Prunes are dried plums.

Usually, in the production of dried fruit, plums of the Hungarian or Renklod variety are used.

Prunes are delicious and useful fruit. It is used in cooking, it gives dishes an exquisite taste.

Dried fruits have found their admirers in dietetics, as it helps to lose weight.

Prunes have a number medicinal properties.

It is eaten for the prevention and treatment of many diseases.

Dried plum fruits improve mood, normalize metabolism.

They help cleanse the human body, contribute to the removal of salts, cholesterol and excess fluid.

Chemical composition

Prunes are rich in useful substances and mineral elements.

It includes the following components:

Prunes are rich in organic acids (citric and oxalic). Useful properties are justified by valuable chemical composition rich in vitamins and microelements.

100 grams of prunes contain 231 kilocalories. Usually, these are ten medium dried fruits.

Beneficial features

In clinical nutrition and dietetics

Prunes are useful for people who want to correct their weight.

This is due to the following properties:

• fruits have a low glycemic index.
  This prevents the rapid onset of hunger.
  Prunes will be a good snack;
• any diet: with, or otherwise, it is stress for the body, and dried fruit is a good antidepressant.
  Eating prunes while losing weight will improve your mood, allow you not to feel like a victim;
• dried fruits reduce "bad" cholesterol in the blood - the first step towards losing weight;
• prunes normalizes metabolism, improves bowel function.
  This is the main condition for successful weight loss;
• prune fruits include a large number of sucrose and fructose, so the abuse of dried plums will lead to back effect and contribute to the set of extra pounds.

Folk recipes

How to choose

Before buying a product, you must carefully inspect the product. Real prunes should only be black.

If the fruits are unnaturally shiny, this indicates that they have been treated with glycerin or fats of unknown origin.

This procedure improves appearance prunes, but worsens its useful properties. If the dried fruit has a brown tint, then it was scalded before being sold.

Such fruits will have a bitter taste.

Dried fruits with seeds retain more useful substances than without them.

If you doubt the quality of the product, you can check whether the prunes were chemically processed.

To do this, soak a few fruits in water, leave for half an hour.

The processed product will not change its appearance, and natural prunes will turn white in places.

Before eating, dried fruits should be kept for 10 - 15 minutes in water, you can scald with boiling water.

Contraindications and side effects

Dried fruit can harm the body.
The list of restrictions is quite small:

Caution during pregnancy

It helps maintain health future mother. If a pregnant woman suffers from constipation, then dried fruit will gently eliminate this problem, the act of defecation will become regular and painless.

Prunes improve metabolism, it does not affect the liver, unlike pharmacological preparations.

Prunes strengthens the immune system, improves general state organism, fruits are recommended to be included even in the diet of pregnant women.

Excessive consumption of dried fruit can be harmful to health. Before regular use of prunes, you should familiarize yourself with the contraindications.

Watch the video of the program “Live healthy!”, Dedicated to the beneficial properties and contraindications of prunes.

One of the healthiest and tastiest dried fruits available in almost all regions is prunes. Drying, as a way of harvesting fruits for future use, has been used for several centuries, but this has not lost its relevance. When drying plum fruits, they do not lose their useful properties, as in pickling and cooking, retaining all vitamins and microelements.

Prunes are obtained from sweet, fleshy and dense fruits of the Hungarian variety, or Hungarian plum, which have a small stone.

What is useful prunes for the body?

The exceptionally rich composition of the fruit allows you to saturate the body with vitamins and microelements. It is useful in that it exhibits properties strong antioxidant, relieving cells from free radicals, positively affecting well-being.

The benefits of prunes:

Prevention of constipation - plum fiber is a mild laxative, improves the passage of the food bolus through the gastrointestinal tract;

Antiseptic properties at infectious diseases, inhibition of the growth of salmonella, Escherichia coli, sanitation of the oral cavity, prevention of caries;

Increase in secretion gastric juice and the associated increase in appetite helps to gain weight when it is deficient;

Prunes antioxidants prevent the occurrence of malignant transformation of body cells;

In addition to valuable medicinal properties, prunes bring pleasant taste sensations when using it. Despite their calorie content and high sugar content, prunes in small quantities can be used in diets for correction. excess weight for short-term "snacks" when you want sweets.

