Plums, Latin Prunus domestica, are a superfood, and they pack a lot of taste. Recently a dietitian shared the 14 health benefits of these delicious, compact superfoods.
Vitamin Rich Plums
Like most fruits, plums are loaded with vitamins. It’s important to note what vitamins are found in them because the minerals activate them.
Research conducted on the nutritional aspect of the Prunus domestica shows that it contains the following vitamins: A, C, K, and B
Although Vitamin B is found in small amounts, it’s important to note that each plum has some. The B vitamins are helpful for energy, sleep, and they are also ideal for brain function.
“When you walk into a grocery store, you are walking into a pharmacy, and the power of those foods, is as powerful as medication.” Dr. Oz
Health Benefits from the Vitamins You’ll Find in Plums
Vitamin A
This vitamin is known for supporting better health by consuming plums for the following reasons:
- Preventing eye disease related to night blindness
- Supports a stronger immune system overall
- Improves the overall condition of your skin
- Supports the health of your bones and marrow
- Promotes healthy, stable growth
- Encourages a healthy reproductive system
It’s essential to get your vitamin A from your diet when possible. Unless otherwise directed by a doctor, the intake of more vitamin A may not be suitable for your health.
Vitamin K
One of the most critical vitamins found in this tasty, purple superfood, is vitamin K. Although it is not often the first to talk about on the list of vitamins, it’s an essential vitamin for the blood.
Vitamin K includes fat-soluble vitamins that are ideal for the following:
- Aids in better blood clotting
- Regulating blood calcium levels
What About Vitamin C?
What about the benefits of vitamin C found in these fruits?
- Strong profile as an antioxidant
- Reduces blood pressure
- Fights heart disease in many ways, but primarily acts as a preventive
- May prevent the build-up of uric acid, thus decreasing gout
It seems that in regards to essential vitamins, these purple, tasty fruits have all that you need.
Along with vitamins, minerals are the next most crucial thing to help fuel your body with good stuff for good health.
“The foods we eat impact our well-being, not just on a cellular level, but on a whole life level how we feel, how much energy we have, how strong we are, how capable we can be.” Dr. Axe
Minerals Help Activate the Vitamins in Your Fruit
Did you know that vitamins are unable to work without minerals? Indeed, minerals aid in activating vitamins, and potassium link to significant health benefits. And plums deliver several essential minerals to your body, along with those vitamins.
“I don’t understand why asking people to eat a well-balanced vegetarian diet is considered drastic, while it is medically conservative to cut people open or put them on powerful cholesterol-lowering drugs the rest of their lives.” – Dean Ornish
Potassium
Potassium is vital for the following reasons:
- Aids in regulating the proper amount of fluid in the body
- Aids in minimizing muscle contractions
- Can benefit adequate firing for nerve signals
- Reduces blood pressure to healthy levels
- Can aid in stroke prevention
- May be effective in preventing osteoporosis
- May be effective in preventing kidney stones
While potassium famously comes in the form of bananas, plums are also another great choice.
“Health is much more dependent on our habits and nutrition than on medicine.” John Lubbock
Health Benefits Promoted in Prune Form
Once plums dry, they become prunes. This distinction is key because copper is higher in its dehydrated, prune state.
According to the today’s guidelines, three servings of prunes will offer 3% of the RDI (Recommended Daily Intake).
Copper offers the following health benefits:
- Strengthens the immune system
- Works cooperatively with iron to create healthy blood cells
- Reduce the risk of anemia
Manganese is also found in this fruit, but it’s important to note that the body only needs trace amounts of it. It is important to note that manganese is vital for bodily functions, and is ideal for reducing inflammation.
What are the overall health benefits of eating prunes domestica?
“Our food should be our medicine, and our medicine should be our food.” – Hippocrates
1. Great for relieving constipation.
Although this is most effective in the dried prune state, these are great for relieving constipation. They can be eaten, or drinking prune juice is sufficient.
