What is valuable plum, the benefits and harms of this fruit for our diet - what exactly? Let's figure it out. Many of us love to feast on juicy plums. The fruits from your own garden are especially delicious. Someone like plum varieties with sourness, someone loves the honey sweetness of this popular fruit. Despite the wide variety of varieties, this fruit is a storehouse of useful components in any of its manifestations. In addition to excellent taste, plum is really useful, because it contains a lot of trace elements, vitamins (B, A, PP, E, C). Plum fruit is consumed fresh, dried, dried, canned. Compotes are cooked from it, jam is made, savory sauces, and many other different, delicious dishes are prepared.
Plum, photo:
This common, popular stone fruit tree is of West Asian origin. Another name, even a synonym for plum, is the word greengage. Further I will mention this definition as a generalized concept for garden cultivars.
Universal plum variety President, photo:
Characteristics and definitions of plums
Quite often, people ask themselves: is plum a fruit or a berry? Logically, if a tree is defined as fruit, then the fruits will be its fruits. A plum is a tree, not a shrub. And the fruits growing on the trees are called fruits, but not berries.
If the fetus has one large bone, then it will be considered a stone fruit. Based on this, a plum or greengage is a fruit and a drupe at the same time. For comparison: multi-seeded fruits are called berries, such as blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, currants, watermelon can also be counted among them.
Often, those who are interested have a question: plum and cherry plum - what is the difference? These trees are representatives of the same family, but it is cherry plum that is a subspecies of plum. The fruits of greengage can be of different colors, since the varieties of this culture themselves number more than one hundred. Cherry plum is also a type of plum, that is, these are two different representatives of the same family. The taste of cherry plum is more acidic, it is ideal for cooking a variety of sauces, such as Tkemali, Satsebeli and others.
The maturity dates of these two representatives are also different: the plum is ready for harvest by the end of August / beginning of September, but its relative, the cherry plum, keeps up much earlier. The color of the green color varies in shades of blue, purple, cherry plum, often bright yellow or yellowish red. The fruits are oblong, while cherry plum is always round. As for growing, here cherry plum shows a more stable immunity to diseases. It is often used as a stock for various varieties of plums.
In fact, wild plums do not exist in nature. There is an assumption that this fruit is the result of the crossing of blackthorn (spiny representative) with cherry plum. Cherry plum is a wild culture, this additionally explains the fact that its fruits are smaller in size than that of a blue-violet relative. Today, with the efforts of breeders, worthy varieties of cherry plum have already been bred, which can compete with the greengage in terms of taste.
It is worth taking a look at the cultivated variety of cherry plum Kuban comet - it has an interesting taste, it is larger than the usual wild-growing, more resistant to frost.
How many calories are in a plum? This question seriously worries people who monitor their nutrition, as well as the fair sex, who care about the figure. Since the hero of our article is one of the most delicious, inexpensive fruits, this issue becomes especially relevant.
Juicy plum fruit contains few calories (42 cal / 100 g). However, despite this, they are very useful. They contain vitamin P - a rare substance that the human body does not produce on its own. Rutin (vitamin P) does not disappear from the fruit even after heat treatment, it is able to normalize blood pressure and strengthen blood vessels. The calorie content of fresh plum fruits is low, but if the fruit is dried, it will increase significantly (230 cal / 100 g).
Fresh, as well as dried fruits, have a delicate laxative effect - this feature of the fruit is well known to those who monitor their weight. The use of low-calorie green tea will help to quickly get rid of extra pounds, excess water, salts.
The calorie content of plums is far from the main advantage for the human body. It is incredibly useful, has a cleansing effect, contains a significant percentage of carbohydrates compared to the concentration of fats and proteins.
Plum - useful properties
It doesn’t matter which grade you prefer - they all have the same beneficial effect on the body:
- optimize the digestive system;
- have a cleansing effect;
- have a strengthening effect on the heart muscle, nervous system, blood vessels, capillaries;
- increase immunity;
- normalize the function of the kidneys, liver;
- beneficial effect on the condition of the skin, horn derivatives - nails, hair.