It is exceptionally useful, according to American scientists, to use prunes for women during menopause to prevent osteoporosis. This disease strikes women when a sharp decline the hormone estrogen in their body becomes a provoking factor for the accelerated leaching of calcium from the bones.

Only 100 g, consumed daily, becomes a means of preventing osteoporosis. The combination of boron, calcium and vitamin D in this fruit makes up for the lack of them in the female body.

During pregnancy, prunes are not contraindicated for a woman who is expecting a baby. It is a source of valuable vitamins and minerals and excellent remedy for prevention. The normalization of the stool, which so often disturbs pregnant women with constipation, occurs gently, without side effects for the development of the fetus.

100 g of prunes contain 240 kilocalories, which is an energy value of 1006 kJ .

The nutritional value:

Carbohydrates - 96%;

Fats - less than 1%;

Proteins - 3.2%.

Chemical composition of 100 g prunes

Substance	Quantity (g)
Saturated fatty acids; Fatty monounsaturated acids; Fatty polyunsaturated acids
Carbohydrates: sucrose, Fructose, Maltose,
Inorganic substances: calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, sodium, phosphorus, zinc, manganese, selenium, fluorine, copper
Cellulose
Amino acids: tryptophan, leucine, methionine, threonine, isoleucine, cystine, glycine, serine, arginine, valine, tyrosine.
Vitamins: C, B, A, E, K, α-carotene, β-carotene, thiamine, a nicotinic acid, riboflavin, folates, folic acid, choline, betaine, lutein, tocopherol

When dried, prunes retain all the useful properties of the original product - black plums. This is one of the most healthy dried fruits for the human body, known to date.

Prunes are used on the recommendation of nutritionists for weight correction, treatment and maintaining health. Removal of toxins from the body, optimization of metabolism - only part of the beneficial properties of prunes. In addition to use in diet food prunes are an excellent alternative to sweets, so they can be replaced in the diet.

In order for prunes to become a full-fledged component of various dishes, they need to be soaked for 1.5-2.5 hours. If you try 1-2 pieces of prunes, most likely, your appetite will play out, and there will be a craving for delicious meals. If you eat 5-7 pieces, the feeling of hunger will not be so bright, and it is quite possible that you will not want to have lunch or dinner at all.

If you use prunes in a diet for weight correction, the best combination would be to use it with raw grated carrots, boiled beets. In a salad of these ingredients, you can add lemon juice or kefir, which enhance the beneficial properties of prunes for our body.

The benefit-to-harm ratio of prunes is very similar to the qualities of other dried fruits. On the one hand, dried fruits are rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. And it's useful. And, on the other hand, prunes have a fairly high calorie content, they have a lot of sugars, from which they get fat. And the laxative activity of dried plums may not be to everyone's liking.

Compound

The calorie content of prunes per 100 grams is 240 kcal. This product contains:

• 7.1 g of fiber, which corresponds to 28% of the daily value;
• 100% daily dose of boron;
• 74% vitamin K;
• 21% potassium;
• 16% vitamin A;
• 15% manganese;
• 14% copper;
• 11% vitamin B2;
• 10% magnesium and vitamin B6;
• 9% niacin.

Dried plums also contain:

• vitamins B1, E, pantothenic acid;
• trace elements iron, calcium, phosphorus, zinc.

The beneficial properties of prunes for the human body are determined by a large number of antioxidants, mainly of the polyphenol group (cryptoxanthin, lutein, etc.). The ORAC index, which reflects the strength of the antioxidant activity of the product, is very high in dried plums. It is 5770 units per 100 grams. And surpasses blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and many other fruits that are famous for their ability to destroy free radicals.

