February 2019: The California Prune Board is throwing its weight behind the UK bread industry’s Fibre February campaign this month, with mouth-watering recipes containing the fibre-packed fruit.
Fibre February, led by the Flour Advisory Bureau (FAB), has been launched with the aim of encouraging UK consumers to up their daily intake of fibre to the recommended 30g/day[i].
Health studies show that increasing dietary fibre is not only key for good digestive health, regular bowel movements and a reduction in constipation, it can also reduce the risk of diseases like diabetes, heart disease and bowel cancer[ii].
Esther Ritson-Elliott, Director of International Marketing Communications for the California Prune Board, explains why they have got involved in the campaign. She says: “As a proven source of fibre, prunes are a simple way for people to up their fibre intake from the current average of around 18g/day. California prunes are premium quality products and as well as high in fibre, they’re also high in vitamin K and potassium, and a source of copper, vitamin B6 and manganese.”
Prunes have been highly regarded for their health benefits for years, with 2018 research from King’s College London[iii] showing that adding just 80g of prunes daily to the diets of low fibre consumers can dramatically increase fibre intake by 29 per cent. Prunes are also the only natural, whole and dried fruit to have been officially authorised as beneficial for digestive health by the EU Commission. With a fibre content of 7.1g/100g, eating 100g of California prunes daily (roughly 8-12) contributes to normal bowel function.
Esther adds: “As eating around 8-12 California prunes can provide almost a quarter of the recommended daily amount of fibre, we wanted to support Fibre February campaign and help consumers up their intake with our own range of delicious bread recipes.”
The recipes, which all feature the versatile California prune, include a tasty brioche and a delicious soda bread, and can be found at www.californiaprunes.co.uk.