Tag Archives: Plum

07 Apr

Best Plums for Plum Juice and How to Choose Them

With over 2,000 varieties of plums to choose from, determining the best plums for juicing can be challenging. Understanding how commercial growers cultivate and ship plums to markets helps narrow down choices. As plum flavors range from sweet to tart, personal preference comes into play as well.

The growing season for plums is from mid-spring to early fall. Plums that appear in markets during this period are usually domestically grown and are more likely to be sweet and ripe. During the off-season, markets may purchase plums from other areas of the world, but these plums are typically picked too soon so that their hardness will protect them in shipping. While you can buy plums that are not quite ripe and allow them to ripen at home, they will not become any sweeter.

The best plums for juicing, then, will be those that are picked ripe, according to their season. Different varieties come to fruition throughout the season, making it possible to enjoy plums in your juicer through much of the year.

Early Season Arrivals

Red Beauts are usually the first plums available in the market each year. They are yellow with a bright red skin and have a mild flavor. Black Beauts follow, with a reddish purple skin and flesh that reddens as it matures. While Black Beauts are larger than the Reds, their skin has a tarter taste.

Mid-Season Winner

Available in the heat of summer, when you look to your juicer for a refreshing beverage, La Roda plums may just be the best plums for juicing. La Roda plums have a dark, freckled red-purple skin that is thin and delicate. The fruit is golden yellow, sweet and full of juice.

Late Season Plums

Friars have the deep, purple-black skin that many people associate with plums. Their pale yellow fruit is sweet and juicy, although the skin is quite tart. Friars have a small pit, too, which makes them a good choice for the juicer.

best plums for juicing

Shopping for Plums

Aside from picking plums in season, look for plums that are plump and that have an even color. They should feel slightly soft but never mushy. Avoid those with wrinkled skin. Plums taste sweetest when juiced at room temperature.

While it’s best to purchase ripe plums for juicing, you can help complete the ripening process by placing them in a paper bag at room temperature. Ripe plums can be refrigerated for up to three days.

17 Feb

Plum Nutrition Facts

Plum Nutrition Facts

Betaine 0 mg
Calcium 6 mg
Calories 46 Calories
Carbohydrate 11,4 g
Carotene-a 0 mcg
Carotene-ß 190 mcg
Choline 1,5 mg
Copper 0,1 mg
Dietary Fiber 1,4 g
Fluoride 2 mcg
Folate 5 mcg
Iron 0,2 mg
Lutein-zeaxanthin 73 mcg
Lycopene  mcg
Magnesium 7 mg
Manganese 0,1 mg
Niacine 0,4 mg
Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) 7581 µ mol TE
Pantothenic Acid 0,1 mg
Phosphorus 16 mg
Phytonutrients 298 mcg
Potassium 157 mg
Protein 0,7 g
Pyridoxine Vit. B6 0,029 mg
Riboflavin Vit. B2 0 mg
Selenium 0 mcg
Sodium 0 mg
Sugar 9,9 g
Thiamine 0 mg
Total Fat 0,3 g
Vitamin A 345 IU
Vitamin B6 0 mg
Vitamin C 9,5 mg
Vitamin E 0,3 mg
Vitamin K 6,4 mcg
Water 87,2 g
Zinc 0,1 mg

17 Jan

Which Fruit Has The Most Vitamin B6?

What is Vitamin B6?

Vitamins are substances required by your body in tiny amounts. Your body cannot make its own vitamins. They must be acquired from the diet. Vitamin B6 is a part of a larger group of vitamins known as Vitamin B compound. These vitamins are water soluble, so they dissolve easily in water. Your body cannot store water-soluble vitamins. Vitamin B6 must be acquired daily. Its scientific name is pyridoxine.

Vitamin B6 In Our Body

Vitamin B6 is involved in many body functions. It helps you metabolize macronutrients such as proteins, fats and carbohydrates. It helps convert carbohydrates into glucose for energy. It is necessary to synthesize neurotransmitters that control mood and assists with many functions of the immune system. It participates in keeping electrolytes balanced, promotes the production of red blood cells and helps to keep homocysteine levels low. It contributes to healthy hair, skin, eyesight and good liver function.

Vitamin B6 deficiency includes general weakness, nervousness and irritability. It is responsible for pre-menstrual problems like fluid retention, emotional outbursts and depression. It is essential for the body to make melatonin. Insomnia often results from not enough melatonin. Low levels of Vitamin B6 can also manifest in skin conditions, ridged fingernails and serious bone problems such as arthritis and osteoporosis. One of the most noticeable deficiency symptoms is a swollen or painful tongue.

Many people resort to taking vitamin and mineral supplements when they believe they may not be getting enough in their diet, but sometimes that can be dangerous. Too much Vitamin B6 can cause neurological problems. Numbness, tingling hands or feet, and trouble walking are signs that you may be getting too much Vitamin B6 as well as too little. It is always best to get the vitamins and minerals you need from whole foods.

Banana

Top Fruits For Vitamin B6 Content

The amounts of Vitamin B6 are given for 100g of each fruit.

