Covering the spectrum of the rainbow within one fruit are…plums (Prunus subgenus prunus). These tasty drupes, juicy sweet or tangy-tart, share membership in the rose family with several other favourites; cherry, peach, apricot, apple, pear, quince, almond and even olive. The impressively colored flesh, especially when the fruit is fully ripe, contains an abundance of ….you guessed it…cell-strengthening antioxidants. Specifically, the antioxidants found in plums help protect the very-important fatty tissue of the brain, preventing dementia and macular degeneration, therefore helping us think and see clearly. Plums are a favorite edible-medicinal in Japan, China, many parts of Europe, Africa and North America for a variety of reasons. In North America, it is the variety Prunus domestica when dried, a ‘prune’ is known for its incredible fibre content but fresh plums are also a good food to smooth the transmission time of the digestive system due to high contents of dietary fibre, sorbitol and isatin. Dried plums, prunes and other newer functional varieties, have also been shown to improve bone health by inhibiting bone cell destruction and increase iron absorption, due to high content of vitamin C. Don’t let plum season go-by without gobbeling up your share. And during hte winter, count on dried and naturally-preserved versions to provide off-season benefits.
originally posted at www.notfarfromthetree.org
xox dr millie lytle nd
