Making snacks or meals that are rich in satiety-promoting ingredients like fiber and protein, can be an effective part of a good weight management plan.  By aiming for foods that help you feel full, you can reduce overall caloric intake throughout the day.  My protein bars and shakes contain 20 grams of protein to help you feel full and my soy protein bars also contain 5 grams of healthy fiber.  Visit us to learn more.