Importance of well balance diet
All food contains all of the nutrients we need to be healthy, it is necessary to eat various foods in sufficient amounts. A good diet will include many different foods, and sufficient in quantity and quality to meet an individual’s need for food energy and other micro nutrients.
Typical serving size:
2 fresh plums (46 oz or 132 g); ½ cup prunes (1
2 oz or 35 g)
HOW THEY HARM
Allergies
Cyanide poisoning Tooth decayWHAT THEY HEAL
Cancer Obesity Constipation Bone loss Whether they are eaten whole, added to fruit salads, baked goods, compotes, puddings, or meat dishes, plums are a nutritious low-calorie foodOne medium-size fresh plum contains only 36 calories It also supplies several nutrients, including dietary fiber, vitamin C, and potassium
Canned plums contain comparable amounts of riboflavin and potassium but are significantly lower in vitamin C (one canned plum provides only 1 mg)
Although all prunes are plums, not all plums are prunes
Prunes, also called dried plums, are the dried fruit from a few particular species of plum trees whose fruit has firm flesh and is naturally high in sugar and acidity
Prunes are rich in fiber: five prunes contain 3 g of fiber as well as good amounts of iron and potassium
Unlike other types of juice, prune juice retains most of the fruits’ nutrients because it is made by pulverizing the dried prunes and then dissolving them in hot water
Health Benefits
Reduces cancer riskPlums contain anthocyanins, the reddish-blue pigments that lend them their intense color
These antioxidant pigments may help protect against cancer by mopping up free radicals, unstable molecules that damage cells
Curbs appetite
Plums are low in calories and contain fiber, making them an ideal snack to curb hunger pangs when dieting
In one recent study at San Diego State University, participants snacking on plums were less hungry than the control group, which snacked on low-fat cookies instead
Follow-up blood tests also confirmed that the group eating plums experienced less of a rise in blood sugar and lower amounts of a hunger-regulating hormone called ghrelin
Eases constipation
Prunes are popular as a remedy for preventing or treating constipation
This effect can be attributed to prunes’ high dietary fiber content; they also contain isatin, a natural laxative
In fact, prunes may be even more effective than psyllium (the type of fiber in popular laxative formulas) in fighting constipation, according to results from a 2011 study at the University of Iowa, which makes them an attractive food-based alternative to over-the-counter products
Helps slow bone loss
In a 2011 study at the University of Florida, researchers followed 236 postmenopausal women and gave them daily calcium supplements along with prunes or dried apples
They tested the subjects after 3, 6, and 12 months and found that the group that had been snacking on prunes had significantly less bone loss than the other women
Researchers believe the high levels of potassium and vitamin K in prunes may contribute to the bone-boosting benefits
Health Risks
Allergic reactionsPlums may produce an allergic reaction in individuals with confirmed
Allergies
to apricots, almonds, peaches, and cherries, which come from the same familySimilarly, people who are allergic to aspirin may also encounter problems after they have eaten plums
Cyanide poisoning
Like peaches and apricots, the pits of plums contain amygdalin, a compound that breaks down into hydrogen cyanide in the stomach, and can cause cyanide poisoning if consumed in large amounts
Tooth decay
Prunes are high in calories and sugar (a half cup of the stewed fruit or five large pitted prunes contain approximately 115 calories), and they leave a sticky residue on the teeth that can cause cavities
Allergies
Buying Tip
s
Instead, look for brightly colored fruit that yields slightly to the touch