Plum and its benefits.

Plum is a stone fruit of the peach, nectarine and apricot family, which originates in several countries and is known throughout the world. There are more than 2000 varieties of plums, with colors ranging from deep purple to red, yellow and even green.

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The benefits of plum are greater than those that people know. Normally known only for its laxative properties, plum has a wide variety of nutrients. Studies have shown the versatility of this fruit that can be a great ally of health, weight loss and defense against various diseases.

With a sweet and slightly bitter taste, you can eat fresh or dried plum, being an excellent option for breakfast or snack between meals.

Plum is rich in nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and fiber, and is an extremely healthy option to keep the diet in order and avoid the consumption of industrialized options, very practical but unhealthy.

The low-calorie plum, a unit of fresh plum has only 30 calories and contains virtually no fat or cholesterol. It is rich in vitamins such as vitamin C, complexes A, K and B, soluble and insoluble fibers, potassium, copper, iron, calcium and magnesium. It also has phytonutrients with high antioxidant power.

Although fruit consumption is seen with caution by nutritionists and those who wish to lose weight due to high concentrations of sugar, plum can be an ally in weight loss. Fiber plays an important role in gastrointestinal transit and satiety. They increase the time that food remains in the stomach and absorb water by increasing the volume of the bolus. Therefore, they induce a feeling of satiety for longer, reducing hunger and, therefore, the intake of more calories.

Plums are rich in potassium, an essential mineral that, together with sodium, participates in the transmission of nerve impulses and muscle contraction. As is known, lack of potassium can also cause muscle cramps and fatigue.

In this way, plum is an excellent food for those who practice physical activities, contributing to the maintenance and gain of muscle mass, as it helps maintain adequate levels of potassium for proper muscle functioning. It also helps maintain glycogen levels, a key energy source for muscle contraction, and promotes the balance of electrolytes as a whole, which is essential for all vital functions of the body.

Plum helps control blood sugar by having a low glycemic index, which is the rate at which carbohydrates from a given food are absorbed and made available in the blood in the form of glucose.

Plums are rich in antioxidant compounds such as polyphenolic flavonoids and vitamin C. Antioxidants act in the body by eliminating free radicals and reactive oxygen species, which are extremely harmful, cause premature aging and favor heart disease, atherosclerosis, cancer , among others.

In atherosclerosis, for example, free radicals favor oxidation and increase of plaques in the walls of blood vessels, which can lead to a decrease in caliber and even blockage of veins and arteries, causing ischemia, stroke, stroke, etc.

Insoluble fibers in plum are metabolized by large intestine bacteria, producing short chain fatty acids, including propionic acid, which has been shown to play an inhibitory role in one of the main enzymes involved in endogenous cholesterol production, HMG - CoA reductase. With less activity than this enzyme, less cholesterol is synthesized, which reduces blood levels.

Iron is essential for the formation of red blood cells and the transport of oxygen. In addition to being a source of this mineral, plum is also a good source of vitamin C, which improves the absorption of iron from the intestine, thus combating the deficiency of this nutrient that can cause anemia.

Vitamin C also works by improving the immune system, preventing infections.