Don’t bite your thumb at a plum.
Plums, long lauded for their laxative properties, often play second fiddle to sexier summer fruits like cherries, berries, and peaches — but dieticians say you shouldn’t be sleeping on this superfood.
Plums are low in calories but high in fiber, sweetness, and antioxidants. They also contain 15 different vitamins and minerals, providing myriad benefits for 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 the body cannot digest, it passes relatively intact through the digestive system.
Fiber decreases 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 considerable amount given their small size.
Jaclyn Fodor, a Boston-based registered dietitian and owner of Nutrition Counseling of New England, previously told the Post: “Fiber aids in digestion because the insoluble fiber bulks up stools and helps them move through the digestive tract more efficiently. Fiber also stimulates the muscles in the intestines to promote rhythmic contractions known as peristalsis.”
In addition to promoting pooping, plums 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 out the sodium in your body, which aids in keeping a healthy blood pressure. And magnesium has benefits for bone health.”
Derocha notes that plums are laden with antioxidants that can combat oxidative stress, guard against blood pressure, and improve heart health. Among these antioxidants are anthocyanins, which are linked to metabolic and cognitive enhancement.
Dehydrated plums or prunes have the same nutrients as their fresh counterparts, albeit in higher concentrations.
Concentrated levels of flavonoids and phenolics, 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 movement.
However, too many plums can cause serious stomach upset.
Both plums and prunes contain vitamin K, which helps the body heal wounds and build healthy bones.
However, because vitamin K aids the body in blood clotting, those on blood thinning medication should be mindful about consuming too much of it. experts agree that a sudden spike in the amount of vitamin K you consume could spell trouble, so check-in with your doctor to learn more.
Another potential danger? The pit of a plum.
The seed inside the stone fruit contains amygdalin, a compound that converts to cyanide and can be toxic if swallowed.
Per the National Capital Poison Control Center, ingesting even a small amount of cyanide can cause serious symptoms.
“Be extra careful when biting into or slicing up a plum. You want to try to avoid getting any of the pieces of the seed in your mouth,” Derocha cautions.
