Prunes and Porridge
Joking Apart - They Do Go Well Together!
The French refer to prunes as plums, whereas we know them guardedly as dried plums - with just one purpose in mind. These maligned fruits have more to offer than bowel management. They are versatile, full of flavour and originate mainly from the town of Prune D’Agen in Aquitaine, which grows the plum of the same name.
Prunes on the Move
There are other varieties of plum to consider, such as the brignole from Brignoles in Provence, Carlsbad ”plums” which are large prunes from the Czech republic and the much smaller Quetsch plums from Alsace. Common to all is the process of partial dehydration by way of preservation, followed by a controlled measure of rehydration to restore succulence and texture.
It takes 1.5kg of plums to produce 1kg of prunes (1) due to loss of water, which intensifies the sweetness and prevents bacterial decay. Plums do not ferment during the drying process because of the high levels of sugar already present. The black colour is the result of cellular changes due to enzyme action, normally considered cosmetically unacceptable - but not for prunes.
An interesting fate awaits Quetsch and Agen plums, both used in the production of a brandy. The former is distilled into a dry, white unaged liquor, the latter into vintage Armagnac sometimes complete with submerged prunes. It does not stop there. Some meat and game dishes leave little to the imagination as in Lapin aux pruneaux (rabbit with prunes) or Lamb and Prune Tagine (stew). Traditional cock-a-leekie soup is also served with the same, added to improve the nutritional value of the broth - which originally used only boiling fowl as its basis. For those with a sweet tooth, prune mousses and soufflés may have had their day, but a more subtle approach is winning with compotes and tarts making a culinary comeback - and then there's always breakfast.
Anyone for Porridge?
The main nutrients in a serving of prunes are sugar and fibre, together with plenty of potassium, beta-carotene (vitamin A) and some iron (2). Immerse in milky porridge and you have a dietician's dream, a cornucopia of just about every nutrient a healthy person needs. More importantly, the energy value of the mixture (330kcals per 200g/7oz) has a medium to low glycaemic index (GI) because the carbohydrates are released slowly into the blood stream, giving you a sustained fuel supply to last the morning (3). This information is useful for weight-watchers, athletes and not least, diabetics. Another measure of sugar content is the glycaemic load (GL) which takes account of the actual amount of carbs eaten.
To calculate GL values:
GL = GI value x grams of carbohydrate / 100
For porridge, GL value = GI value of 58 x 22g / 100 = 12.8, which on the GL scale of 1- 20 is still quite low (4). The more you eat, the higher the GL rating, but could you really manage two bowls of porridge?
Food for Thought
It is this "fullness" or satiety produced by robust meals which keeps us from "bingeing" on otherwise poor quality snacks which produce a rapid rise in blood sugar followed by a "low". What we need is something to replace the "empty calories" in alcoholic drinks to moderate their less desirable addictive properties. Anyone for a prune smoothie?
References
- Davidson A. (2008). The Penguin Companion to Food. Penguin Books.
- Food Standards Agency (2002) The Composition of Foods. Royal Society of Chemistry.
- Bean A. (2006) The Complete Guide to Sports Nutrition. A & C Black.
- Denby N. & Baic S. (2006) The GL Diet for Dummies. John Wiley.
Positive Prunes
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