“Let’s build wellness, rather than treating disease.” – Dr. Bruce Daggy
2. Rich in antioxidants.
Antioxidants are vital for good health, and they can aid in slowing down the aging process. Antioxidants help to fight off free radicals that speed up aging and may trigger certain cancers.
“Eating healthy, clean, and nutrient-rich foods fills your body with energy, nutrients, and antioxidants.” -Unknown
3. Balance blood sugar.
Plums may have some sweetness to them, but they are undoubtedly beneficial for reducing and balancing blood sugar. This info is vital for those who are either diabetic or those who receive a diagnosis of pre-diabetes by their physician.
“The doctor of the future will no longer treat the human frame with drugs, but rather will cure and prevent disease with nutrition.” – Thomas Edison
4. Healthy bones
The prune form is excellent for bone formation and growth. Your calcium may be vital to bone density, but minerals like potassium and copper are ideal for bone growth, as well as for bone strength.
As the body ages, women are more prone to a condition known as osteoporosis. This reason is why the body must get a significant amount of vitamin K.
Manganese found in foods you eat promotes bone density, reducing the occurrence of brittle bones.
“If the truth be known, coronary artery disease is a toothless paper tiger thet need never ever exist, and if it does exist it need never ever progress.” – Caldwell Esselstyn, M.D.
5. A healthier heart
Both forms of this fruit (plums or prunes) are great for heart health. The heart is vital for life itself! The heart pumps your blood and fills over and over, keeping you alive and coursing through your body to deliver nutrients to your blood and tissues.
The saying, “The life is in the blood” is correct. You cannot live without it, so it’s important to add foods to your diet that will keep your blood healthy.
This superfood contributes to overall heart health, but it also helps the complete functionality of your heart.
“It’s a really bad day when you find out that everything you were doing wasn’t making people healthy, it was actually perpetuating them being sick.” -Kerry Graff M.D.
6. Aids in absorbing iron from the body.
Iron is good for the body, but not in excess. It’s vital that you only get what your body needs, otherwise it can cause health problems.
The same is also right about not getting enough iron. Plums have a way of balancing your iron levels naturally.
Food is a miracle of nature in this way. Consider food as fuel, and as a pharmacy for your health. The more good food that you put into your body, the fewer health problems you are likely to encounter.
7. Prunes Improve the overall health of the central nervous system.
The B complex, also found in this superfood, aids in the proper transmission of nerve signals.
This also means that mood is also impacted. The better someone’s spirit, the better their chances of having better days in everyday life.
Tryptophan, known as an amino acid, also occurs in this fruit. There are many benefits of tryptophan, but the primary benefit for the nervous system is that it helps produce serotonin.
This may also improve sleep. Sleep problems are known for impacting health tremendously. Tryptophan can also trigger a healthy appetite and aids in normal concentration.
8. Promotes a robust immune system.
Your immune system is vital to a productive life. Don’t underestimate foods that can promote a healthier immune system.
When your immune system is healthy, you are less likely to get colds or flu.
9. Helps control your cholesterol
Plums keep your cholesterol in check. The human body has good and bad cholesterol. The magic of this superfood is that it regulates it for you.
It may be a good idea to talk to your doctor about controlling your cholesterol with diet before you try a prescription medication, if possible. Talk to your doctor first.
10. Improves overall skin health.
Antioxidants are beneficial for skin health, but there are so many helpful nutrients for overall skin health. Plums contain vitamin A which is excellent for your skin and give it a healthy glow.
11. Tasty in your cooking.
This amazing superfood can work into your diet with rustic tarts and even used to created reductions for flavor.
12. May prevent osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis may occur later in life, but this tasty superfood contains many nutrients that may prevent osteoporosis from occurring.
13. Reduce blood pressure.
High blood pressure is a common health problem in the United States.
This colorful superfood may regulate blood pressure and promote better circulation, too, thanks to the potassium we discussed earlier.
Final Thoughts: Add Some Plums to Your Grocery List
These fruits contain amazing nutrients that we often overlook. Make it a point to add the Prunus domestica to your grocery list this week.
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