Plums are considered the powerhouse of antioxidants. They provide many health advantages due to their high nutritious content. The presence of phenols in plums, such as anthocyanins, helps improve cognition and reduce inflammation. Plums help control diabetes, alleviate constipation, and shield the body from heart diseases. They contain many vitamins and minerals, in addition to fiber and antioxidants that may help reduce your risk of several chronic diseases.
Plums are a medium-sized stone fruit. The most popular variety has a dark purple-red skin with yellow flesh inside, you can also find plums that are green-yellow. All varieties have a stone in the center of the fruit which is not edible. When dried, plums are known as prunes. Let's know the benefits of plums in detail below.
What Are the Benefits Of Eating Plums?
1. Promotes Muscle Growth, Blood Vessel Development, and Healing- Plums are rich in vitamin C, an essential nutrient that is beneficial for the development of muscles and their healing. Vitamin C helps enhance collagen production, essential for healing wounds and repairing tissue. Plum's health benefits include the growth and repair of muscles, making it a beneficial source of nutrients for athletes and individuals who engage in physical activities more than usual. Vitamin C helps in the maintenance and health of blood vessels by supporting cardiovascular function.
2. Lowers the risk of developing heart disease- Plums contain phytochemicals and other compounds that help lower inflammation, which further increases the rate of heart disease. The benefits of eating plums also include improving cardiovascular health and maintaining a healthy heart.
3. Lowers Anxiety- The antioxidants present in plums benefit by keeping anxiety under control which is distressful and has a major impact on your physical and mental health. When antioxidant levels are low, it leads to increased anxiety. Consumption of plums ensures an adequate intake of antioxidants, which helps in achieving a calm and relaxed state of mind.
4. Relieves Constipation- Plums act as a natural and effective solution for constipation. Plums are a good source of sorbitol, which is a sugar alcohol with laxative effects. The high sorbitol content in plums helps regulate bowel movements and helps in improving your digestive system. Therefore, adding plums to your diet can help relieve discomfort associated with constipation.
5. Controls Blood Pressure and Reduces the Risk of Stroke- Plums are rich in potassium. The potassium content in plums plays a crucial role in regulating blood pressure and also helps in the body’s process of excreting extra sodium through urine, resulting in a reduction in blood pressure. It also lowers the pressure in the blood vessels and contributes to the improvement of cardiovascular health thus preventing strokes.
6. Offers Antioxidants for the Body- Plums are high in antioxidants, which help protect the body against tissue and cellular damage caused by harmful free radicals. Plums benefit our bodies by boosting our defense mechanisms to combat these harmful free radicals effectively.
7. Regulates Sugar Levels in the Blood- Plums help reduce the sugar spikes in the blood after consuming carbohydrates. Plums are high in fiber content and hence helps slow down the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, and further prevents sudden increase in blood sugar levels. The plum fruit also benefits by increasing adiponectin production, a hormone that helps in regulating sugar levels.
8. Increases Bone Strength- Plum helps strengthen bones since it contains potassium and polyphenols which are beneficial in improving bone health. To potentially strengthen your bones and reduce the risk of diseases like osteoporosis consuming plum can be the best option.
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