Don’t bite your thumb on the plum.
Plums, long lauded for their laxative properties, often take second place to summer’s sexiest fruits like cherries, blackberries and peaches – but nutritionists say you shouldn’t sleep on this superfood.
Plums are low in calories but high in fiber, sweetness and antioxidants. They also contain 15 different vitamins and minerals, providing countless benefits to the body. The fruit is also known to promote gut, heart and bone health.
Plums are rich in soluble fiber, which aids digestion and satiety. Because fiber is a carbohydrate that the body cannot digest, it passes through the digestive system relatively intact.
Fiber reduces inflammation, allows the body to maintain regular bowel function and consistency, helps store food in the body, and stabilizes blood sugar.
On average, plums contain 1 to 1.5 grams of fiber, which is a significant amount considering their small size.
Jaclyn Fodor, a registered dietitian in Boston and owner of Nutrition Counseling of New England, previously told the Post, “Fiber helps digestion because insoluble fiber bulks up stools and helps them move through the digestive tract more efficiently. Fiber also stimulates the muscles in the intestines to induce rhythmic contractions known as peristalsis.
In addition to promoting bowel movements, prunes are an excellent source of potassium and magnesium.
Grace Derocha, registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, tells TODAY.com, “Potassium helps balance sodium in your body, which helps maintain healthy blood pressure. And magnesium has benefits for bone health.”
Derocha notes that prunes are loaded with antioxidants that can fight oxidative stress, preserve blood blood pressure and improving heart health. Among these antioxidants are anthocyanins, which are linked to metabolic and cognitive improvement.
Prunes or prunes have the same nutrients as fresh, albeit in higher concentrations.
Concentrated levels of flavonoids and phenols, which contain anti-inflammatory, anti-aging and antioxidant benefits, are a real boon to the body. Meanwhile, the concentrated combination of high fiber and sorbitol in prunes can help balance bowel movements.
However, too many plums can cause serious stomach upset.
Both prunes and prunes contain vitamin K, which helps the body heal wounds and build healthy bones.
However, because vitamin K helps the body to clot blood, those taking blood-thinning medications should be aware of consuming too much of it. Experts agree that a sudden increase in the amount of vitamin K you consume can cause problems, so check with your doctor to learn more.
Another potential risk? The pit of a plum.
The seed inside the stone fruit contains amygdalin, a compound that converts to cyanide and can be toxic if ingested.
According to the National Center for Capital Poison Control, ingesting a small amount of cyanide can cause serious symptoms.
“Be very careful when biting into or cutting into a plum. You want to try to avoid getting any of the seed pieces in your mouth,” warns Derocha.
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