1 Banana 0,37 mg
2 Durian 0,30 mg
3 Elderberry 0,20 mg
4 Kiwi 0,10 mg
5 Blueberry 0,10 mg
6 Pumpkin 0,10 mg
7 Lychee 0,10 mg
8 Jackfruit 0,10 mg
9 Pineapple 0,10 mg
10 Orange 0,10 mg
11 Lemon 0,10 mg
12 Redcurrant 0,10 mg
13 Grape 0,10 mg
14 Melon (Cantaloupe) 0,10 mg
15 Mulberry 0,10 mg
16 Grapefruit 0,10 mg
17 Passion Fruit 0,10 mg
18 Gooseberry 0,10 mg
19 Mango 0,10 mg
20 Tangerine 0,10 mg
21 Raspberry 0,10 mg
22 Guava 0,10 mg
23 Blackcurrant 0,10 mg
24 Carrot 0,10 mg
25 Apricot 0,10 mg
26 Pomegranate 0,10 mg
27 Fig 0,10 mg
28 Tomato 0,08 mg
29 Cranberry 0,06 mg
30 Watermelon 0,05 mg
31 Cucumber 0,04 mg
32 Plum 0,00 mg
33 Cherry (sweet) 0,00 mg
34 Papaya 0,00 mg
35 Peach 0,00 mg
36 Strawberry 0,00 mg
37 Apple 0,00 mg
38 Pear 0,00 mg
39 Lime 0,00 mg
40 Blackberry 0,00 mg
41 Mangosteen 0,00 mg

24 Nov

Health Benefits Of Plum Juice – Constipation, Antioxidants, Heart Rhythm And More

Plum juice also known more commonly as prune juice is created by softening prunes by steaming and squeezing them with a pulping tool to create liquid purees. Plum juice has always been a popular natural juice enjoyed in some countries around the world but with the discovery of the many health benefits of plum juice, it has become an important nutrient source for many people worldwide who want a healthy substitute to artificial drinks or juices.

Prunes are now cultivated more for their juices than for the consumption of the fruits because of their numerous health benefits.

Health Benefits Of Plum Juice

Constipation Treatment

One of the biggest health benefits of plum juice is its ability to treat constipation by helping in the transportation of liquids to the intestine because of sugars such as sucrose, fructose, and sorbitol thereby softening stool and aiding in bowel movement. Plum juice also contains dihydropheylisatin which is a natural laxative that helps in muscle contractions.

Health benefits if plum juice

Rich Source of Fiber

The nutrient in plums that further proves their positive effect is soluble fiber. According to the USRDA, 12.1% of soluble fiber helps in normalizing blood sugar and lowering the body’s intake of glucose or sugar. Some studies have also been conducted and have shown how soluble fiber can help in producing insulin which in turn decreases the chances of contracting diabetes.

Antioxidant Source

Among the important benefits of plum juice is its richness in antioxidants that help in warding off free radicals. Free radicals cause damage to the body and are one of the biggest causes of aging.

Two of the main antioxidants found in plum juice are phenols and beta-carotenes. Phenols block free radicals that are oxygen-based to prevent them from damaging the fats in the body. This helps keep the membranes of brain cells and skin cells healthy because these are composed mostly of fats. Beta-carotene on the other hand is a form of vitamin A that helps protect the body from the damages caused by free radicals such as aging and diseases including heart disease and cancer.

Acidity Control

There is a Chinese form of sour plum juice known as ‘suanmeitang’ that controls the buildup of lactic acid to help reduce acidity. Although its acidity benefits are not considered one of the popular health benefits of plum juice, the suanmeitang is very popular in oriental countries and is even being introduced in Western countries as well.

Heart Rhythm

The high levels of potassium in plum juice make it beneficial for people suffering from high blood pressure or those who are likely to suffer from stroke. In addition, the high potassium levels of plum juice helps in regulating normal heart rhythm. This is one of the main benefits for heart disease sufferers.

Regulated Blood Sugar Levels

Unlike other sources of sugar, plum juice has a higher level of natural sweetening agents such as sorbitol and fructose compared to sucrose making it a good substitute for sweet juices that cause huge spikes in blood sugar levels. The high amount of soluble fiber also helps in stabilizing blood sugar and improves cholesterol levels.  Furthermore, the sweet nature of plum juice makes it advisable as a drink for people who worry about high blood sugar levels because it can keep sugar cravings low throughout the day. The regulation of blood sugar is not among the biggest health benefits of plum juice because natural juice always has more sugar than fruit. It is more advisable to eat prunes instead. However, compared to other natural juices, plum juice has among the least sugar count.

Weight Loss

Plum juice also aids people wanting to lose weight. Plum juice is advisable for these people because intake of this juice can help satisfy appetite faster and curb overeating. This helps dieters from consuming more unhealthy food that may cause disastrous effects on their diet. However, like all other things, plum juice should be taken in moderation because it also contains calories that may boost weight when taken excessively.

Prevention of Chronic Diseases

The abundance of phenols is one of the main health benefits of plum juice because this antioxidant can help prevent chronic diseases such as cancer and heart diseases. Chronic diseases caused by LDL oxidation is curbed because of the production of 2 main types of phenolic compounds in plum juice – chlorogenic and neochlorogenic acids.