Greengage is a source of vital vitamins. Using it, you provide yourself with the required amount of iron, fluorine, copper, nickel, zinc, many other necessary components that strengthen the "shield" of your immunity. It will be much easier for the body to resist viral infections, various seasonal colds, and malaise.
Fruits on a tree, photo:
The properties of plums are useful for manifestations of hypertension (high blood pressure). Love these fruits, eat them more often. As for strengthening the vessels, increasing their elasticity, here the blue-violet fruit also demonstrates its potential as a source of essential trace elements. Frequent consumption of these fruits balances the nervous processes. The presence of potassium favorably affects the functioning of the urinary system. Greengage also contributes to the normal production of bile, facilitates the work of the liver.
The benefits of plum are manifested in the normalization of the pH level of gastric juice - this factor helps a lot in the treatment of gastritis, stomach ulcers, and duodenal ulcer (along with general drug therapy). Removing excess salts, as well as cholesterol, a pronounced decongestant effect (due to the sodium content) are additional advantages of eating this fruit.
The coumarins contained in the fruits work to expand the coronary vessels. Often using greengage, you make a kind of prevention of blood clots, help the body "dissolve" already formed.
What is useful plum? What else can be added to the list of benefits of this fruit? It is successfully used by cosmetology (mainly homemade) for the preparation of vitamin masks that improve the structure and condition of the skin of the face. The combination of fruit pulp with other useful products only enhances its beneficial effect on the turgor of the skin. Such masks help get rid of pigmentation (with sour milk), moisturize the skin (with sea buckthorn oil or rye flakes), remove acne (with garlic or onion juice).
Plum - Health Benefits
As for the benefits - we have already figured out, but it is worth mentioning the well-known laxative qualities of the greengage. Since the fruit contains a large concentration of klep, cleansing the body of toxins will occur rather gently. Active micronutrients normalize the intestines, help get rid of constipation (even chronic) with regular use will increase the remoteness. Fruit, as mentioned above, improves metabolism, allows you to get rid of excess weight, and in the form of a bonus gives a healthy complexion, good health.
Variety Red Ball, photo:
Sometimes in the appropriate forums you can see the following question: does the drain strengthen or weaken? Given all of the above, now we can give an affirmative answer - yes, it weakens, but gently, “naturally”, without causing stress to the body. It can be given even to children from the age of 9 months, but very carefully, preferably after consulting a doctor. One fruit a day will be enough. Thus, the baby will receive useful elements, vitamins without harm to the tummy. For children and adults, greengage is equally good, even fruit compote cooked with fruits has a delicate laxative effect.
However, a fruit can add problems to the body - it is fair to mention this. Contraindications to use - this is a more accurate definition, since it is initially useful, good product objectively can not be harmful.
When, who should not use greengage:
- Suffering from obesity, diabetes (high sugar content in the fruit);
- Children - a large number threatens diarrhea, stomach pains;
- Patients with gout (due to diuretic effect);
- Those who suffer from rheumatism (the fruit removes a lot of fluid from the body);
- It is strictly forbidden to eat unripe fruits;
- With exacerbation of gastritis or peptic ulcer (due to the content of organic acids);
- Individual allergic reaction.
Plum - the benefits and harms of eating it are moderation. An overdose can adversely affect the state of your stomach, intestines, and heartburn or diarrhea will significantly spoil your mood and well-being. If there are even the slightest prerequisites for the manifestation of an allergy to this fruit, you should first consult with a competent doctor (allergist).
Is it possible for a nursing mother to plum?
Motherhood changes a woman’s life, changes also affect the diet. Some foods have to be excluded, some, on the contrary, introduced into the diet. Eating fruits should be given special attention, as they can cause allergic reactions in the baby. Given the rich vitamin and mineral composition, these fruits are recommended for women during pregnancy, but nursing should be careful.