Beneficial features

The general and most universal explanation of why prunes are useful sounds like this - it cleans up many serious ailments. And from atherosclerosis, and from cancer, and from diseases of the musculoskeletal system, etc. Such a beneficial effect is associated with the presence of a large amount of antioxidants in dried plums, which destroy free radicals and fight against chronic inflammation, that is, they eliminate the main causes of the occurrence of fatal dangerous diseases.

Impact on weight loss

The effect of prunes on weight loss coincides with the harmful effects on the process of weight loss.

TO therapeutic effect product include:

• its ability to saturate the body with plant fiber, which is absolutely necessary for normalizing weight;
• positive influence on the composition of the intestinal microflora (in people with overweight the intestinal biocenosis is always “sick”, and violations of its composition stimulate further weight gain);
• antioxidant properties (according to the current scientific information, obesity is directly related to the presence in the body of sluggish inflammatory processes often go unnoticed).

Still, prunes for weight loss are not as useful as they might seem. And all because it has properties that encourage weight gain, and do not help get rid of it.

1. High fructose content. Just one medium-sized piece contains 1.2 grams of this carbohydrate. Fructose makes you fat. Fast and significant. Since the metabolism of this sugar is such that it all enters the liver, where it turns into fat.
2. The urge to eat is sweet. Although prunes are high in fiber, which usually suppresses appetite, this dried fruit can increase the desire to eat sweets. This feature is associated with the intensely sweet taste of the product, which affects the brain in such a way that a person wants to eat all the time. And not just eat, but eat sweet foods. Giving up sugar in such a situation is usually unattainable.
3. Prunes provide the body with a huge boost of energy. If a person at the same time actively moves and eats little, then such an influence is certainly useful. But if he leads sedentary image life with constant snacking, the energy charge of dried fruit leads to weight gain. After all, a person introduces much more energy into himself than he burns. And she remains inside him in reserve, that is, it is transformed into fat.

Since the dried fruit has both beneficial and harmful properties for weight loss, you can eat prunes for weight loss, but very little. Moreover, dried plums have many of their useful properties, for example, the ability to destroy free radicals, only when they are eaten a little. Since the abundant inclusion of the product in the diet loads the body not only with antioxidants, it also contains sugars, which negate all the positive effects of the medicinal components of the meal.

There is no medically correct prune diet. Just as there are no other strict dietary approaches that offer to lose weight by including one food in the diet at the expense of all others. That means you can lose weight. You may even start to starve. But you won’t be able to achieve any health benefits or sustainable weight loss in this way.

However, dried plums are still more suitable for weight loss than other dried fruits, such as dried apricots or. This is due to the presence in them of the substance sorbitol, which suppresses appetite.

How to include in the diet?

How much can you eat per day?

There are no clearly defined rules that would say how much prunes you can eat per day. Since this is - ordinary product food, not medicinal product.

It is this amount of dried plums that contains the amount of fructose that is safe for most people, including those who need to lose weight. As well as those amounts of vegetable fiber and sorbitol that makes prunes useful for cleansing the intestines, but do not cause diarrhea.

How to take prunes for constipation in children and adults?

Usually, prunes are taken as a laxative in the form of a so-called juice, or infusion. Make it in the following way:

• take a glass of dried fruits and pour boiled water so that all dried plums are completely covered with liquid;
• close the container with a lid and leave at room temperature for 12-24 hours;
• then prunes are crushed with a blender in the water in which they were infused;
• filter through a sieve;
• bring the volume of boiled water to one liter.

• If you use such an infusion of prunes for constipation to treat babies, then give it 60 ml each ( maximum dose 120 ml).
• Older children and adults should take from 120 to 250 ml of "juice".

However, prunes for the intestines are useful not only in the form of an infusion, but also as a whole. So, if you are too lazy to prepare "juice", you can just eat a few pieces of dried plums daily. This will help normalize bowel movements.

How to choose?

In order for prunes to have the maximum of useful properties, it is important to know how to choose them.

Not worth buying:

• dried brown plums, as they were most likely scalded with boiling water;
• dark gray prunes, especially those that are brightly shiny (this appearance indicates processing with glycerin).

