What Are the Nutrition Content of Plums?
Plums are stone fruits that grow on trees with fragile, smooth skin for consistency and juicy flesh. These are sweet-tasting fruit tarts that are packed with a lot of purple-pigmented compounds known as anthocyanins (similar to those found in eggplants). The anthocyanins present in plums offer a lot of systemic health benefits. Plums are also mildly concentrated forms of prunes which are very low calorie and can be used to treat constipation as a home remedy in many cultures because of the high fiber content both in plums and prunes. A single plum contains only about 30 calories and is still packed with fiber and trace amounts of vitamins and minerals. Plums can be consumed as a snack anytime without any worry about weight gain because of their low-calorie content. They can be added to or consumed in between the daily meals. One medium-sized plum, which would weigh approximately 2.3 ounces, can yield an individual with a total of 30 Kilocalories, 0.3 ounces of carbohydrates, 0.02 ounces of protein, and 0.01 ounces of fat.
Plums being good sources of vitamin C, vitamin A, and fiber, have great nutritious content. The following nutrition information is enclosed below as provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA):
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Fiber: 0.05 ounces.
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Sugars: 0.35 ounces.
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Protein: 0.02 ounces.
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Vitamin C: 0.33 ounces.
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Vitamin A: 0.0000006 ounces.
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Fat: 0.01 ounces.
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Sodium: 0 ounces.
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Carbohydrates: 0.4 ounces.
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Total Calories: 30 Kilocalories.
What Are the Types of Plums?
There are thirteen different types of plums. They include
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Black ruby plums.
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Black beauty plums.
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Elephant heart plums.
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Black amber plums.
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Simca plums.
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Greengage plums.
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Danson plums.
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Moyer plums.
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Mirabelle plums.
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Santa Rosa plums.
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Friar plums.
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Italian prune plums.
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Apricot crossover spices.
What Are the Health Benefits of Plums?
Though Plums may not be a significant source of vitamins or minerals, in particular, one can gain nearly 0.0002 ounces of vitamin C (which is around 10 percent of the daily recommended intake for vitamin C) and also trace or small amounts of vitamin K, potassium, copper, and manganese. Some health benefits of plums are as follows:
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Protects Against Cellular Damage: The vitamin C content or ascorbic acid in plums ensures essential reparative processes in cells, supports the immune system and also slows down the aging mechanism in the body. The phenolic compounds act as antioxidants along with the numerous micronutrients that protect against cellular damage and restore healthy cell functions and metabolism in the body.
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Cardioprotective: The presence of phytonutrients in specific phenols has known antioxidant benefits that would be cancer-protective, prevent cardiovascular disease, and also prevent neurodegenerative diseases on regular consumption. The anthocyanins in plums are also useful in reducing blood pressure. Additionally, LDL (low-density lipoprotein) or bad cholesterol would also be reduced by regular consumption of fresh plum fruits.
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Lowers the Risk for Type 2 Diabetes: Plums are low glycemic index (GI) fruits meaning they are ideal for prediabetics and diabetics as well. Greater consumption of plum fruit is also linked to reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to nutrition research. Nutritionists would recommend the consumption of whole fresh plum fruit and not in juice forms because most commercial products have added sugar content that is not good for diabetic patients.
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Boosts Bone Health: The high phenolic compounds present in plum fruit are capable of boosting bone health, especially in post-menopausal phases in women, according to current medical research.
What Is the Possibility of Allergies From Plum and Added Chemicals?
Individuals may be prone to plum allergies, and if they have a previous history or suspect an allergy post plum consumption, they must reach out to their healthcare provider. Also, these people with plum allergies should refrain from consuming cooked plums or plum juices. Plums would also be capable of causing digestive issues like bloating and diarrhea in people suffering from gastrointestinal problems or those suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Current research suggests that a considerable measure of acrylamide is found in some prune products. Acrylamides, a chemical used in commercial food products during preparation or after drying out plums, have a possibility of causing allergies. Although the evidence suggests that traces of this chemical found in prune juices, or plums can cause no harm in humans. Therefore, It is best to consume fresh plums instead.
How Should Plum Be Purchased, Stored, and Used for Culinary?
Purchase: Fresh plums are available almost from June to October, with their peak season of August. One must buy plumpy and even colored sweet-smelling plums free from blemishes. Rock-hard plums should never be purchased, and the plum should have a soft core while touching it.
There are two main types of plums available most commonly across the globe; these are the European plums and the Japanese plums. The European plums are usually blue colored though they can also come in red and black varieties. The flesh color plums usually range from a yellowish-gold to a reddish-purple color. Green plums are also ripe, while the European plums are dried and often eaten as prunes.
Storage: Fresh plums can be refrigerated for about two to three days, up to that after purchasing them. They can also be stored at room temperature in a paper bag to ripen just in case for one to two days.
Culinary Use: Ideally, plums are best consumed as fresh fruit snacks, while one can also add them in a variety of cooking methods. They are commonly grilled, poached, and used for making desserts, such as plum pies, tarts, and cobblers. People may often find plum jams and sauces in delicious flavors in most cuisines. To add a bit of fruity color to the vegetable or normal fruit salads, one can just add a few chopped plums over the salads for a sweet flavor. Plums can also be added for the sweet tinge over spicy salsas.
Conclusion:
Plums are nutritious and sweet fruits that are loaded with great systemic benefits apart from their wide range of uses in the kitchen. Fresh fruit consumption is always more recommended than consuming it with added sugars as in juice forms or as jams, pies, sauces, or jellies, as that can lower the nutrition content considerably of these healthy fruits.