Plum when breastfeeding is permissible in the form of complementary foods at 8 or 9 months of life. Its pulp can be added to cereals, mashed potatoes. Stewed fruit from this fruit can also be given to children. It is because of the laxative effect that vigilance should be shown, however, if the infant suffers from constipation, his mother is even recommended to eat several greenbacks. Again, everything should be in moderation, the main thing is not to overdo it, so as not to provoke diarrhea.
The fruits consumed must be of exceptionally good quality, without the presence of pests or suspicious spots on the skin. A discount should also be made for the age of the child: the younger the baby is, the smaller the portion of fruits for his mother should be. It is best to start with one fruit, while looking at the reaction of the child, his health. If greengage is introduced into the diet for the first time, then you should not use any new, yet untested products along with it. This is necessary in order to understand the correct reaction specifically to the sink.
Pregnancy plum
The nutrition of a woman during pregnancy is the most important factor affecting the health of the unborn child. Is it possible to eat these fruits while waiting for the baby? The answer will be positive, since this fruit contains a large number of useful components, which were described above.
Firstly, it improves the intestines (an important factor for pregnant women), and secondly, it contains iodine, potassium, iron, vitamins, which are simply necessary for the normal development of the fetus. The presence of vitamin E is especially valuable, since in this case it works to strengthen the vessels of the placenta, reduces the risk of its exfoliation.
Folic acid contained in greengage stops the manifestations of toxicosis (or significantly reduces them). Iodine has a positive effect on the formation of the skeleton of the child, as well as on the function of the brain. Iron fights against anemia, and potassium helps to normalize water-salt metabolism, thereby exerting a beneficial effect on the kidneys. These blue-violet fruits are an excellent natural antioxidant and have a cleansing effect on the body of a woman and her unborn baby. Summarizing all of the above, we can safely say that greengage is a natural, tasty, healthy fruit for expectant mothers.
The elementary rules of caution are as follows:
- You can eat only healthy, quality fruits;
- Overripe or unripe fruits - taboo;
- Exclude overdose - no more than 150 g of fruit per day is allowed;
- You should thoroughly wash the fruits before use, and it is better to sprinkle them with boiling water;
- If there are complaints of rheumatism, this fruit is best excluded from the diet;
- Diabetes mellitus or excessive weight (obesity) - taboo;
As an additional recommendation, it is worth noting that it is most useful to use fresh fruits. After heat treatment, part of the useful components is partially lost.
Plum bones - benefits and harms, more
Sometimes it happens that a child swallows a bone while eating, what should I do? It is not recommended to immediately raise a panic, but this situation should not be left to chance. The bone, whatever one may say, is a foreign object, the more so the bone of the greengage has pointed edges. With a favorable outcome, it should leave the body naturally. However, it will never be superfluous to see a doctor as soon as possible. The first thing to do is to track the behavior, well-being of the child, to track how he goes to the toilet.
You need to sound the alarm if the child swallowed a stone from a plum, in the presence of the following symptoms:
- the presence of blood in the feces;
- incessant vomiting;
- complaints of abdominal pain;
- inability to swallow (the presence of a bone in the esophagus);
- the baby began to choke (a bone in the trachea).
The main danger to the gastrointestinal tract is sharp edges, large bone sizes. Only a competent doctor can evaluate what has happened and predict the further movement of a foreign object.
You should not start to “help” the child with laxatives or vomiting drugs - you can only aggravate the situation. Also, you don’t need to give the baby a bread crust so that she supposedly pushed the bone away. This tip only works if the fish bones are swallowed or stuck, but even then not always.
Drinking plenty of food or drinking is not recommended. If you feel normal - wait a while, watch the chair. There is deterioration - urgently to the doctor! If after 24 hours after swallowing, the bone still does not come out - consult your doctor.
Remember that danger is fraught not only with its sharp corners, but also with poisonous hydrocyanic acid, which is able to stand out from the bone in contact with gastric juices.
Summing up, it can be affirmatively stated that this fruit is not only a delicious juicy treat, but also a source of useful components that heal the body. I hope this article will help you learn more about what an amazing fruit a plum is, the harm and benefits of which should be known not only to every gardener, but also just to a lover of these sweet fruits.
And now the video for a good mood: