Plums - Prunes

Generality

What are prunes?

Plums are the fruits of Prunus domestica, a tree belonging to the Rosaceae family, cultivated a little throughout Europe and the United States, especially in California.

On the market, the plums are found both fresh and dehydrated (the Californian prunes are famous); in the latter case the concentration of the various nutrients is clearly higher, while the water obviously decreases significantly.

Nutritional properties

Nutritional characteristics of fresh plums

Fresh plums belong to the VII fundamental group of foods.

They have a contained energetic contribution, even if, contextualized in the respective food group, they are placed halfway between the less caloric summer fruits and the more sugary autumn ones. The energy comes almost exclusively from simple glucides (fructose) and there are negligible quantities of proteins and lipids. The fibers are abundant.

Among the vitamins, excellent amounts of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and vitamin K (anti-haemorrhagic) are appreciated. Concerning mineral salts, potassium, magnesium and manganese concentrations are worthy of note.

Plums do not contain cholesterol, lactose or gluten. They are admitted by vegetarian, vegan and raw food philosophy.

These are foods that can be easily used in any nutritional regime, including those for overweight and metabolic diseases. In the case of obesity, type 2 diabetes and hypertriglyceridemia it may be necessary to contain the portion and frequency of general consumption.

Plums, as we shall see in the next section, also contain some molecules with laxative power. These, together with the dietary fiber content, can increase (hopefully or unexpectedly) intestinal motility, decreasing stool consistency and increasing the frequency / ease of evacuations.

The average portion of fresh plums is about 100-200 g (45-90 kcal), which corresponds to 2, 3 or 4 fruits (depending on the variety).

Plums, fresh - Nutritional values per 100 g

Power		46 kcal
Total carbohydrates		11.42 g
	Starch	1.5 g
	Simple sugars	9.92 g
fibers		1.4 g
Grassi		0.28 g
	Saturated	- g
	Monounsaturated	- g
	polyunsaturated	- g
Protein		0.7 g
water		87 g
Vitamins
Vitamin A equivalent		17 μg	2 %
	Beta-carotene	190 μg	2 %
	Lutein Zexanthin	73 μg
Vitamin A		- IU
Thiamine or B1		0.028 mg	2 %
Riboflavin or B2		0.026 mg	2 %
Niacin or PP or B3		0.417 mg	3%
Pantothenic acid or B5		0.135 mg	3%
Pyridoxine or B6		0.029 mg	2 %
folate		5 μg	1%
Choline		- mg	-%
Ascorbic acid or C		9.5 mg	11%
Vitamin D		- μg	-%
Alpha-tocopherol or E		0.26 mg	2 %
Vit. K		6.4 μg	6%
Minerals
Football		6.0 mg	1%
Iron		0.17 mg	1%
Magnesium		7.0 mg	2 %
Manganese		0.052 mg	2 %
Phosphorus		16.0 mg	2 %
Potassium		157.0 mg	3%
Sodium		0.0 mg	0%
Zinc		0.1 mg	1%
Fluoride		- μg

Phytotherapy properties

Plums are particularly known for their excellent laxative action, which can be appreciated even at doses of 50-100 g. This effect is linked to the presence of organic acids, osmotic sugars (even non-digestible, such as sorbitol) and oxyphenisatin (used in the past as a laxative drug).

How are laxative prunes used?

If you buy dried (dehydrated) as a laxative food, the plums should be left to soak overnight and taken the next morning together with the remaining water; to exalt their effectiveness, they can be consumed together with other natural complements, such as flax or psyllium seeds (which make the faeces softer and poltaceous thanks to the abundant presence of mucilages).

For sportsmen

The dried plum also has tonic, purifying and energizing properties, which make it useful in the sportsman's diet.

The fresh plum, on the other hand, contains many substances with an antioxidant action, such as phenols and vitamin C. Excellent, as we have already seen, the concentrations of potassium, vitamin K and carotenoids (retinol equivalent - provitamin A).

Side effects

Exaggerating with plum consumption can cause unwanted effects such as diarrhea, meteorism and flatulence, due to sugary fermentation in the intestine; the plums should also be taken in moderation in the presence of spastic colitis and constipation, because their pro-fermentative and mildly irritating action could accentuate excessive spasms and swellings.

Recipes

Laxative cake with dried plums

Dried plums are the main ingredient of this cake designed by the experts of MypersonaltrainerTv to delight not only the palate, but also the intestine; with flax seeds, prunes and dried apricots, wheat bran and Greek yogurt.