You need to take a dried fruit of a matte black color, wrinkled and without shine.

You also need to pay attention to the smell of dried fruit. It should not resemble gasoline fumes or campfire smoke.

But white plaque on prunes, you should not be afraid. It usually looks like dried fructose, which can come to the surface.

By the way, you can dry the plums yourself. How prunes are made at home in a conventional oven, you can see in the video.

Be careful. Today, on the Internet, you can find recipes for making dried plums at home, which advise you to cover them with sugar. Of course, nothing prevents you from preparing such a dessert. Just do not call it "prune" and believe that it brings health at least some benefit.

How to store?

At home, prunes can be stored:

• at room temperature in a cabinet away from the battery, in a closed glass jar or plastic container;
• in the refrigerator (also in a closed jar or container);
• in the freezer (in a plastic container or a special freezer bag).

Should I wash?

Of course, if you did not dry the plums yourself, washing them first.

Wash prunes before use as follows:

• put in a sieve and washed under running water;
• then placed in a bowl and poured with water at room temperature for 10-15 minutes;
• then rinse again under running water.

Never pour dried fruit with boiling water. It will ruin a lot of it useful compounds.

Contraindications and side effects

1. Strict contraindication for the consumption of prunes is an allergy to plums, which is rare.
2. Side effects from eating dried plums in excess of 10-12 pieces per day are unpleasant symptoms from the gastrointestinal tract: pain in the abdominal region, flatulence, diarrhea.
3. Prunes weaken, not strengthen. And yet it can lead to constipation. It has been established that with its regular use by people who have long suffered from chronic constipation, the emergence of dependence on the product, similar to the dependence on stable means, may be noted. That is, without taking dried fruit, there will be no urge to defecate.
4. Prunes for gastritis are prohibited in the acute phase of the disease. During the period of remission, you can eat it, but also carefully. Since it is quite difficult to digest and has a high acidity. The same rules apply to diseases of the pancreas, such as pancreatitis.

Is it okay to eat with diabetes?

Glycemic index prunes 29. Therefore, it can be eaten with type 2 diabetes.

But you should remember about high content fructose is a substance that does not instantly raise blood sugar, but when massively included in the diet, it aggravates the course of diabetes. Remember and limit the number of dried plums to 5-6 pieces per day.

Can it be used during pregnancy?

Prunes during pregnancy helps to cope with constipation, strengthens the immune system and bone tissue, helps prevent anemia.

However, it is especially important for pregnant women to observe the dosage.

It is advisable to use not 10-12, but 5-6 pieces per day.

Such a restriction will help to avoid the development of diarrhea, which is especially dangerous for women in position, as it leads to dehydration. It also protects against weight gain.

Is it possible to prunes while breastfeeding?

During lactation, many women suffer from constipation, and therefore laxative dried fruit is useful for them.

An allergy to prunes in infants is rare. However, you need to be careful when starting to introduce this dried fruit into your diet while on guard. Eat one first. Carefully watch the reaction of the little one. And only then increase the dose.

When using dried plums in a small amount (5-6 pieces per day), the baby should not have colic.

Some nursing mothers rely on the fact that if they eat prunes, this will relieve their crumbs of constipation. This will not happen. An infusion of dried fruit must be given to the child himself, but not earlier than at 6 months.

Useful properties of prunes and its possible harm: conclusions

Dried plums are rich in minerals, vitamins, antioxidants and plant fiber.

Due to the presence of these substances, dried fruit improves digestion, strengthens bone tissue, protects against anemia and heart disease.

Prunes have a high free radical scavenging capacity. And therefore, it saves a person from many serious ailments, since the basis of all these ailments is the detrimental effect on cells of free radicals.

However, dried plums also have negative qualities, mainly related to large quantity sugars in it.

The optimal dose of dried fruit per day is 5-6 pieces, the maximum is 10-12.

