Plums belong to the same family as peaches, nectarines, and apricots. They can be large or small, with red, purple, green, yellow, or orange skin and pink, yellow, or orange flesh.
They first grew in China thousands of years ago. The plums then made their way to Japan, parts of Europe, and America. Today, more than 2000 varieties grow all over the world.
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Prunes add a subtle sweetness to salads and desserts, but their health benefits are the juiciest part of the package.
Plum Health Benefits
The vitamin C in plums helps your body heal, build muscle, and form blood vessels. It’s also great for your eyes.
Here are other ways plums are good for your health:
heart disease
The phytochemicals and nutrients in plums reduce the inflammation that triggers heart disease.
The anxiety
A plum a day can drive away anxiety. When your antioxidants are low, anxiety can be high.
constipation relief
Plums, like prunes, can also help keep things moving through your system. They are high in sorbitol, a sugar alcohol that acts as a natural laxative.
High blood pressure and stroke
The potassium in plums is good for blood pressure control in two ways. It helps your body get rid of sodium when you urinate and decreases the stress on the walls of your blood vessels. When your blood pressure is lower, your chances of having a stroke decrease.
Rich in antioxidants
These substances protect the body against cell and tissue damage that can lead to diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and cancer.
lower blood sugar
Prunes are packed with fiber, which helps reduce the spike in blood sugar after eating carbohydrates. They can also increase the body’s production of adiponectin, a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar levels.
bone health
Animal research shows that prunes (dried plums) can help reduce bone loss and even reverse it.
Prune Nutrients
Plums and prunes are incredibly rich in nutrients. They contain more than 15 different vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber and antioxidants.
Here is an overview of the nutritional profiles of plums and prunes.
plums
Plums are relatively low in calories, but they do contain a good amount of important vitamins and minerals. A plum contains the following nutrients:
calories: 30
carbohydrates: 8 grams
Fiber: 1 gram
sugars: 7 grams
Vitamin A: 5% of the IDR
Vitamin C: 10% of the IDR
vitamin K: 5% of the IDR
Potassium: 3% of the IDR
Copper: 2% of the IDR
Manganese: 2% of the IDR
Additionally, a plum provides a small amount of B vitamins, phosphorus, and magnesium (1).
Prunes
By weight, prunes have more calories than plums. A 1-ounce (28-gram) serving of prunes contains the following (2):
calories: 67
carbohydrates: 18 grams
Fiber: 2 grams
sugars: 11 grams
Vitamin A: 4% of the IDR
vitamin K: 21% of the IDR
vitamin B2: 3% of the IDR
vitamin B3: 3% of the IDR
vitamin B6: 3% of the IDR
Potassium: 6% of the IDR
Copper: 4% of the IDR
Manganese: 4% of the IDR
Magnesium: 3% of the IDR
Match: 2% of the IDR
In general, the vitamin and mineral content of a serving of plums and prunes differs slightly. Prunes contain more vitamin K than plums and are somewhat higher in B vitamins and minerals.
Alsoprunes are higher in calories, fiber and carbohydrates than fresh plums.