The benefits and harms of plums for human health. The benefits and harms of plums: what is hidden behind the juicy sweetness

The old saying goes: "Plum does not praise itself, but the path to it is always trodden." This juicy beauty originates from Ancient Egypt. Later, it was bred in the Caucasus by crossing blackthorn and cherry plum. Plum is not a curiosity these days, but its healing properties can hardly be overestimated. It is worth considering in more detail the effect of this fruit on the human body.

Behind the skin of the color of a dark night and sinewy sugar pulp, all the benefits and harms of plums are hidden. But the first is undoubtedly more. What is the use of plums?

Medicinal value is attributed to varieties with dark purple fruits with the common name Hungarian. Other types are also useful, they are just less intensely saturated with vitamins and minerals than this variety.

Plum fruits contain:

• up to 17% sugars (fructose, glucose and sucrose);
• malic and citric organic acids;
• nitrogenous, pectin, tannins;
• fiber and carotene;
• vitamins A (in dark plums), B1, B2, C, P;
• potassium and;
• mineral salts and dyes.

Traditional healers used the plum for constipation and for treatment. Modern medicine relies on riboflavin and reactive substances in the fruit pulp. They help to rein in the shattered nervous system, improve protein metabolism.

Proven Plum Applications

1. Fresh and dried fruits, as well as drinks with pulp, have a gentle laxative effect, which is indicated for constipation and intestinal atony.
2. They improve the well-being of people with atherosclerosis, as they accelerate the excretion of cholesterol.
3. Recommended for kidney disease and hypertension.
4. They rid the body of excess water and salts due to the presence.
5. Useful for rheumatic pains and metabolic disorders.

Naturopaths advise taking whole courses of treatment with plums: within 2-3 days, eat up to 1 kg per day along with low-fat dairy products until 18.00. During this period, forget about fatty meat and sugar in any form. If you go on a similar diet in the fall, you can insure yourself against constipation for six months in advance.

Not only fruits are useful, but plum leaves can also help in certain cases.

Homemade plum leaves and blackthorn berries, which is a kind of "prickly plum", contain coumarin, which prevents the development of blood clots in the blood network and treats thrombosis. Also, this compound is involved in the expansion of coronary vessels and has a calming effect. Decoctions and compresses from plum leaves are an excellent wound healing remedy.

And in alternative medicine, plum glue is used.

This is exactly the "glue" that we in childhood removed directly from the bark and ate. He had a strange taste, but it was very unusual and interesting :)

In folk medicine, glue is used as a remedy for ulcers, eye inflammation, and in some cases to improve vision.

Contraindications and harm

Despite all the benefits, they can cause harm. So, plum can cause indigestion in children under 3 years old, and in large doses in adults. It should not be used by women during lactation, so as not to provoke bloating and frequent stools in a child. Due to the high calorie content, it can harm people who are obese and.

An important rule: alternative medicine recipes are not suitable for everyone. You need to monitor the reaction of the body and adjust the menu according to your needs, adhering to the basic rules. Even a single use of plums (3-4 pieces) will have a laxative effect and cleanse the intestinal microflora.

How plums can be useful for women

It should be clarified how plums are useful for women. They are used:

• as an alternative treatment for breast cancer. After a series of experiments, it was found that plums have a high level of antioxidants in the composition, as well as phenolic compounds. Taken together, this makes it possible to fight cancerous tumors on a par with other methods. Scientists are trying to take this feature into account when creating new generation drugs in oncology;
• as a prevention of constipation during pregnancy. Many women in position face a similar problem. Those who are especially suspicious of the baby’s health avoid medicines, so plums and prunes become their “saviors” in this delicate matter.

How to use plums for expectant mothers so as not to harm yourself or your baby? The answer is simple: without fanaticism.

A couple of fresh fruits or 3-4 pieces of prunes are enough, which must first be washed and soaked in boiling water all night.

Also, this delicate and sweet fruit helps pregnant women cope with preeclampsia - with the help of potassium, excess fluid is removed from the body and swelling of the limbs decreases.

How to keep a vitamin supply of plums for the whole year

For use throughout the year, it is recommended to dry the plums at home. Washed fresh fruits should be immersed in boiling water for 1-1.5 minutes, cooled in water and laid out in a row on a sieve or baking sheet. Place in the oven and dry at a temperature of 50 ° for 3-4 hours, cool and repeat the procedure at 65-70 °. If everything is done correctly, when squeezing the dried plums, the juice will not stand out and the stone will separate freely.

The plum is a unique fruit. Ripe, juicy, tender - it will delight any gourmet and saturate the human body with useful substances to the maximum.

