Plums are a popular fruit that is starting to come into season. In addition to their medicinal value, plum users need to pay attention to a number of issues to avoid harming their health.

1. Health benefits of plums

– Plums help reduce blood fat, good for the heart: Potassium contained in plums helps control blood pressure, stabilize heart rate and protect the cardiovascular system. In addition, plums contain very little fat and a lot of fiber, which also helps reduce blood cholesterol, reducing the risk of diseases such as anemia and myocardial infarction.

– Good for obese and diabetic people: Plums have very few calories, but in return, they contain a lot of fiber, which helps slow down the absorption of fat and sugar from food, increasing insulin secretion. In addition, thanks to this process, blood sugar levels in the body are always maintained at a stable level, so plums are very suitable for people who are overweight, have dyslipidemia and diabetes.

– Prevent constipation and improve the digestive system: Insoluble fiber in plums has the effect of preventing gastric juice and harmful bacteria from adversely affecting the stomach lining. In addition, it also helps us feel full for a long time, reduces appetite, stimulates digestion, promotes intestinal motility, and is laxative.

– Good for eyesight: Vitamins and minerals such as vitamins A, B, C, beta carotene… are all very good for eyesight and help prevent eye diseases such as cataracts, myopia, macular degeneration.

– Antioxidants, immune boosters: A plum can provide us with 7% of vitamin C, 8% of vitamin A with the effect of enhancing resistance, anti-oxidation, increasing tissue connections and creating collagen. Thanks to that, it helps keep the skin smooth and reduces wrinkles.

– Cancer prevention: Anthocyanin pigments in plums help eliminate free radicals, anti-oxidation, thereby supporting the prevention of some dangerous cancers such as prostate cancer, breast cancer…

Plums contain many vitamins and minerals that are good for the eyes.

2. Remedies from plums

According to traditional medicine, plums have the effect of clearing heat, quenching thirst, generating body fluids, reducing coughs, stimulating digestion, diuresis, and reducing swelling. Eating a lot of sour plums can easily cause heartburn, stomach upset, and damage teeth, but sipping a little before each meal will make it more delicious and easier to digest.

– Quench thirst, cool down, and clear heat: Using plum juice mixed with sugar water or mixed with grape juice is a thirst quencher that has the effect of cooling, cooling, cooling, and laxative. Use this juice to apply on the face every day to smooth the skin.

– Treat coughs, sore throats, and thirst: You can use ripe plums, wash them, drain them, soak them in salt (one layer of plums, two layers of salt), add a little boiled water to cool, then press them slightly. After a few days to a week, stir well and use gradually.

– Treating cirrhosis: In addition, doctors also use plums to treat cirrhosis by preparing as follows: 100 – 150g fresh plums, a little green tea and enough honey. Then remove the plum seeds, pour 0.3 liters of water, boil for 3 minutes, add green tea and honey. Then drink 1 dose every day.

– Diabetes treatment: Fresh plums, remove seeds, squeeze juice and drink several times a day, 2-3 spoons each time.

– Pain relief, constipation and edema treatment: Plum seeds (taken from dried ripe fruit) have pain relief, diuretic effects, constipation treatment, edema, and bruises caused by blood stasis. Daily dose: 12g in decoction form, often combined with other herbs.

Note: Pregnant women should not use plum seeds.

3. What to note when using plums?

Plums are a fruit with high nutritional content, can be used dried or fresh depending on the purpose of use, such as eating fresh, dried, making jam, soft drinks, sauces…

However, eating too many plums is not good, especially for people who are prone to internal heat or have special constitutions. If you consume too much of this fruit, it can affect tooth enamel, stomach, and cause acne due to internal heat.

In addition, plums contain a lot of oxalate – a substance that reduces the ability to absorb calcium and causes calcium deposits in the kidneys. This is considered the cause of kidney stones, urinary stones, so if you have or are having kidney stones, you should limit your plum intake. Therefore, you should only consume plums in moderation to avoid causing unwanted side effects.

Before using plums, wash them, then soak them in diluted salt water for about 30 minutes to remove pesticides and toxins on the fruit skin.