Pitted prunes may not look especially pretty in comparison to other more brightly coloured fruit, but they definitely pack a serious punch in the health department, so perhaps it might be time to stop judging a book by its cover and start indulging in some pruney goodness from time to time.

Prunes are simply dried plums and just a couple of these little treats will count as one of your five a day, so it’s a quick and easy way to help you hit your fruit and veg goals each day.

There are all sorts of potential health benefits that have been associated with prune consumption over the years, everything from helping to maintain strong and healthy bones and improving heart health to possibly reducing type 2 diabetes and helping to support proper bowel function and digestive health.

What you’ll most likely hear discussed where prunes are concerned is their fibre content – and prunes have a lot of soluble fibre in them, which can help to balance out cholesterol levels. It’s important not to overeat your prunes, however, since they’re a natural laxative so make sure you’re only having a moderate amount each day.

Looking for a delicious prune recipe to try out this week? What about checking out this one from the Great British Chefs website, featuring braised chicken drumstick fillets with prunes and saffron.

This is a nice and easy one-pot braise inspired by a Persian dish called khoresht aloo – which simply means prune stew! It should only take an hour or so to whip up and you can easily scale the ingredients up and down to account for how many mouths you need to feed.