Plums nutrition facts

 

Wonderfully delicious and juicy plums are botanically belongs to the family of rosaeae. The fruit is a drupe belonging to the genus: Prunus which also includes peaches, nectarine, almonds and damson. Scientific name: Prunus domestica.
The plant is best described as small tree or large shrub and widely cultivated in the United States, Europe, Japan and china. Many cultivars of plums are grown all over the world which differ in their color, size and growing characteristics based upon their country of origin. Generally, each variety of plum tree bears numerous, almost uniform sized fruits between May and September months.

Each fruit is about the size of medium sized tomato, measuring about 5-6 cm in diameter and weigh about 70 g. It has central depression at the stem side. Internally, the pulp is juicy and vary widely from creamy yellow, crimson, light blue or light green in color depending upon the cultivar type.
There is centrally placed single, smooth but hard stone like seed. Seeds are inedible.
It has sweet and tarty taste pulp with pleasant aroma. Some common cultivars of plums are: cherry plum, damson, blackthorn plum.

Health benefits of Plums

• Delicious, fleshy, succulent plums are low in calories and contain no saturated fats; but contain numerous health promoting compounds, minerals and vitamins.
  
• Certain health benefiting compounds present in the plum fruits, such as dietary fiber, sorbitol, and isatin are known to help regulate the functioning of the digestive system and thereby used in constipation conditions.
  
• Fresh plums are an excellent source of vitamin C, which is also a powerful natural antioxidant. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps body develop resistance against infectious agents, counter inflammation and scavenge harmful free radicals.
  
• Fresh plums, especially yellow Mirabelle type, are very good source of vitamin A and beta carotene. Vitamin A is essential for vision. It is also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin. Consumption of natural fruits rich in vitamin A known to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.
  
• The fruit is also good in health promoting flavonoid poly phenolic antioxidants such as lutein, cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin in significant amounts. These compounds help act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play a role in aging and various disease process.  zeaxanthin, an important dietary carotenoid selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea where it is thought to provide antioxidant and protective light-filtering functions.
  
• Plums are rich in minerals like potassium, fluoride and iron. Iron is required for red blood cell formation. Potassium in an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure.
  
• Rich in B-complex group of vitamins such as niacin, vitamin B-6 and pantothenic acid. These vitamins are acting as cofactors help body metabolize carbohydrates, proteins and fats. They also provide about 5% RDA levels of vitamin K. Vitamin K is essential for many clotting factors function in the blood as well as in bone metabolism and helps reduce Alzheimer's disease in the elderly.
  

Selection and storage

Plums are available year round but they are at their best between May till September. In the store, look for fresh fruits featuring rich color and may still have a slight whitish "bloom," indicating that they have not been over handled. Avoid those ones with excessively soft, or with cuts or bruises.  Ripen fruits yield to gentle pressure and features sweet aroma.

Slightly hard mature plums can be kept at room temperature till they ripen. Ripe ones can be placed in the refrigerator but should be bring to room temperature before being eaten to enjoy their rich flavor. Dry plums called as prunes can be stored at room temperature for few days.

Preparation and serving method

Wash plums in cold running water just before using.  Fresh ripe plums should be enjoyed as a whole along with skin. 

Incise lengthwise deeply till the hard seed felt and then remove the seed. Skin may be peeled off using paring knife as in apples. However, its peel not only provides good fiber content but also contains some health benefiting anti-oxidant pigments. Therefore, just wash the fruit and enjoy without discarding the skin. They can also be baked or stewed.

Here are some serving tips:

• Plum sections are a great addition to salads.
  
• The fruits are being used in the preparation of pie, desserts, jams and jellies.
  
• They can also be used in a variety of recipes and are usually baked or poached.
  
• Dried plums in general known as prunes are added to muffins, cakes, ice-creams...etc as in other dry fruits like raisins, apricots and figs.