Prunes (dried plum) rich in vitamins and minerals such as: vitamin E - 12%, vitamin K - 49.6%, potassium - 34.6%, silicon - 65%, magnesium - 25.5%, iron - 16.7%, cobalt - 40%, manganese - 15%, copper - 28.1%, molybdenum - 13.7%, chromium - 22.6%

What is useful Prunes (dried plum)

• Vitamin E has antioxidant properties, is necessary for the functioning of the gonads, the heart muscle, is a universal stabilizer cell membranes. With a deficiency of vitamin E, hemolysis of erythrocytes and neurological disorders are observed.
• Vitamin K regulates blood clotting. A lack of vitamin K leads to an increase in blood clotting time, reduced content prothrombin in the blood.
• Potassium is the main intracellular ion involved in the regulation of water, acid and electrolyte balance, is involved in the processes of nerve impulses, pressure regulation.
• Silicon is included as a structural component in the composition of glycosaminoglycans and stimulates the synthesis of collagen.
• Magnesium participates in energy metabolism, synthesis of proteins, nucleic acids, has a stabilizing effect on membranes, is necessary to maintain homeostasis of calcium, potassium and sodium. Lack of magnesium leads to hypomagnesemia, increased risk of developing hypertension, heart disease.
• Iron is a part of proteins of various functions, including enzymes. Participates in the transport of electrons, oxygen, ensures the flow redox reactions and activation of peroxidation. Insufficient intake leads to hypochromic anemia, myoglobin deficiency atony of skeletal muscles, fatigue, myocardiopathy, atrophic gastritis.
• Cobalt is part of vitamin B12. Activates metabolic enzymes fatty acids and folic acid metabolism.
• Manganese participates in the formation of bone connective tissue, is part of the enzymes involved in the metabolism of amino acids, carbohydrates, catecholamines; necessary for the synthesis of cholesterol and nucleotides. Insufficient consumption is accompanied by growth retardation, disturbances in reproductive system, increased brittleness bone tissue, disorders of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism.
• Copper is part of the enzymes that have redox activity and are involved in the metabolism of iron, stimulates the absorption of proteins and carbohydrates. Participates in the processes of providing tissues of the human body with oxygen. Deficiency is manifested by violations of the formation of cardio-vascular system and skeleton, the development of connective tissue dysplasia.
• Molybdenum is a cofactor of many enzymes that provide the metabolism of sulfur-containing amino acids, purines and pyrimidines.
• Chromium participates in the regulation of blood glucose levels, enhancing the action of insulin. Deficiency leads to decreased glucose tolerance.

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On the shelves of stores you can find a huge number of various dried fruits, among which there are both our usual products and various exotic “things”. All of them are able to benefit the body, saturating it with certain beneficial substances, and even helping to prevent and cure various pathological conditions. Prunes are considered one of the most common dried fruits. It has an attractive taste, and is also a source of many useful elements. Let's talk about how prunes are useful for the human body in a little more detail.

What is prunes valued for? Composition of the fetus

Prunes contain a number of vitamin elements necessary for the full functioning of many organs and body systems. Among these substances are nicotine and ascorbic acid, thiamine and carotene, as well as vitamin PP. It also contains a significant amount of minerals that take an active part during all chemical processes inside our body. Among these elements, sodium and magnesium are especially abundant, as well as calcium and phosphorus. Like fresh plums, prunes contain a lot of sugars, including fructose, glucose, and sucrose. In addition, it contains a significant amount of acids - citric, oxalic, etc.

Many useful qualities of this dried fruit are also determined by the presence of tannin and pectin elements in its composition, as well as a number of nitrogenous substances and fiber.

What is prunes valued for? Fetal benefits

Doctors often advise taking such a product to women who are expecting the birth of a child, as it is able to prevent the development of anemia and hypovitaminosis, while perfectly replacing tableted vitamin preparations. However, the consumption of berries should be moderate, and before taking them, you should make sure that there are no allergic reactions.

Prunes are a fairly high-calorie product, but with adequate intake of food, they cannot cause weight gain. Such a fruit will saturate the body with energy and give a person a lot of additional strength.

