So tender and moist. Deliciously sweet meats. Conveniently pitted. Eat them as is, or use to add moisture and replace fat in baking. Prunes have more than twice the level of antioxidants than other high scoring fruits, such as raisins, blueberries or blackberries, according to a study by U.S. Dept. of Agriculture scientists at Tufts University. In fact, all four of those fruits have more oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) units, which are used to determine the value of antioxidants in food, than such top-scoring vegetables as kale, spinach, brussels sprouts, alfalfa sprouts or broccoli flowers, which many consumers incorrectly perceive are healthier than let's say, raisins. Moreover, many fruits like raisins or prunes provide a good dose of dietary fiber, which may reduce the risk of some types of cancer and help reduce cholesterol levels, in some cases.
