Mediterranean Diet: Plums, an Elixir of Life

Good morning to everyone,

 

 

Their best time

Today we need to talk about plums. And I say “need” because we definitely need them for good health and to prevent wrinkles. We sure don’t want to “miss the boat” with this wonderful fruit this summer since the best plums can be found in the market from April through September.

 

An elixir of life

Plums have been considered an elixir of life. For a long time, plums were eaten because people knew they help keep the body in good shape and prevent many diseases of old age. The reason for this belief is that this fruit is rich in vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant that fights free radicals. Eating plums keeps the skin young and helps prevent wrinkles.

 

Nutritional value of plums

In addition to vitamin E, plums are high in vitamin A, another powerful antioxidant. Vitamin A also prevents aging, cancer, takes good care of the skin, strengthen the immune system, and protect the eyes thus preventing blindness.

 

Plums also contribute some of the B vitamins, so necessary for an alert mind and a healthy nervous system. 

 

They are high in potassium and low in sodium which makes them a good allied in diets to lose or maintain weight. Potassium helps to eliminate body fluids. Fluid retention is very common during the menopause, kidney and liver disease or as people age.

 

Plums are rich in fiber, especially prunes, which help with a good intestinal transit.

 

Plums have very little fat and their calories come from their carbohydrate content, especially sorbitol which has laxative properties. 100 grams of plums have 55 calories and 85 grams of water. A prune weights about 65 grams. 

 

Prunes

Prunes are the result of drying plums to avoid their spoiling by organisms that live in humid environments. However, you need to be aware that 100 grams of prunes have about 163 calories. They are a good source of calcium, iron, potassium, beta-carotene and vitamin B3 or niacin.

 

Prunes are high in soluble fiber, a fiber that helps reduce cholesterol from our arteries by binding with bile. The liver produces bile from cholesterol which means less cholesterol in our blood vessels. You can read more about the effects of fiber on cholesterol in my book “Your Heart Needs the Mediterranean Diet”.

 

Prunes also contribute good amounts of insoluble fiber, necessary to avoid constipation.

 

When buying prunes read the label and avoid the ones that have preservatives such as nitrites or nitrates.

 

I hope this convince you to also add this fruit to your grocery list. I definitely sound like a must, don’t you think so?

 

Have a great day,

 

Emilia Klapp

 

About the Author:

Emilia Klapp has a degree in Nutrition Science and is certified by the American Dietetic Association as a Registered Dietitian. With her new book, “Your Heart Needs the Mediterranean Diet”, she has helped thousands of people just like you reduce the risk of heart disease, lose weight and enjoy a more abundant life at the same time. For more information on the book and to receive a free especial report on the “Top 10 Mediterranean Curative Ingredients” go to: http://mediterraneanheart.com