Plums

Sweet, juicy and delicious, plums are referred to as “drupe” fruits, along with peaches, for example. Plums score a 95 out of 100 in Dr. T.C. Fry’s “A General Guide to Food Selection,” making this food among the highest rated.

Plums are in season from May to September. An average-size plum measures 2⅛ inches in diameter, weighs 66 grams and contains 30 calories. A cup of sliced plums weighs 165 grams and contains 76 calories. The fruit contains 87 percent water by weight.

Plums belong to the Rosaceae family in the genus Prunus. As many as 40 species of plums exist, but only the hexaploid European plum (Prunus domestica) and the diploid Japanese plum (Prunus salicina and hybrids) are cultivated for widespread consumption. Dried plums are usually called prunes.

Plums are rich in Vitamins A, C and K.

China is the leading producer of plums, growing 6.1 million tonnes in 2013, followed by Serbia (738,000 tonnes) and Romania (512,000 tonnes). Chile (306,000 tonnes) and Turkey (305,000 tonnes) round out the list of leading five producers.

Stats for 100 Grams of Plums (Raw)

• 46 calories

Notable Nutrients

Percentages based on the Reference Daily Intake for a 2,000-calorie diet

• Fiber: 5.6%
• Vitamin A: 6.9%
• Vitamin C: 15.8%
• Vitamin K: 8%
• Potassium: 4.5%

Carbs/Protein/Fat

• Carbohydrates: 89.8%
• Protein: 5.1%
• Fat: 5.1%

Food Type

• Subacid fruit

Sources

• Self Healing Colitis & Crohn’s by Dr. David Klein
• http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/2398
• http://www.cronometer.com
• http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/plums.html
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plum