Now is the time for plums to be on the market in large quantities, sweet and sour plums are the favorite of many friends, but what is its nutrition, what should you pay attention to when eating it? In this article, we will talk about plums, and finally tell you how to keep them fresh.
How about plum nutrition?
Plums have been cultivated in the mainland for more than 3,000 years, and there are many varieties, such as chicken heart plum, verdant plum, hibiscus plum, Wushan plum, crisp red plum, red cloth plum, black bulin, etc.
Although different plums have different aroma components, they generally contain almond-flavored benzaldehyde, floral aromatic alcohol, peach-flavored lactone, and spicy methyl cinnamate. [1]
As for the nutrition of plums, it is not particularly prominent in fruits, and the potassium content is not bad, 144 mg / 100 grams,[2] suitable for small partners who need to control blood pressure.
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Some people compared the polyphenol composition and antioxidant properties of 9 different plums common in hibiscus plum, Wushan plum, rose plum, red cloth plum, black cloth plum, prune plum, crisp red plum, Jiang'an plum, and green plum, and the results showed that the total phenolic content of red cloth plum peel and pulp were the highest, and the antioxidant capacity was the strongest; Wushan plum pulp has the strongest ability to scavenge free radicals. [4]
In terms of proanthocyanidin content, black bulin has a greater advantage. Proanthocyanidins are natural antioxidants, which help to remove excess free radicals in the human body, and have anti-tumor, cardiovascular, anti-inflammatory, anti-radiation, prevent high blood pressure and other effects. [5] Black bulin also has a high amount of bayberry flavonoids, with a content of 43.2 mg / 100 grams, [2] which is 2.5~8 times that of ordinary plums, and this ingredient is also a kind of antioxidant component,
Two special plums
There are two kinds of special plums, which everyone often eats, but they do not know that they also belong to plums, and are often misunderstood.
Also called apricot plum, it is a natural and artificial hybrid variety of plum and apricot with a more complex aroma. In fact, it is also a kind of plum, most varieties of plum genetic background accounted for more than 75%, apricot genetic background accounted for less than 25%, so the taste and quality of the fruit are close to plum, such varieties include "dinosaur eggs, taste king, taste thick, taste emperor, flavor rose, flavor queen", etc., and "weixin" variety is more special, its genetic gene, apricot genetic background accounts for 75%. [7]
"Dinosaur eggs". Image from the Internet
Prunes are not plums, but European plums, descendants of natural hybrids of cherry plums and blackthorn plums, also known as Western plums, native to West Asia and Europe, and also widely cultivated in mainland Xinjiang. The biggest feature of prunes is that it is rich in sorbitol, an ingredient that has an osmotic effect, which can increase the water content of feces, stimulate gastrointestinal peristalsis, promote bowel movements, and change intestinal flora. Generally, eating about 5 grams at a time will have a reaction of abdominal discomfort,
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The content of fresh prune sorbitol is 5.4 grams / 100 grams, and the content of dried prunes is higher, reaching 14.7 grams / 100 grams,[8] which means that if you eat about 10 small fresh prunes or five or six dried prunes at once, you may have diarrhea.
Can you eat high blood sugar?
The plums are sweet and sour, delicious and juicy, and friends with high blood sugar are also eager to try. But I am afraid that eating will raise blood sugar, and I often struggle repeatedly between eating and not eating. As a matter of fact
It is also necessary to take into account the influence of glycemic load (GL), GL<10 is a low GL food and has less impact on blood sugar.
GL = Carbohydrate (grams) available in food ×GI÷100
According to the data in the "Chinese Food Composition Table", the carbohydrate of plums is 8.7 grams / 100 grams, [2] if you eat 100 grams of plums, after calculation, it is known that GL is 2.09, which is a low GL food, and diabetics eat 100 grams of plums (about 4) with a meal has little effect on blood sugar, and there is no need to worry about raising blood sugar.
Picture: The author took In addition, plums have very low calories, only 38 kcal / 100 grams,[2] not as high as apples.
Precautions for eating plums
How are plums stored?
For friends who like to eat plums, it is inevitable that buying is a bunch, how to save the plums that have bought too much? In fact, plums are better preserved than most other fruits, and ripe plums picked from trees can be stored for 5~10 days at room temperature. [8] If placed in a low temperature environment, it can inhibit the growth and reproduction of microorganisms and prolong the storage time of plums.
Therefore, if the plums bought are relatively small, they can be stored directly at room temperature and eaten as soon as possible; If you buy more, put it in the refrigerator, although it can be stored for a long time, but considering that the nutrients may be lost over time, you still have to eat it quickly!
Resources
[1] By Harold Markey [US]. Translated by Cai Chengzhi. Food & Cooking. Vegetables, fruits, spices, grains. Beijing Fine Art Photography Press.2013.8
[2] YANG Yuexin. Chinese Food Composition Table, 6th Edition, Volume 1[M].Peking University Medical Press,2018
[3] Askarpour M, Ghalandari H, Setayesh L, Ghaedi E. Plum supplementation and lipid profile: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. J Nutr Sci. 2023 Jan 16;12:e6.
[4] XIAO Xingning, LI Weizhou, SHI Fang, LI Yu, MING Jian. Composition and antioxidant activity of polyphenols of different varieties of plum[J].Food Science,2017,38(15):31-37.)
[5] GONG Yushi,HE Jinxia,GUO Juan,HOU Fangli. Optimization of proanthocyanidin extraction process from black bulin peel[J].Food Research and Development,2015,36(20):47-51.)
[6] LI Yao,LIU Yao,WANG Zhentao,FAN Hongyan. Research progress on the pharmacological effects of myricetin flavonoids[J].Journal of Jilin Medical University,2017,38(4):301-304.)
[7] CHEN Yuling, SU Yanxiu, HUANG Zhenyu, et al. Analysis and development suggestions of apricot and plum industry in mainland China[J].China Fruits,2021(03):98-100.DOI:10.16626/j.cnki.issn1000-8047.2021.03.020.
[8] SUN Songpeng, LONG Junhong, NI Hong, et al. Evidence-based medical evidence and clinical recommendations for dietary modification and dietary fiber supplementation in the treatment of chronic constipation[J].China General Practice,2022,25(18):2179-2187+2214.)
[9] LUO Donglan,LIN Mingjun,YOU Yonggang,BA Liangjie. Research progress of plum storage and preservation technology[J].Southern Agriculture Journal,2018,12(34):56-58.)
[10] LIN Yanjuan,ZHOU Danrong,YE Xinfu,LIANG Huaxiang. Research progress of plum preservation technology[J].Southeast Horticulture,2017,5(1):43-49.)