Everyone has heard about the benefits of dried fruits to the body. Prune is a dried black plum that is famous for its pleasant taste and richness of nutrients. Plum belongs to the Rosaceae family and is the result of the cross between cherry plum and blackthorn.
What is the use?
Prunes are known for their rich vitamin and mineral composition, since the composition of dried fruit includes many vital substances. These are vitamins B1, B2, PP, C, as well as sodium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, and iron.
Surprisingly, in terms of the number of useful and nutritious elements, prunes are not inferior to fresh plums. Doctors recommend including it in the diet for those who suffer from vitamin deficiency or anemia. This dried fruit is especially necessary for those who have problems with the gastrointestinal tract. Experts recommend eating 5-6 berries for diseases of the stomach.
Prunes and nutritionists who recommend eating berries to those who want to get rid of extra pounds, are not spared, as this is an excellent substitute for sweets and pastries.
It is worth noting the antibacterial properties of prunes. According to doctors, this is a real gift of nature for health. For example, the glycemic index of dried prunes is only 40 units, which means that even diabetics can use it in moderation.
Healing properties
The benefits of prunes are undeniable, but from a medical point of view, it’s worth starting with a property such as the ability to tone, increase brain productivity, and restore the general condition of the body.
The cosmetic properties of prunes also deserve attention. Berries can improve the appearance and condition of the skin from the inside. They contain a sufficient amount of potassium, so it is recommended to eat them with urolithiasis. Prunes help transmit nerve impulses, participate in muscle contraction, and help cardiac activity. In addition to local exposure, it enhances the immune system and the body's overall resistance to various dangerous external influences. All due to the fact that berries contain antioxidants.
Prunes help absorb free radicals that destroy the body. Here, the anti-aging properties of berries become apparent, as well as the benefits of their use in oncology. It can be used in the following cases:
- Bowel disease with constipation.
- Gout.
- Lesions of the liver, kidneys, heart.
- To increase appetite and secretion of gastric juice.
Prunes like to add to dishes. These dried berries are part of many salads, meat dishes, pilaf, compotes and so on.
Folk remedies
Prunes can be used as a laxative. The berries are washed, poured with boiling water and left overnight. In the morning, you need to drink the resulting infusion, and eat the prunes.
Berries can also be used to combat calluses. To do this, you need to boil the prunes in milk, remove the seeds from the berries and, until they have time to cool, attach to the corns. When the prune cools, it must immediately be replaced with a warm berry.
Which prune is better?
When buying, you need to pay attention to the appearance of the berries, especially their color. A good and high-quality product is always saturated black with a light, barely noticeable shine. To the touch it should be soft, moderately elastic and fleshy.
If the prunes are brown, then you should not buy it, this means that the fruits were subjected to significant violations during processing. Such prunes have no use, as they lose all their wealth, consisting of vitamins and minerals. The taste of these berries is also different. If you feel bitterness, even very weak, it means that the product was not dried according to the rules.
What else do you need to know?
The glycemic index of prunes (as well as some other types of dried fruits, such as dried apricots and figs) is low, so the product is not prohibited for use by people with diabetes. But here you should be as careful as possible, because not all dried fruits are so useful. And if the glycemic index of dried prunes is low, then the use of other dried fruits can lead to metabolic disorders, which will affect the blood sugar level.
Sugar is the main source of energy that ensures the normal functioning of metabolic processes in the body. If a person lacks glucose, he begins to feel hunger. If the body is oversaturated with sugar, then the active production of the hormone insulin begins. Its task is to “spread” glucose throughout the body to those tissues that require energy, as well as store it in the form of fat. An indicator such as the glycemic index is assigned to foods that are saturated with carbohydrates. You need to know this in order to prevent sudden surges in blood sugar.
What indicators are considered normal?
There is a classification of food according to the glycemic index. Numbers from 65 to 146 are considered to be high indicators. The peculiarity of such food is that it is quickly absorbed by the body. Gradual digestion occurs with foods with a medium and low glycemic index. Average indicators - 41-64, low - 1-40.
From this we can conclude that high rates indicate that there is a quick return of energy, food is quickly absorbed and glucose immediately enters the bloodstream. As a result - a sharp jump in sugar, excessive production of insulin and the appearance of fat at the waist. Products with an average or low rate are recommended for consumption, since they do not provoke a sharp jump in sugar, a feeling of satiety remains for a long time, and fat is not deposited on the sides.
The glycemic index of dried apricots and prunes
These dried fruits are not only tasty, but also healthy. Dried apricots, for example, refers to products with a low glycemic index (prunes too), this figure is only 35 units per 100 grams. Therefore, in moderation, it can be consumed even with diabetes, as an excellent alternative to sweets. In addition, the composition of berries includes many nutrients, minerals and vitamins.
Dried apricots are dried apricots. They are advised to use them as a separate product or to cook compote from them. The advantages of prunes over dried apricots are that the berries are ideally combined with many products, including meat and chicken. Due to the low glycemic index of prunes, the product belongs to one of the safest and most useful dried fruits.
It is worth noting the high fiber content in berries. This means that prunes quickly saturate the body. The glycemic index of prunes per 100 grams is 40 units. These indicators (in tandem with fiber) slow down the digestion of food, which protects the body from sudden surges in sugar. Despite the fact that the product is approved for diabetics, it should be consumed in moderation.
Calorie prunes per 100 grams - 240 kcal. The low glycemic index of fresh prunes, coupled with a low calorie content, as well as an impeccable taste, suggests that you can afford it even during a diet.