11 Health Benefits of Plums and Nutrition

Peaches, nectarines, and apricots are all members of the same fruit family as plums. However, plums have a much wider variety than their cousins the stone fruits. They can be big or small, with pink, yellow, or orange flesh and red, purple, green, or orange skin.

Plums provide salads and sweets a gentle sweetness, but their health advantages are the best part of the deal.

The fiber and antioxidants in plums, both fresh and dried, are present. They might improve your general health and aid in reducing constipation.They include phenols such anthocyanins, which help improve memory and reduce inflammation.

Plums are very nutrient-dense and provide a number of health advantages.

Plums can be eaten fresh or dried. Prunes, or dried plums, have a reputation for easing a number of medical issues, including osteoporosis and constipation.

When the fruit is fresh, it is referred to as a prune, and vice versa.  This delicious fruit, which has a lovely reddish-blue hue, is incredibly nutritious and notably high in potassium. This fruit is low in calories and high in antioxidants, which helps to maintain and strengthen immunity.  Additionally, eating Plum helps you lose weight, improves your cardiovascular health, increases blood flow, and even fights cancer.

Plum Health Advantages:

The vitamin C in plums aids in blood vessel formation, muscular growth, and wound healing in the body. It benefits your eyes as well.

Additional benefits of plums for your health include:

1-Heart Disease:

Plum eating is beneficial for our hearts because it keeps our cardiovascular system in good shape. Eating plums improves blood flow through our arteries and lowers our risk of developing a number of cardiac conditions, including atherosclerosis, heart attacks, and heart strokes.

 A 2013 study titled "Polyphenols: Benefits to the Cardiovascular System in Health and in Aging" that was published in the US National Library of Medicine supports the effectiveness of Plum in maintaining cardiovascular system health.

2-Supports Loss of Weight and Fights Obesity:

Plums are a wonderful source of dietary fiber, which is crucial for weight loss since it makes us feel satisfied for a long time and lessens our desire to eat frequently. Consuming plums is advantageous for those who are overweight because it is successful in treating both the condition's problems and obesity.

The plum fruit contains bioactive substances like flavonoids and phenolic compounds that help prevent metabolic syndrome and encourage weight loss.

3-Relieves Constipation:

Plums are high in fiber and aid in the treatment of constipation. Plums' phenolic compounds have laxative properties.Prunes and plums both support gastrointestinal lubrication. They contain a lot of sorbitol, a sugar alcohol that has laxative properties naturally.

Additionally enhancing stool regularity and consistency and thereby enhancing gastrointestinal function are prunes (dried plums). Compared to psyllium, a plantain whose seeds are used as laxatives, regular use of prunes can improve stool consistency more effectively.

4-Anxiety:

 A plum a day could help to reduce anxiety. Anxiety levels can rise when your antioxidant levels are low.

Regular consumption of plums is highly advantageous for reducing anxiety and other related diseases and defending against oxidative stress. This is explained by the fact that plums contain chlorogenic acid.

5-Stroke and High Blood Pressure:

Plums include potassium, which benefits blood pressure management in two ways. It eases stress in the blood vessel walls and aids in your body's removal of sodium through urination. Your risk of suffering a stroke decreases as your blood pressure goes down.

6-Abundant in Antioxidants:

These compounds shield the body from the cell and tissue deterioration that can cause diabetes, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and cancer.

Due to their abundance in phytonutrients (such as Vitamin C) and antioxidants, plums are particularly good at preventing oxidative damage to our body cells. These substances combat our body's free radicals and stabilize them. The important fats in our bodily cells, especially the membranes of our neurons, are protected from oxidative damage by the plum fruit.

7-Bone Health:

Consuming prunes is linked to a lower incidence of osteoporosis. The best fruit for halting and reversing bone loss is thought to be the plum.

Dried plums improve bone mass density. According to several studies, rutin, a bioactive substance found in plums, may be the cause of this effect. To precisely understand how and why plums support bone health, more research is necessary.

The presence of vitamin K in plums suggests even another benefit for the bones. This nutrient aids in balancing calcium levels inside the body, enhancing bone health. Due to their higher vitamin K content, dried plums can be much more advantageous in this regard.