Plum- This is a dark blue fruit with a pleasant taste that came to us from the Caucasus, Asia Minor and Northern Iran. Now this fruit is common in all countries with a temperate climate. The plum fruit is an oval berry with a smooth skin and a stone inside. The traditional plum color is violet-blue, but plums are also found in yellow and scarlet. The taste of the fruit is very sweet and juicy. The plum fruit comes from the stone fruit family, cherries, peaches and apricots are its closest relatives. About 100 varieties of this fruit are known in the world.

Beneficial features

Plum, like all fruits, is rich in minerals: potassium, sodium, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, iodine, copper, chromium, fluorine. It also contains many vitamins: IN, vitamin S, A, RR. Plum is one of the record holders among fruits in terms of vitamin content. E. It is interesting that this fruit does not lose its beneficial properties, even after processing.

Plum is one of the dietary products, in its hundred grams of only 30 calories.

Plum has also become an excellent component for many cosmetics. It has a unique property to rejuvenate and nourish the skin.

Use in cooking

Plum Can be eaten both fresh and dried, as prunes. Prunes are an excellent filling for sweets, cakes and other desserts. Also, this product, having an unusual taste, is very often added to meat dishes, salads, side dishes.

Fresh plums are quite often used for preservation, they make very tasty jams and jams. They also make delicious juices, kissels, compotes.

The benefits of plums and treatment

Due to the high content of vitamins and minerals, eating plums has a beneficial effect on the normalization of the work of the whole organism. Vitamin P contained in this berry lowers blood pressure, makes blood vessels stronger. Plum has a laxative property, so it is recommended for those who suffer from intestinal atony, constipation. Dried plums will get rid of unnecessary cholesterol in the blood.

Another very important property of the plum is that it removes excess water and salt from the body, so it will help with hypertension and kidney disease.

If a person suffers from rheumatism or metabolic disorders, then this sweet and fragrant fruit is also recommended for consumption.

Dry fruits have a wound-healing property, so lotions and decoctions are often made from them to combat irritants.

Potassium, which is included in the composition of plums, helps to maintain the cardiovascular system, and it is also a participant in the process of impulse transmission in the nervous system. It affects the proper bile secretion and urination.

Coumarins, which are found both in plum leaves and in its fruits, prevent the appearance of blood clots in the vessels, help get rid of thrombosis.

Frequent consumption of plums helps strengthen the liver and purify the blood.

Dried plum fruits are one of the remedies in the fight against high fever.

Plum juice normalizes the acidity of the stomach, helps in the fight against ulcers. It will also help with fatigue and insomnia. It is recommended to use it to increase appetite. Plum juice in the morning before meals will help cleanse the body of harmful substances.

Plums are very useful for vision, they are recommended for the prevention of eye diseases.

In addition, plum decoction is taken for stomatitis and bleeding gums.

Harm of drains and contraindications

Patients with obesity and diabetes should also stop eating this fruit, as it has a very high sugar content.

Infants and young children should also not be given plums, as they can lead to dyspepsia or increased gas formation.

There are over 100 plum species worldwide. In countries with a temperate climate, about 10% of the varieties of the product are successfully cultivated. The fruits are famous for their pleasant aroma, interesting taste and valuable chemical composition. Thanks to its healing qualities, plum will help to significantly improve health and get rid of some pathologies.

plum composition

1. Like most fresh fruits, plums have many health benefits. Sodium, potassium, phosphorus, iodine, zinc, calcium, chromium, copper and fluorine are present in sufficient quantities in fruits. The fruit also contains many different vitamins and enzymes necessary for the human body.
2. Plum is rightfully considered the leader among fruits, in which there is a record amount of tocopherol. A huge plus of the fruit is also the fact that after any processing the product practically does not lose its healing qualities and usefulness. Also, the fruit belongs to low-calorie foods. For 100 gr. raw materials account for 30 kcal.

Plum for the cardiovascular system

1. An uncontrolled amount of bad cholesterol leads to serious cardiovascular diseases. If you do not take appropriate measures in time, you may encounter the development of serious pathologies. Good cholesterol is necessary for the body of all mammals on earth.
2. Plum, like almost all fruits, vegetables contains a large amount of dietary fiber. Coarse fiber just plays a key role in the regulation of cholesterol in human blood. The fruits of the tree in question contain phenolic compounds that inhibit the oxidation of bad cholesterol. This process is an excellent prevention of the development of atherosclerosis, hypertension and diabetes.

Plum for weight loss

1. Many people know that plum contains a sufficient amount of natural sugars and carbohydrates. Despite this, studies have shown that fruits have a low glycemic index. From this it should be concluded that the product belongs to dietary formulations and is actively used in most weight loss programs.
2. Plum contains anthocyanins in the form of phenolic compounds, flavonoids, catechins, quercetin and chlorogenic acid. Thanks to these enzymes, the risk of overweight is significantly reduced. In addition, plum prevents the disease of cardiovascular pathologies and diabetes.

