Top 8 Plum Fruit Health Benefits to Nourish & Thrive

Plums are considered the powerhouse of antioxidants. They provide many health advantages due to their high nutritious content. The presence of phenols in plums, such as anthocyanins, helps improve cognition and reduce inflammation. It has been demonstrated that plums can help control diabetes, alleviate constipation, and shield the body from heart diseases. Here, you will get to know about several benefits of eating plums on both your physical and mental health.

What is a Plum?

Plum is a medium size fruit that is commonly found in dark reddish-purple colour or greenish-yellow colour. The seeds of the plums are not edible. Dried plums are popularly called prunes, which have added benefits for your overall health.

Health Benefits of Plums

The benefits of plums include a wide range of healthcare facilities. They are packed with essential nutrients and phytochemicals, which are good for your health. From this page, you can take note of the numerous advantages of consuming plums and how they can positively impact your health.

1. Improves Muscle Growth, Blood Vessel Development, and Healing

Plums contain a large amount of vitamin C, which is an essential nutrient for the development of muscles and their healing. Vitamin C helps enhance collagen production, which is essential for healing wounds and repairing tissue. Plum health benefits include promotion of the growth and repair of muscles, making it a beneficial source of nutrients for athletes and individuals who engage in physical activities more than usual. Vitamin C helps in the maintenance and health of blood vessels by supporting cardiovascular function.

2. Lowers the risk of developing heart disease

Plums contain phytochemicals and other compounds that help lower inflammation, which mostly increases the rate of heart disease. The benefits of eating plums include improving your cardiovascular health and maintaining a healthy heart.

3. Lowers Anxiety

Anxiety is distressful and has a major impact on your physical and mental health. The antioxidants present in plums benefit you by keeping your anxiety under control. When your antioxidant levels are low, it can lead to increased anxiety. Including plums in your daily diet can ensure an adequate intake of antioxidants, which helps in achieving a calm and relaxed state of your mind.

4. Relieves Constipation

If you’re experiencing constipation, plums benefits can act as a natural and effective solution. Similar to prunes, plums are a good source of sorbitol, which is a sugar alcohol with laxative effects. The high sorbitol content in plums helps regulate bowel movements and supports in improving your digestive system. Therefore, adding plums to your diet can help to reduce discomfort associated with constipation.

5. Controls Blood Pressure and Reduces Risk of Stroke

Potassium content in plums plays a crucial role in regulating blood pressure. Potassium helps in the body’s process of excreting extra sodium through urine, resulting in a reduction in blood pressure. It also lowers the pressure in the blood vessels, contributing to the improvement of cardiovascular health.

6. Offers Antioxidants for the Body

Plums are abundant in antioxidants, which will protect your body against tissue and cellular damage caused by harmful free radicals. Plums benefit your body by boosting your defence mechanisms to combat these free radicals effectively.

7. Regulates Sugar Levels in the Blood

Plums benefit individuals by reducing the sugar spikes in the blood after consuming carbohydrates. The rich fibre content of plums slows down the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, effectively preventing sudden increases in blood sugar levels. The plum fruit benefits you by increasing adiponectin production, a hormone which helps in regulating sugar levels.

8. Benefits in Increasing Bone Strength

Research conducted on animals suggests that prunes help strengthen bones. Natural compounds such as potassium and polyphenols are found in plums, which contribute to improving bone health. With the help of plum, you can potentially strengthen your bones and reduce the risk of diseases like osteoporosis.

Nutrient Value of a Single Plum

Plum fruit benefits are widespread due to its rich nutritional profile. These small fruits are low in fat and contain approximately 30 calories per plum, making them a healthy choice. Apart from being a delicious snack, plums provide several essential nutrients.

This remarkable food source offers a generous amount of essential nutrients. It is packed with vital minerals such as iron, potassium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, copper, zinc, and niacin. These incredible nutrients work together to support your healthy lifestyle.

Risks Associated with Consuming Plums

Make sure to remove the seed from the plum before eating it. Swallowing of plum seeds is dangerous as it can injure the oesophagus or possibly can cause choking. The oesophagus should be treated with the highest care possible since it connects the mouth to the stomach. It is important to avoid combining, crushing, or biting the plum seed.

Amygdalin, a substance that the body metabolises into the dangerous poison cyanide, is hidden within the seeds of plums. Consuming the chewed or crushed stone seed may have harmful health effects, necessitating caution and careful avoidance.

Takeaway

Plums stand out as a nutrient-rich fruit for general well-being due to the abundance of vitamins, minerals, fibre, and antioxidants. These delicate fruits include a lot of properties, which provide defence against a variety of chronic illnesses, including osteoporosis, cancer, heart disease, and even diabetes. It’s interesting how their delicious flavour and simplicity of preparation make it easy to incorporate them into your diet.