Top 3 Health Benefits of Plums

The health benefits of plums make them amazing for people with diabetes, heart disease, liver disease, and other lifestyle disorders. They're extremely nutritious fruits and contain several important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

They also contain a small amount of beneficial dietary fiber. These nutrients provide several important health benefits when consumed regularly. Dried plums are known as prunes and are similarly nutritious.

In this article, we will discuss the nutritional profile and health benefits of plums in detail.

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Plums Nutrition Facts

Plums are low in calories and are rich sources of important vitamins and minerals. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one medium-sized plum (approximately 66 grams) contains the following nutrients:

• Calories: 30
• Carbs: 8 grams
• Fiber: 1 gram
• Sugars: 7 grams
• Vitamin A: 5% of the RDI
• Vitamin C: 10% of the RDI
• Vitamin K: 5% of the RDI
• Potassium: 3% of the RDI
• Copper: 2% of the RDI
• Manganese: 2% of the RDI

The health benefits of plums can be attributed to the impressive nutritional profile of this fruit. Plums are low-carb and keto-friendly fruits. They contain seven grams of natural sugars. They taste best with oats, smoothies, puddings, and fruit salad.

Check out this list of low-sugar fruits to include in your diet.

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Health Benefits of Plums

Plums are rich in nutrients (Image via Unsplash/jasper benning)

Vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants can have several potential health benefits. Three of them are as follows:

1) Boosts Heart Health

A study conducted by the School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, Australia, found that antioxidants found in plums are linked to a lower risk of heart disease and other related disorders.

The anti-inflammatory benefits of plums may also help reduce levels of LDL and VLDL cholesterol, molecules that increase the risk factors for heart disease. They can aid in the reduction of blood pressure too.

These antioxidant molecules can prevent oxidative damage by reducing the effects of harmful free radicals. Recent studies have suggested that antioxidants might slow the growth of cancer cells. To get all the health benefits of plums, include a handful of them in your diet regularly.

Learn how to take care of your heart naturally.

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2) Helps reduce blood glucose level

Plums are among the fruits that are good for diabetics. The natural sugars present in plums do not increase the level of blood glucose. Levels of glucose and insulin can determine the severity and stage of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Diabetes is characterized by insulin resistance where the cells cannot utilize glucose effectively. That leads to elevated levels of glucose in the blood. The health benefits of plums make them a safer option than other sweeter fruits and sugar-sweetened fruit drinks.

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3) Helps improve gut health

Plums are good for your heart (Image via Unsplash/Shahab Vejdanian)

Plums, especially dried ones, are among the best fiber-rich foods to add to your diet.

Dietary fiber can reduce the occurrence of constipation and flatulence. That's one of the most important benefits of plums, which makes them ideal for people with intestinal disorders.

The anti-inflammatory compounds present in plums can reduce chronic gut inflammation in people with inflammatory bowel syndrome (IBS), ulcerative colitis, and other chronic inflammatory conditions in the gut.

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Bottom Line

To reap all the health benefits of plums, it's recommended to include these fruits in your diet regularly. You can include fresh plums in your fruit salads or dried ones in your trail mixes.

Both plums and prunes (dry plums) offer the same health benefits when consumed daily. They can protect the heart and liver from chronic inflammatory conditions too. A handful of plums a day can be extremely nutritious.