Plumps might look small, but they are wonderfully juicy and delicious. Some people prefer to eat them raw; some go ahead and make plum jam; and others use them to prepare plum wine. However you choose to enjoy these sweet fruits, one thing remains certain – you are in for a healthy treat!
Nutritional Value of Plums
A mid-size plum, about the size of a small tomato, contains an assortment of vitamins and minerals that are important for your well being. We are talking about Vitamin A, B, C, E and K, as well as zinc, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, fluoride, and potassium. The fruit is also known to be rich in dietary fiber, offering low calories and not a single harmful fat. A healthy fruit indeed!
Top 11 Plum Benefits
1. Helps regulates your bowel movements
If need a remedy that is tried and tested to regulate your bowel movement then you are in luck because plums are known to do just that! Each prune from dried plums contains about one gram of fiber that helps maintain your bowel movements. You can choose to eat this fruit fresh from the tree or use it to make some delicious yogurt and granola. To maximize on the benefits, just make sure that you have soaked about a handful of prunes in boiled water, letting them to cool before refrigeration.
2. Gives you strong bones
Yes they do. Hear this out: According to research conducted by two state universities, there was conclusive evidence of higher bone mineral density in the fore arms and spines of candidates that had a 12 month diet of prunes. This was confirmed by categorizing two groups of postmenopausal women, with one group being subjected to take 100 grams of prunes while the other took 100 grams of dried apples. The group that took prunes ended up with higher bone mineral density. You see? More plums mean stronger bones!
3. Helps mange high blood pressure and protects your heart
It us surely heartwarming to know that a medium sized plum is well able to help protect your hear and even reduce chances of a stroke coming your way. A good plum diet can even go further and protects your body against cancer thanks to the 113 mg of potassium and anthocyanin - the bluish-red coating that mops up dangerous cancer causing radicals from your body.
4. Help lower blood sugar levels
If you want to stay free from diabetes and still enjoy sweet delicacies, add plums to your diet you will be glad you did. Research has it that this little red fruit actually has a low glycemic index ranking making it a good treat for reducing risks of diabetes and controlling your blood sugar levels. It contains fewer calories and no harmful fats at all.
5. Improves your memory
Well if you dint know, eating about four prunes will go a long way towards neutralizing radicals that damage cells affecting your memory. Each fruit contains enough vitamin B-12, which is an essential mineral for the health of your brain. Consuming plums offers a great way of always staying on top of things especially if you usually have a tight schedule that needs to be managed fast.
6. Acts as a detoxifying agent
A good diet of plums can help your body detoxify, cleaning out all the toxic substances in your body. Wonder how? Well plums contain diuretic components and antioxidants that work to remove toxins from your system, leaving you fresh and clean. And yes, this means less detoxification job by the liver.
7. Helps regulate your muscle contraction
If suffer from muscle pains, a good remedy would be adapting to a consistent diet of plums. It contains magnesium that is important towards regulating and controlling nervous impulses and muscle contraction in your body.
8. Essential for pregnant women
If you want to give the best health to your unborn bundle of joy, then go the plum way and you won’t be disappointed. Plums contain a generous amount of folic acid that help assist your body in the production and supply of folate , and important compound for pregnant women. A few plums every day (or when the season is in) and your fetus will grow healthy and strong.
9. It’s a rich source of soluble fiber
Your body uses soluble fiber for various ways. First of all, when the liver produces bile to breakdown the fats in your body, the soluble fiber comes in to inhibit the production of more cholesterol from the liver. This is possible because of the demand that soluble fiber puts to the liver. Production of more bile therefore means low cholesterol levels in your blood.
10. Gives you improved eyesight
As we age, most of our body organs tend to lose their strength which is a natural thing. The eyes are not left out in this aging process. But what if you had a way to help maintain good eyesight and healthy skin, would you take it? A good diet of plums will give your body the much needed vitamin A that is required by your eyes and skin. These fruits contain beta-carotene that can go beyond your eyes and protect your oral cavity and lungs from cancer. Fortunately this method of keeping healthy eyesight and a healthy body won’t cost you a leg and an arm. Plums are relatively inexpensive.
11. Improves your blood circulation
Plums have the capacity of increasing the absorption of iron into your body enabling it to make healthy red blood cells. How does the plum do this? Well it contains a good concentration of vitamin C that is mostly required in the formation of red blood cells. By improving the production of these cells the fruit gives you better blood circulation and protects you from diseases such as anemia.
Plums are surely godsend fruits. They come with lots of health benefits thanks to their rich mineral and nutrient constituents. As you plan your diet, do not forget to include this wonderful fruit and you will not regret it.