HEALTH BENEFITS OF PLUM

• Packed with dietary fiber, plums are good for the digestive system.
• Plums are rich in minerals like phosphorus, copper, manganese, magnesium and potassium. The green plum as well as plums of different colors also contains zinc, iron and calcium in small quantities.
• Plums are engorged with vitamins. It has vitamin A, vitamin K and vitamin C. The fruit also has niacin, riboflavin and thiamin. Plums also have pantothenic acid, folate, vitamin B6 and vitamin E.
• Plums prove to be good laxatives and are good for the digestive system. The vitamin C and phenols in the fruit has antioxidant qualities, which look after the eyes and prevent macular degeneration; boosts immunity; improves cardiac health; and, protects against cancer.
• Plums are rich in antioxidants, which provide protection from the superoxide anion radical. These antioxidants also prevent damage to our neurons and the fats that are part of our cell membranes.
• Plums also lead to better absorption of iron.
• The vitamin c in plums is good for the body tissue and for the immune system. It can prevent flu and colds and can even prevent the cholesterol from getting oxidized.
• Since the vitamin C in plums can neutralize the free radicals, it prevents diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, colon cancer and asthma. 
• Plums as well as other fruits can prevent macular degeneration. It is believed that three serving of fruit every day can reduce your chances of macular degeneration.
• Plums help prevent constipation as it improves gastrointestinal and liver function and thus can prevent constipation.
• It helps get rid of toxins from our body. Due to this you tend to lose weight naturally. 
 
• Plum also contains citric acid that can help fight and prevent fatigue and muscle cramp. Plums have important minerals, especially certain minerals that act like natural tranquilizers which help calm and soothe the nerves. All you need to do to achieve this is ensure that you have at least 5 to 6 plums in your daily diet and it will help solve the symptoms of fatigue in a week.
• It has been effective to a certain extent in controlling the growth of cancer cells in the breast as it has certain phytonutrients that have the ability to do this.
• People who suffer from urinary tract stone are advised to avoid eating plums as they contain oxalic acid which is a substance found in some fruits and vegetables. This substance at times crystallizes as oxalate stones in the urinary tract. People who are allergic to apricots, peaches, almonds and cherries should avoid eating plums as they belong to the same family.
• Similarly, if you are allergic to aspirin you may also face the same problems.
  
  
  NUTRIENT CONTENT OF PLUM (PRUNUS SPP)
   
  
  

  Nutrient	Units	Value per 100 grams of edible portion	Sample Count	Std. Error
  Proximates
  Water	g	85.20	45	0.369
  Energy	kcal	55	0
  Energy	kj	230	0
  Protein	g	0.79	41	0.024
  Total lipid (fat)	g	0.62	5	0.020
  Carbohydrate, by difference	g	13.01	0
  Fiber, total dietary	g	1.5	0
  Ash	g	0.39	41	0.009
  Minerals
  Calcium, Ca	mg	4	5	0.166
  Iron, Fe	mg	0.10	37	0.011
  Magnesium, Mg	mg	7	37	0.152
  Phosphorus, P	mg	10	37	0.845
  Potassium, K	mg	172	21	4.254
  Sodium, Na	mg	0	21	0.059
  Zinc, Zn	mg	0.10	5	0.012
  Copper, Cu	mg	0.043	37	0.004
  Manganese, Mn	mg	0.049	37	0.004
  Selenium, Se	mcg	0.5	0
  Vitamins
  Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid	mg	9.5	5	0.847
  Thiamin	mg	0.043	1
  Riboflavin	mg	0.096	1
  Niacin	mg	0.500	0
  Pantothenic acid	mg	0.182	5	0.006
  Vitamin B-6	mg	0.081	10	0.008
  Folate, total	mcg	2	23	0.282
  Folic acid	mcg	0	0
  Folate, food	mcg	2	23	0.282
  Folate, DFE	mcg_DFE	2	0
  Vitamin B-12	mcg	0.00	0
  Vitamin A, IU	IU	323	5	80.587
  Vitamin A, RE	mcg_RE	32	5	8.059
  Vitamin E	mg_ATE	0.600	0
  Lipids
  Fatty acids, total saturated	g	0.049	0
  4:0	g	0.000	0
  6:0	g	0.000	0
  8:0	g	0.000	0
  10:0	g	0.000	0
  12:0	g	0.000	0
  14:0	g	0.000	0
  16:0	g	0.041	0
  18:0	g	0.009	0
  Fatty acids, total monounsaturated	g	0.406	0
  16:1 undifferentiated	g	0.005	0
  18:1 undifferentiated	g	0.400	0
  20:1	g	0.000	0
  22:1 undifferentiated	g	0.000	0
  Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated	g	0.134	0
  18:2 undifferentiated	g	0.134	0
  18:3 undifferentiated	g	0.000	0
  18:4	g	0.000	0
  20:4 undifferentiated	g	0.000	0
  20:5 n-3	g	0.000	0
  22:5 n-3	g	0.000	0
  22:6 n-3	g	0.000	0
  Cholesterol	mg	0	0
  Phytosterols	mg	7	0
  Amino acids
  Threonine	g	0.016	6
  Isoleucine	g	0.016	6
  Leucine	g	0.021	6
  Lysine	g	0.017	6
  Methionine	g	0.006	6
  Cystine	g	0.004	6
  Phenylalanine	g	0.017	6
  Tyrosine	g	0.006	6
  Valine	g	0.019	6
  Arginine	g	0.013	6
  Histidine	g	0.013	6
  Alanine	g	0.029	6
  Aspartic acid	g	0.249	6
  Glutamic acid	g	0.037	6
  Glycine	g	0.012	6
  Proline	g	0.034	6
  Serine	g	0.020	6

  USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 14 (July 2001)