Plum: benefits and harms

Plum appeared a long time ago, as a product of crossing cherry plum and blackthorn. Now you can see many different varieties and types of this plant. Plum fruits have different shapes and colors, different tastes. They have found a worthy application in folk medicine and in cosmetology.

The benefits of plums

The juicy plum fruit contains a large amount of minerals and vitamins. They contain a lot of pectins, which are useful for removing carcinogens and radionucleides from the body. Black plums contain a lot of B vitamins, which are good for normalizing protein metabolism and strengthening the nervous system. In addition, plums contain special substances called coumarins, which are useful against blood clots. Plum fruits contain a lot of saccharides and dietary fiber, but at the same time they are surprisingly low in calories - only 49 kilocalories per 100 grams of pulp.

Frequent use of plums in food is very useful for normalizing heart activity, for removing bad cholesterol and as a means of lowering blood pressure. Plum fruits are useful to eat to normalize the nervous system. They perfectly soothe, help eliminate the effects of nervous tension and stress.

Everyone knows that plum has a laxative effect. Therefore, it is recommended to use it to gently eliminate constipation. In addition, these berries have a slight diuretic and choleretic effect. This allows you to use the plum to remove excess salts, fluid from the body, which relieves us of edema. It is useful to drink juice from plums and eat berries for stomach diseases, getting rid of heartburn, for the treatment of ulcers and gastritis.

Plum harm

Not all people can consume plums often. For example, in the presence of such diseases, these fruits cannot be eaten:

• With diabetes, as plum contains a lot of saccharides and can play the role of a real carbon bomb.
• With rheumatism and gout due to its diuretic effect, which will only worsen the patient's condition.
• In childhood, it is not recommended to use plums due to the weakness of the digestive system.
• When breastfeeding, as the plum can cause colic in the crumbs.
• In the presence of stones in the gallbladder, since the drain has a pronounced choleretic effect and can provoke an attack.

Plum treatment

Plum is very often recommended for people with digestive problems, namely to eliminate constipation. At the same time, you do not need to somehow cook this fruit. It is enough to eat about ten plums in the morning on an empty stomach. Then, during the day, you can eat plums as snacks, separately from other foods. A mild laxative effect is exerted by compote and juice from plums, as well as dried plums. For this purpose, it is often recommended to eat prunes.

Plum compote contains a lot of potassium, so it is useful to drink it with high blood pressure and kidney disease. Freshly prepared the juice it is useful to drink with pulp to remove excess fluid from the body. The same juice will effectively cleanse the body and normalize the acidity of the stomach.

Eat 200 grams of berries every day to combat bad mood and depression.

In the presence of kidney stones, it is helpful to use the resin of the plum tree, which is called gum. It is enough to eat a small spoonful of resin daily or prepare a tincture from it. For tincture, pour 100 grams of gum with a liter of white wine. After the resin is completely dissolved, the tincture can be used for treatment.

If your lower back hurts, rub the plum kernels. To do this, grind 25 grams of kernels and fill with a glass of vodka. Insist a week in a shaded place in a glass container.

Plum during pregnancy

It is known that while expecting a baby, many women suffer from digestive problems, namely, they are often worried about constipation. In this case, plums will be of invaluable help. Just a few fruits in the morning on an empty stomach and in the evening before bedtime will improve bowel function in just a few days.

Plum contains many valuable substances necessary pregnant woman... These include vitamin E, folic acid, potassium, iodine, and iron. These substances are especially valuable for the expectant mother. They are responsible for the correct development of the fetus, eliminate signs of toxicosis, anemia and the risk of placental abruption.

Plum is an excellent prophylactic against bleeding gums and helps to preserve teeth. Plum fruits perfectly cleanse the body of free radicals and protect against the harmful effects of the environment.
But for all the benefits during pregnancy, you should not eat plums thoughtlessly. Follow these simple guidelines:

• Do not eat unwashed and unripe fruits.
• Don't eat too much plums. It is quite enough to eat about 150 grams per day.
• Do not eat fruit with high blood glucose levels.
• Remember that fresh fruit is more beneficial. Therefore, do not heat the fruit unnecessarily.

Is plum good for children

As we noted above, children at an early age, the digestive system is still poorly developed. Therefore, in babies it very quickly causes bloating and diarrhea. Plum begins to be introduced into the diet of children as complementary foods. At the same time, the child must first get acquainted with other fruits - an apple and a pear. Usually by this time the baby reaches 8-9 months. First, the child is prepared puree from light varieties of plums and must be subjected to heat treatment. In this regard, it is more convenient to use ready-made baby food with plums. If you decide to make mashed potatoes yourself, then be sure to boil the fruit for 10 minutes before that. Then remove the pits and skin and cook in a blender into a homogeneous mass. If the puree turned out to be very sour, then you can add a little fructose.

Children over one and a half years old can be given all varieties of plums, but only those that have undergone heat treatment. It can be compote or plum jam. You can use the plum for filling pies.