Health Benefits of Plums and Sample Recipe

Plum is one of the fruits most people enjoy eating. Coming from the subgenus Prunus of the genus of the same nomenclature, the fruit is seen as distinct from other subgenera, such as cherries, bird cherries, and peaches. As a diverse group of species, plums also have health benefits.

- Advertisements -

General Nutrients

Plums are rich in vitamins and minerals. According to World’s Healthiest Foods, plum contains vitamin C, vitamin K, copper, potassium, and fiber. Vitamin C is known to boost the body’s immune system and proctect the body from infection and illness. It also promotes collagen function, which acts as cement to bind loose cells and tissues. Hence, it can prevent skin sagging and aging. Copper is vital in the proper functioning of the body organs and metabolism while potassium is essential to musculoskeltal and cardiac health, along with fluid balance by countering the fluid-retention action of sodium. Meanwhile, fiber promotes digestion and acts as sweep to eliminate waste products and other harmful elements like toxins and free radicals from the body.

According to Nutrition and You, plums are also rich in vitamin B, which includes niacin, pantothenic acid, and vitamin B6. These serve as cofactors, which help the body metabolize carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

Antioxidant

Plums are rich in antioxdant. As per Nutrition and You, the fruit contains polyphenolic antioxidants like zea-xanthin, lutein, and cryptoxanthin, which serves as scavengers against free radicals and reactive oxygen species or ROS, which are associated with aging and different disease processes. To add, zea-xanthin is also a dietary carotenoid, which is essential to a person’s vision. It is absorbed into the eye part called retinal macula lutea, where it filters ultraviolet light and acts as antioxidant.

Anti-Diabetes, Heart Disease, and Cancer

Plums can reduce the risk of having diabetes mellitus, heart disease, and cancer. According to Dietitians of Canada, as cited by Best Health Magazine, plums have low glycemic index. Therefore, they do not pose risk to elevating one’s blood sugar level, cutting the risk of having type 2 diabetes mellitus. No diabetes mellitus may also lead to a dcreased risk of having cardiovascular disease, although the latter disease can also be due to other factors. In addition, a medium-sized fresh plum has 113 milligrams of potassium, which helps control high blood pressure and decrease the risk of having stroke. Moreover, plums help prevent cancer as they contain anthocynanins, which help get rid of cancer-causing free radicals.

Sample Recipe

Plums can be added to meal recipes like the Plum Cobbler. Acording to Simply Recipes, the ingredients include three-fourth cup and two tablespoons white sugar, four cups of seeded and sliced fresh pums, two tablespoons of instant tapioca, one teaspoon of grated orange zest, one-fourth teaspoon of ground cinnamon, a cup of all purpose flour, one and a half teaspoon of baking powder, one-fourth teaspoon of salt, one-fourth cup of butter, one-fourth cup of milk, and one egg (lightly beaten).

To prepare, the oven is preheat to 175 degrees Celsius. Next, three-fourth cup of white sugar, instant tapioca, cinnamon, orange zest, and plums are combined in a large bowl. The fruit mixture is placed in a two-quart casserole. Then, the remaining two tablespoons of sugar, baking powder, flour, and salt are combined in a medium bowl. The butter is cut with a fork or hands until the mixture looks like coarse crubs. Once done, the milk and egg are stirred in until the mixture becomes moist. The batter is dropped in large spoonfuls onto the fruit mixture and is baked in the overn for 35 minutes, until the cobbler topping turns brown in color and the filling becomes bubbly.

Overall, plums offer various health benefits to the body. Thus, including it as ingredients to various meals will help boost a person or family’s health and well-being.

- Advertisements -
Total
1
Shares
Previous Post

Dietary and Lifestyle Recommendations for Hypotension

Next Post

Other Than Overeating and Not Exercising, These Things Also Make You Gain Pounds

Related Posts
Total
1
Share