Plums - 5 Health Benefits You Never Knew!

Plums originally originated in the continent of Asia. They are the member of the plant Genus Prunus, which also consists of apricots, cherries, and almonds. One can’t go wrong in adding plums in their diet. Plums have the qualities of being low in calories and they also enable you to meet your daily dose of vitamin A, vitamin C, and fiber needs. Some other amazing benefits of plums are :

1. Low in calorie content: Plums contain few calories as compared to its portion size, as they are low-energy foods containing 70 calories. There are just 70 calories in two plums of medium sizes. It has been suggested by CDC (Centre for Disease Control and Preventions) that when one includes more amounts of low-energy dense foods in their diet, it can help them to limit their total amount of calorie intake for controlling hunger and weight loss.
2. Good source of fiber: Plums are very good source of fiber. 2 grams of fiber can be found in two medium sized plums. In average, adults need about 20 to 30 grams of fiber in a day, where most people consume only around 15 grams of fiber. The fiber content in foods can help control hunger. Fiber also helps to add bulk to our stool. It helps to mitigate and prevent constipation. Fiber also has the power to prevent the risks of heart diseases by absorbing cholesterol from our blood stream.
3. Low glycemic index food: The calories in plum come from the carbohydrates in the form of sugar. In two medium sized plums, there is about 19 grams of carbs and about 16 grams of sugar. Although plums are high in sugar and carbohydrates, plums are low glycemic index food. The glycemic index helps to rank the foods that contain carbohydrate on how and by how much they affect blood sugar. Foods with a high glycemic index can cause a brisk rise in blood sugar. Whereas foods with low glycemic index cause a little bit of rising in blood sugar. And also people who eat too many of high glycemic index food has a high risk of diabetes and also heart disease according to the Harvard School of Public Health. Whereas eating low glycemic index foods helps to control diabetes and also helps in weight loss.
4. Good source of vitamin A: Eating two medium sized plums can provide about eight percent of a person’s daily need of vitamin A or 400 international units. Vitamin A is essential for eye health, development and growth, immune health, reproduction, and bone health. Vitamin A is also known as a fat soluble vitamin.
5. Good source of vitamin C: It is an important water-soluble vitamin. We need a minimum intake of vitamin C in order to make collagen which also helps in healing of wounds and plums are rich in this nutrient. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Dietitian/Nutritionist.