Additionally, dried plums are a great food to keep postmenopausal women's bones strong. Plums also have certain phytonutrients that protect against oxidative damage. Oxidative stress can make bones porous and easily fracture-prone, which frequently exacerbates osteoporosis.

8-Lower Blood Sugar Levels:

 Plums are stuffed with fiber, which helps prevent a blood sugar increase after consuming carbohydrates. They can also increase the amount of adiponectin your body produces, a hormone that aids in controlling your blood sugar levels.

Here, the numerous bioactive substances found in plums are at work. These are copper, potassium, boron, vitamin K1, quinic acid, chlorogenic acids, and sorbitol. Together, these nutrients reduce the chance of developing diabetes.

Plums can improve insulin sensitivity, which helps with diabetes management. These effects can be related to the phenolic substances in plums.

9-Might Reduce Cancer Risk:

According to a study, dried plums' fiber and polyphenol content may assist to change certain risk factors for colon cancer.

Plums are particularly effective at reducing our risk of developing a number of cancers, including breast and liver cancer. The antioxidants, including vitamin C, and phytonutrients present in plums give them their ability to fight cancer. These antioxidants control these free radicals and stop them from harming our bodily cells through oxidation. 

10-Might Improve Immunity:

Plums are a good source of vitamin C, an antioxidant that supports the immune system in our bodies. The immune system in our bodies is crucial to maintaining our health since it boosts immunity while battling infections and germs that cause disease.

11-Controls the Levels of Cholesterol:

Regular consumption of dried plums or prunes is particularly useful in preserving good cholesterol levels. This is explained by the fact that plums contain dietary fiber. Dietary fiber contributes to lower levels of bad cholesterol (LDL cholesterol) and higher levels of good cholesterol (HDL cholesterol) in our bodies.

They are Full of Nutrients:

Prunes and plums have an incredibly high nutritional content. They also have fiber and antioxidants, in addition to over 15 other vitamins and minerals.

The nutritional characteristics of plums and prunes are shown in the table below.

Plums:

Despite having a fair amount of vital vitamins and minerals, plums have few calories. The following nutrients are found in one plum:

30 calories

Carbs 8 grams

Fiber  1 gram 

Sugars  7 grams 

Vitamin A  5% of the RDI 

Vitamin C  10% of the RDI 

Vitamin K  5% of the RDI 

Potassium  3% of the RDI 

Copper 2% of the RDI 

Manganese  2% of the RDI 

A little amount of B vitamins, phosphorus, and magnesium are also included in one plum.

Prunes:

Prunes contain more calories per pound than plums do. The following can be found in a serving of one ounce (28 grams) of prunes:

67 calories 

Carbs  18 grams 

Fiber  2 grams

Sugars  11 grams 

Vitamin A  4% of the RDI 

Vitamin K  21% of the RDI 

Vitamin B2  3% of the RDI 

Vitamin B3  3% of the RDI 

Vitamin B6  3% of the RDI 

Potassium  6% of the RDI 

Copper  4% of the RDI 

Manganese  4% of the RDI 

Magnesium 3% of the RDI 

Phosphorus  2% of the RDI 

Overall, plums and prunes have a slightly different vitamin and mineral value per serving. Prunes have a slightly higher concentration of B vitamins and minerals and more vitamin K than plums.

Additionally, compared to fresh plums, prunes contain more calories, fiber, and carbs.

Risks And Warnings When Eating Plum Fruit:

Risks of Kidney and Bladder Stones are Increased:

Oxalate content is high in plums, which reduces calcium absorption. Patients at risk for kidney and bladder stones should speak with their doctor before consuming this fruit because oxalate and calcium deposits can cause these conditions.

Acidic Content:

Plums are in the same league as tangerines, oranges, green apples, pineapples, lemons, limes, and grapefruits. If the acidity of the aforementioned fruits prevents you from eating them, you should also refrain from eating plum.

May Conflict with some Medications:

Although plums have a wealth of nutritional advantages, when consumed in large quantities they may interact with some drugs and medications. For instance, plums' tendency to lower blood sugar is not advised for those who have an upcoming surgery. Such individuals should abstain from eating plums for at least two weeks before the procedure.