Plums
Plums belong to the rose family . It is a juicy and intensely violet-colored plum variety. It has small, oblong fruits with yellow-green to orange flesh. The plums, on the other hand, are rather rounded. In the case of plums, the stone can also be removed more easily.
Worth knowing about plums
Plums have been native to all of Europe, North America, West Asia, and North and South Africa for centuries. In Germany, plums mostly come from Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria and Rhineland-Palatinate.
From a botanical point of view, plums belong to the group of plums. The plum tree can grow up to six meters high, in rare cases it can also reach a height of ten meters. While the one-year-old twigs are rather bare, the older branches usually have strong thorns up to five centimeters long.
The leaves of the plum tree are notched to serrate and rarely hairy. At the time of flowering, they are only slightly developed. The ripe drupe, four to eight centimeters long, is blue to blue-black and oblong-ovate. It tapers significantly towards the two ends. The egg- to crescent-shaped stone core is flattened. It is pointed at both ends and almost piercing.
The moderately juicy, pleasantly sweet and sour as well as whitish to greenish-yellow flesh of the plum is firm and can be easily separated from the stone. It keeps its shape even when heated in the oven. Prunes are also easier to transport than plums, so they are now preferred in cultivation and trade.
The same applies to the confectioners, since the plums not only keep their shape when baked, but also their bite. The plums are available almost all year round. They come from domestic cultivation from July to October.
importance to health
Plums contain various B vitamins that have a positive effect on metabolism, the nervous system and performance. The stone fruit strengthens the immune system , the nerves , helps to reduce stress and counteracts moods and depression .
In addition, there is the provitamin A , which is contained in abundance and is particularly important for vision and healthy skin . It is also known that plums promote digestion thanks to the high sorbitol content, the B vitamins and the indigestible fiber. This is even more the case with dried fruit than with fresh fruit.
The anthocyanins, the blue plant pigments of the plums, bind the cell-damaging free radicals and can thus protect against cancer and skin aging. Even figure-conscious people can eat the plums with a clear conscience, as the fat content is almost zero.
Ingredients & nutritional values
The plums not only taste good, they are also extremely healthy as they contain numerous valuable minerals and trace elements such as potassium, copper and zinc as well as important vitamins such as A, C, E and various B vitamins.
Calories and nutrients (per 100g) | ||
kilocalories/kilojoules | 43 kcal/ 181 kj | |
protein | 0,60 g | |
carbohydrates | 8,80 g | |
Fett | 0,10 g | |
Water | 86,30 g | |
fiber | 2,30 g | |
beta-carotene | 295 µg | |
Vitamin E | 610 µg |
intolerances
Plums are generally well tolerated, but diabetics should eat them in moderation, because there are relatively many carbohydrates in stone fruit. The fruit acids it contains also have a slightly laxative effect. In the case of constipation , this can of course be beneficial.
Some people with kidney disease report that eating plums can lead to pain in the kidney area if too much has been eaten.
Shopping and kitchen tips
When buying plums, you should make sure that they are fresh in color. In addition, the stone fruit should be firm and smell fine. If the plums are harvested directly from the tree, they are covered with a whitish frost (scented film). The plums themselves form this waxy coating to protect themselves from drying out and to extend their shelf life.
In retail, this is an indication of good quality. The natural wax layer is washed off just before use or consumption. Since plums do not ripen later, it is advisable to choose well-ripened fruit when buying them. Plums should be consumed within two to four days.
For optimal storage, they are stored in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator. Ideally, this is done in a damp cloth so that the plums do not lose any moisture. After the fruit has been washed, dried, halved and stoned, it can also be frozen in a freezer bag. In this case, plums have a shelf life of around twelve months.
preparation tips
Plums can be used in many different ways. Of course, they are a pleasure on their own, but they are also very popular for baking cakes, as they are not as juicy as plums and the dough therefore remains drier. They are especially irresistible with sprinkles and whipped cream.
Ripe plums also taste good as compote, jam, mousse or in a fruit salad. Plums are also suitable as a filling for pastries and can be used like quark or potato dumplings .
Thanks to their sour and fruity taste, plums that are not quite as ripe go well with spicy dishes such as chutneys, roasted and grilled meat dishes or game. Plums are also popular for the production of various spirits.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.