Prunes: Be a Yay-Sayer!

If you’ve read our blog for a while, you’ve seen us sing the praises of the Prune on many occasions. We’ve actually maybe been kind of defensive of this fruit at times. It has, after all, been the butt of jokes (can we get a ha ha?) because of its ability to help those with, um, passage issues. We’ve moved way past the snickering and trust you have, too. We’d much rather think of the Prune as a majestic, versatile and nutritious part of life. It deserves a place in your diet and in your pantry. Read on and see why.

Prunes, sometimes referred to as Dried Plums, share their ancient Western Asian beginnings with Pistachios. What was different, though, is that they took a journey through Europe before making their way to the United States in the mid-1800s. Along the way, cuttings from the French Petit d’Agen plum were gathered. Once they arrived in the US, they were grafted with wild American plum stock, and after about 15 years of refinement the commercial Prune industry was underway. The Prune industry in California remains stronger than ever due to ideal soil and temperature conditions and painstaking care of the trees, harvesting and drying methods. In fact, California grows 99 percent of the total United States production of Prunes and 40 percent of the world’s supply of Prunes. We think the best ones come from right here in the Central Valley!

For years, we’ve sourced our Organic Prunes from nearby grower-partners who share our farming values, including environmental stewardship and sustainable farming. We plan to continue these treasured partnerships for many years to come. This said, we’re elated to share that after years of preparation, hard work, refinements and inspections in Bella Viva’s estate orchards, we’ve earned the designation of Certified Organic with our Dried Pitted Prunes and Dried Jumbo Whole Prunes (with their pits). Starting this fall, these incredible fruits will be ready for you to enjoy. While it has been rigorous, earning the designation of Certified Organic has been a labor of love and has entailed using all-organic plant oils for pest control and creating habitats for beneficial insects, people-friendly snakes and barn owls to patrol the trees ‘round the clock.

While we love Prunes of all kinds, it’s impossible to say which ones are the best. It’s kind of like singling one of your kids out as a favorite. We would say, though, that given our choices, we’d go Certified Organic. Organic or not, though, experts at the National Institute for Health cite this article and this article that give us plenty of reasons to enjoy them in our diet on a regular basis. These are just two of many citations on the health benefits of Prunes.

Eat ‘em just as they are, gently stew them with other Dried Fruits from Bella Viva Orchards for breakfast or dessert, chop them up and add them to any green salad or enjoy them in our Chicken with Prunes, Capers and Green Olives, published in our September 2019 newsletter and enjoyed on a regular basis ever since!

To celebrate the regal Prune, as March’s other fabulous web special we’re offering a whopping 32 percent off if you buy two or more one-pound bags of our Certified Organic Prunes and 10 percent off all other Prune products! Get your imagination ignited and open your world and your body to the sweet wonderfulness of our Prunes! Join us in being happy proponents of this beloved fruit!

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