Plum for oncology

1. Since ancient times, plum has proven itself as an effective remedy for oncological diseases. Modern medicine has confirmed the fact that fresh fruits are able to actively resist free radicals.
2. Such substances are present in any person in the body. Due to the characteristics of cells and various factors, oncological pathologies can begin to develop. Thanks to phenolic compounds, plum is able to fight even serious neoplasms.
3. Among these pathologies, breast cancer should be highlighted. Special substances target cancer cells without affecting healthy ones. It is important to understand that in comparison with chemotherapy, everything dies. This includes both cancer cells and healthy ones.

1. Plum is recommended to be eaten by absolutely all people for prevention and with visual impairment. Especially the fruits are recommended for individuals who already have eye problems.
2. The product strengthens the optic nerves and effectively prevents the development of serious pathologies. Studies have confirmed that the systematic eating of fruits will help strengthen vision and avoid the formation of serious eye problems in old age.

Plum for the immune system

1. As mentioned earlier, the plum contains special acids that inhibit the action of free radicals. As a result of regular eating of fruits, the development of colon cancer, asthma, arthritis and osteoporosis is reduced to almost zero.
2. Plums contain a high content of ascorbic acid and iron. Together, these components help the body better synthesize new healthy cells. Due to this, immunity improves and the body's resistance to external factors increases.

Plum for the gastrointestinal tract

1. To improve digestion, it is recommended to consume more dried fruits. In this case, coarse dietary fiber is more concentrated in the fruits. It is enough to eat only 4-5 copies a day to provide the body with a daily norm of fiber.
2. After a few days, the activity of the gastrointestinal tract normalizes. The peristalsis of the intestines noticeably improves, the tendency to constipation and gas formation disappears. The product is famous for its antioxidant properties, due to this, the body is perfectly cleansed of toxic compounds and slagging.
3. Eating fruits in any form regularly will save you from diarrhea, colon pathologies and stomach cancer. In addition, plum saves the digestive organs from various inflammatory processes.

Plum for Mental Health

1. Numerous studies have shown that the systematic consumption of fruit has a beneficial effect on the nervous system and brain.
2. Eating plums daily will help improve memory, get rid of stress and depression, normalize sleep, and cope with chronic fatigue.

1. As mentioned earlier, plum contains a high percentage of antioxidants. Active enzymes inhibit the activity of free radicals in the human body. Such enzymes provoke the development of cancerous tumors, stroke, heart attack, diabetes.
2. In addition, fresh fruits resist immune dysfunction and degenerative brain damage. This includes Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Thanks to antioxidants, healthy cells are maintained in the body, and their life expectancy is increased.

Plum for the skeletal system

1. The fruit contains caffeic acid, flavonoids and rutin. Together, these substances resist the deterioration and destruction of bone tissue. Eating plums regularly will help prevent the development of osteoporosis, especially in women after menopause.
2. Prunes stimulate proper bone formation due to the presence of potassium and polyphenolic compounds. This increases bone density. Fruits also restore lost enzymes throughout life.

Plum contraindications

1. If there are chronic pathologies, draining can significantly aggravate the condition and course of the disease. Also, do not give the product to babies because of the laxative effect. You should not eat fruit during the lactation period.
2. It is forbidden to take raw materials with increased acidity of the stomach and the presence of inflammatory processes. Otherwise, additional problems will arise.

Plum is a unique fruit that has a valuable composition and impressive healing properties. Systematic eating of raw materials will allow you to fully strengthen the body and bypass the development of serious pathologies. Consider contraindications and do not abuse the product.

Video: useful properties of plums

Plums are rich in health-promoting compounds such as antioxidants, anthocyanins, and soluble fiber. The fruit is used to make jams, jellies and juices.

The closest relatives of plums are nectarines, peaches and almonds.

Plum dried without fermentation is called. It contains a lot of sugar. For centuries, traditional medicine has used prunes to treat fever, high blood pressure, jaundice, diabetes, and constipation.

The composition and calorie content of plums

Potassium, iron, retinol, vitamin K and boron are part of the plum.

Other useful substances in plums:

Calorie content of plums - 42 kcal / 100 gr.

The use of plums prevents age-related changes in bones and improves intestinal health, strengthens the heart and blood vessels, and also prevents cancer.

For bones and joints

Plum slows down the development of osteoporosis.

For the heart and blood vessels

Plums reduce blood pressure and prevent heart disease.

For eyes

Carotenoids and vitamin A in plums improve eyesight.

For the gastrointestinal tract

Eating plums increases the beneficial bacteria in your gut. Even a single use of plums will relieve you of constipation. If that doesn't help, drink a glass of prune juice in the morning to get your bowels working.

Plum protects the liver from damage.

For the pancreas

Plums are beneficial for diabetics as they do not cause blood sugar spikes.