bonnie_webBonnie: Oh, what change of name can do! Think Archibald Leach to Cary Grant, Chinese gooseberry to kiwi fruit, and the prune to the dried plum.

It was as recently as 2000 when the dowdy prune (known best at that time for its laxative properties) got a $10 million makeover into the dried plum. That change improved both its image and sale from an old-people’s food to a smart, hip one. Prunes are out; dried plums are in.

Today’s FeaturedBite is about Sunsweet Plum Amazins, the latest adaptation of that nutritious fruit, all diced up and ready to be used anywhere you might toss in raisins or Craisins. I suggest you continue to use both, as each is a nutritious, delicious fruit snack with its own merits and flavor profile.

Nutritionally, diced plums contain 100 calories, no fat, 3 grams fiber and 13 grams sugars per ¼ cup or 1.4 ounces (40 grams) diced fruit. That’s more fiber, less sugar and fewer calories than raisins or Craisins.

I’ve tossed Sunsweet Plum Amazins into one of my tossed salads, with no one noticing. My friends — who were engaged in a lively conversation — probably thought they were raisins! Midway through the salad, I did share that they were diced plums; that announcement ended with rave reviews! One dinner guest was thrilled, as she no longer needed to take the time to cut up prunes to add them to her yogurt!

They are good in a bowl of cold or hot cereal, in pancakes, yogurt, cookies or pretty much anyplace you’d add raisins. I also like them just for snacking! Do give them a try!

Bryan: We’ve written about and sung the praises of Sunsweet dried fruits before. When you have a product this good, why not continue to talk about it? The simple fact is: Most Americans do not eat enough fruits and vegetables. What this deficiency leads to is an underconsumption of natural fiber, as well as essential vitamins and minerals. Yes, you can make much of this up with a general multivitamin, but you’re not going to get your fiber with such a supplement.

Now, I understand that actually trying to eat the full suggested servings of fruits and vegetables each day seems a daunting task. If you really get into the concept of the food pyramid, your fruit and vegetable intake will be quite a substantial pile of produce. Ahh, but modern civilization allows you to consume more with less. Though we are not yet at the futuristic level of the “Jetsons” (where you can get all your nutrients from single pill), we do have a number of innovative fruit-fiber delivery options to consider in the modern world. You can always turn to a V8-style juice drink, loaded with fruits and vegetables. It is certainly easier to drink your fruits and vegetables than it is to eat the equivalent. Then again, you can also go the dried-fruit route. What makes the serving size so frighteningly large is all that water. Remove the water, and you’ve got a reasonably sized pile of food to work with, and all the fiber and nutrients remain!

While the term “prune” still causes a negative reaction in many people, that fruit is are severely misunderstood. So today, forget the word prune forever and focus your attention on dried plums. Dried plums sound great. don’t they? They are great, and Sunsweet’s Plum Amazins are exactly what the doctor ordered (no, seriously, your doctor would want to you eat these).

Sunsweet Plum Amazins have a wonderful, concentrated flavor, with plums surviving the drying process better than most other fruits that can get slightly rubbery. This is a truly healthy addition to any diet and the new Sunsweet Plum Amazins version takes this wonderful snack to a whole different level of simplicity.

Eric: Now this product is a hard sell,  not because of its nutrition and the taste, but merely for the association most people make with the product. Honestly, how many people do you know who would voluntarily purchase prunes? That’s right, prunes — nature’s brown, gooey, misshapen laxatives that are a staple of the bridge tables in Florida. I don’t know of many friends who would dig into a bag of prunes with a smile, but I can’t say the same for some of the prunes’ cousins — dried apricots, dried cherries, dried cranberries. Wait a second. There seems to be a common thread with all of the cousins, but not with the prune. Why is the word “dried” used with everything else but the prune? Strange — or simply, marketing.

Through the miracle of modern day Marketing, the prune has been transformed into the almighty “dried plum,” (a true foodie metamorphosis). The dried plum sounds sexy — and to most novice Epicureans, it sounds new. And what better way of touting a new product than to sell it in the form that helped revitalize the world of dried fruit of the; the mini bite. The purpose of the mini bite, better known as the “Craisin,” or the current product, the “Amazin,” is to help incorporate a serving of fruit into everyday meals. Eating a salad? Sprinkle a little fruit on it. Cottage cheese and yogurt? Sprinkle a little fruit on it. Building a cheese plate? Absolutely sprinkle a little fruit on it…

Sunsweet Plum Amazins are nothing more than chopped-up dried plums, but they are amazing. Chock full of nutrition, low in sugar and bursting with taste, these little morsels of natural sweetness will absolutely help to add a sprinkle of flavor to your daily routine.