The consumption of prunes has a positive effect on performance digestive tract. So if you suffer from stomach ailments or want to prevent their development, you should eat these berries every day in the amount of five pieces. Among other things, such nutrition will help optimize the course metabolic processes throughout the body. normal operation stomach and intestines, as well as an excellent metabolism will help to lose weight with little or no effort, and will also lead to a general improvement of the body.

Doctors say that prunes also have quite powerful antibacterial qualities. Its consumption can slow down the growth of bacteria in oral cavity and even completely eliminate them.

V last years the consumption of such dried fruit has increased several times, as information about its usefulness is distributed among the population through the media and by word of mouth. Such a tool can be used as effective medicine on the early stages cardiovascular ailments. In this case, prunes optimize blood pressure indicators, and also remarkably strengthens the walls of various vessels throughout the body.

The prunes themselves, as well as the fruit-based infusion, are proven and very effective tool from constipation. Even just eating such fruits will help you forget about such a delicate problem forever. That is why prunes are especially popular among women who are in the second or third trimester of pregnancy, because at this time the problem of constipation worries them especially acutely.

Such a dried fruit will benefit and with others quite complex diseases. So experts strongly advise including it in your diet if you suffer from ailments of the liver or kidneys, as well as rheumatism. The consumption of prunes can effectively prevent the development of atherosclerosis and even help cure this common and at the same time quite dangerous disease.

The systematic intake of such a fruit in food helps prevent the development of caries. And after entering the stomach, it helps to significantly reduce the number of harmful and opportunistic bacteria, stimulating the restoration of normal intestinal flora and eliminating dysbacteriosis.

Doctors strongly advise the consumption of prunes to those patients who suffer from various oncological diseases. In this case, such a product effectively cleanses the body of excess unnecessary bile, as well as urine. Useful elements in its composition remarkably optimize the transmission of nerve impulses, in addition, they are well established acid-base balance in organism.

Prunes contain many elements that destroy free radicals, respectively. useful qualities include a good anti-aging effect, and protection against cancer.

It is worth considering that the consumption of prunes in certain cases can harm the body. So do not get carried away with it if you are obese or diabetes. It is not advisable to eat such a fruit at the stage of breastfeeding, as it can provoke the appearance of colic or indigestion in the baby. Also be sure to keep in mind that when making prunes in industrial scale, it can be treated with chemicals for longer storage.

Prunes - the same plum (Hungarian or renklod), but in dried form. It is the most popular dried fruit known. Already from the age of six months, it is recommended to use prunes, the beneficial properties and wonderful taste of which have made it a universal product. And not only in cooking.

Characteristics of prunes

The energy value

In terms of energy value (calorie content), prunes lead among most fresh fruits. But he wins comparison with such " healthy sweets", like honey, marshmallow, marshmallow. It has less than 100 kcal. Therefore, dried plums are often used as a substitute for sweets to reduce weight.

100 g of prunes contains about 250 kcal. Picture of its energy value:

• 2.3 g proteins (approximately 9 kcal),
• 0.7 g fat (6 kcal),
• 57.5 g of carbohydrates (230 kcal).

About the nutritional value of prunes

Per 100 g of product the nutritional value distributed as follows (in grams):

• saccharides (glucose, fructose, sucrose) - 56.9,
• water - 25,
• dietary fiber - 9,
• organic acids (malic, oxalic, citric) - 3.5,
• starch - 0.6,
• fatty saturated and unsaturated acids - 0.1 each.

Vitamins (in mg):

• C - 3,
• E - 1.8,
• RR - 1.7,
• B2 - 0.1,
• beta-carotene - 0.06,
• B1 - 00.2,
• A - 10 mcg.

Minerals (in mg):

• potassium - 864,
• magnesium - 102,
• phosphorus - 83,
• calcium - 80,
• sodium - 10,
• iron - 3,
• zinc - 0.54,
• copper - 424 mcg,
• selenium - 2.3 mcg.

