What Are Pluot Fruits?
Pluots are hybrid fruits. They are a cross between a plum and an apricot fruit. These fruits are almost 75 percent plum and 25 percent apricot, though some growers of this fruit may opt for the ratio of 70 percent plum and 30 percent apricot as well respectively.
A pluot has an acidic flavor similar to the plum and tastes more like the plum fruits only. Because these fruits are quite new over the decades in the commercial markets, many individuals are confused about their nutritional content or facts.
According to the current nutrition facts, the stone fruit is known to be a very low-calorie source of several essential micronutrients just like the plum fruits, particularly being a good source of vitamin C as well as potassium.
What Is the Nutritional Content of Pluot?
The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) currently does not provide any specific nutrition facts as such for pluots.
However, according to current nutrition research, the pluots are a good source of carbohydrates, approximately yielding 19 grams (0.041 pounds) per single serving (equivalent to two pluot fruits). Most of the carbohydrates are only the form of naturally occurring sugars, along with small portions of essential fruit fiber that one can derive (around 0.006 pounds).
Pluots further are known to have a low glycemic index and a low glycemic load that can suit both pre-diabetic and diabetic individuals. These fruits are more similar to plums in terms of their nutritional content, which indicates that they can be a part of low-calorie as well as diabetic diets, possibly preventing blood sugar spikes in individuals.
More scientific research is however needed to establish this benefit. Pluots are further fat-free foods with absolutely zero pounds in a single serving or two pluot fruit pieces. This means that the fruit can be an easy add-on to low-fat diets as well. If the registered healthcare professional or nutritionist has restricted fat intake, one can consult them regarding the alternative low-fat foods that one can consume such as pluot fruits.
These fruits are not good sources of protein with only one gram (0.002 pounds) of protein yielded from roughly consuming two pluots. This is also nearly the same amount of protein one can gain from eating two plums or the same amount of protein in two apricots. A single serving of pluot fruit can yield upto 226 milligrams (0.0005 pounds) of potassium that can exert a cardioprotective effect. This fruit also comprises or contributes upto 10 percent of the daily vitamin C requirement, along with some amounts of vitamin A.
What Are the Promising Health Benefits of Pluot Fruits?
Because these fruits have not yet been investigated scientifically, the nutrition facts according to nutrition experts are likely to resemble that of the plum fruit, with a few benefits of the apricot fruit combined as well. Here are some of the promising health benefits of pluot hybrid fruits that need to be further investigated by nutrition research :
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The vitamin C contained in a pluot would provide certain health benefits, such as cellular immunity, and also slow down the aging process while being beneficial to skin health as well. Vitamin C as we know is an important water-soluble vitamin that is responsible for preventing oxidative stress in the body and can fight harmful free radicals from circulation in the body.
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Plums usually consist of several phytonutrient compounds, particularly known as phenols, that exert antioxidant effects. Antioxidants again can help prevent cell damage that can lead to chronic illnesses, cancers, and cardiovascular diseases. Hence, consuming a pluot fruit would possibly yield the same phytonutrients that are found in plums.
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Plums (and pluots) contain loads of soluble fiber that can be heart-healthy or cardio-protective, particularly helpful in reducing the bad cholesterol or LDL (low-density lipoproteins) cholesterol levels in the blood.
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Limited but effective research studies have shown that plum consumption could be possibly associated with improvement in cardiovascular health.
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Several cohort studies indicate that increased consumption of certain whole fruits like plums and apricots is usually associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes (a condition that affects the way the body processes glucose or sugar). As pluot fruits are a mix of plums and apricots, both of which are fruits with a low glycemic index, they can be possibly beneficial to both pre-diabetic and diabetic patients.
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Because these fruits are rich in vitamin C and contain some amounts of vitamin A, just like plum fruits, regular consumption of these vitamin-rich fruits can possibly boost eye health or even prevent age-related macular degeneration.
What Are the Ways to Use Pluot Fruits?
Pluots can be eaten raw or experimented with in versatile ways, especially for jam, pie recipes, or even for delicious add-ons to fruit salads or veggie salads. These fruits can be stored in the refrigerator for upto one week usually or at room temperature where they can last for upto three days after their purchase. Be cautious to purchase these delicious fruits only if they are soft in consistency, rather like one would pick plums. Avoid fruits that are bruised or cracked as they would be possibly contaminated. These sweet fruits can be available in organic retail stores or at farmer’s markets or even commercially in many parts of the world based on local availability.
Do Pluot Fruits Cause Allergies?
There currently exist more than 80 varieties of different coloured pluot fruits that are imported across the globe ranging from yellow to red. Though there exist no specific medical reports of pluot allergy, some individuals with a history of pollen allergies or fruit allergies particularly to plums or apricots (because of the protein in the fruit resembling pollen) or people with birch pollen allergies would possibly face reactions to pluot fruits.
If any person observes any possible allergic reactions like itching in the mouth and throat, hives, abdominal pain, and vomiting after consuming a pluot fruit or a plum or an apricot, one might possibly have a birch pollen or pollen allergy. One should consult a registered healthcare professional or allergist immediately for evaluation in such cases.
Conclusion
Pluot fruits are hybrid fruits that are almost 75 percent plum and 25 percent apricot. Pluots have a low glycemic index and a low-calorie intake. They are low-fat fruits of promising nutritional significance and can be incorporated into any healthy diet form. More scientific research is needed to establish the nutritional benefits of pluot fruits.