The composition of the berry contains pectin, nitrogenous and tannic substances, as well as other ingredients vital for the body.

Method for obtaining prunes

To obtain high-quality prunes, juicy and ripe fruits are selected. Then they are subjected to:

• blanching in boiling water
• cooling in running water,
• steam drying.

As a result, its beneficial properties are fully preserved.

To obtain 1 kg of prunes, 5 kg of black plums are used. Its production is widespread in the countries where this berry grows. These include America, Argentina, France. The highest quality and most expensive prunes from California (USA).

Prunes properties

Prunes, the benefits and harms of which are well known, can be used as effectively as possible for medicinal purposes.

The effect of prunes on human health

It is very important that dried plum retains all the useful components that are rich in fresh berry. Prunes inhibit the growth of disease-causing microbes such as salmonella and E. coli. The presence of pectin, fiber cleanses blood vessels from cholesterol plaques and improves the functioning of the digestive system. Antioxidants suppress free radicals that damage the body. This explains the anti-aging effect of the berry and its ability to participate in the prevention of cancer.

Vitamin A improves vision and skin condition. Cholagogue and diuretic effect from prunes is to normalize metabolism. It is beneficial in kidney diseases, gout, rheumatism, psoriasis. Prunes gives good effect with thrombophlebitis, as it helps to reduce blood clotting. The high calorie content of the product gives the body a lot of energy.

Prunes are especially useful for pregnant women who are prone to constipation or have difficulty with bowel activity. The presence of B vitamins in the berries has a positive effect on the functioning of the nervous system. This effect is expressed in reducing anxiety, preventing stress. Potassium provides powerful support to the heart: it is 1.5 times more in prunes than in bananas (a recognized source of potassium).

Addressing Specific Health Problems

Official medicine recognizes the beneficial properties of prunes for human health. The variety of its beneficial effects is striking:

• gently cleanses the body of toxins,
• relieves constipation,
• helps with diseases of the oral cavity, having a detrimental effect on pathogenic microorganisms, protects against caries,
• improves blood circulation,
• brings blood pressure to normal level
• strengthens the heart muscle (due to the presence of potassium),
• increases hemoglobin in the blood (effect of iron),
• helps fight cancer (due to the content of phytonutrients),
• increases performance,
• rejuvenates the body (due to antioxidants),
• fights vitamin deficiency
• improves memory,
• increases the potency
• cleanses the skin.

Risk group

In spite of obvious benefit prunes, it has contraindications. Eating dried fruit can lead to problems with:

• overweight,
• diabetes,
• product allergies,
• breastfeeding (so as not to cause stomach upset baby); starting from six months, the baby can be given prunes compote.

Also, one should not get carried away with prunes to people suffering from chronic ailments liver and stomach.

Some people suffer from flatulence and bloating after eating prunes. This is due to the combination dietary fiber with fructose. This phenomenon is recognized individual intolerance, which causes the product to be excluded from the diet. In addition, prunes are often processed chemically, which makes them simply harmful. Thus, it is not superfluous to know that prunes (the benefits and harms from it) do not always manifest themselves in the same way, although the benefits outweigh many times over.

Good selection of prunes

To bring dried fruit maximum benefit, you need to select high-quality berries with skill.

Definition of this product

Distinctive features of good prunes:

• whole, fleshy and slightly soft fruits,
• absence of rot and mold,
• black color,
• sweet taste with a little sourness (such berries contain a maximum of vitamin C),
• lack of bitterness.

Dried prunes with a stone retain more useful components. To check the quality of prunes, you need to soak it for 30 minutes. Real prunes will turn white in some places. Treated will retain a uniform color.

Purchased prunes must be scalded with boiling water. Then, after soaking, rinse in running water. Dried berries do not tolerate moisture. It is better to store them in a glass jar, paper bag or plastic container. The container must be kept in the refrigerator.

Signs of harmful processing of dried fruit

The shiny, dark gray color of the prunes (the fruit looks “fatty”) indicates its treatment with glycerin. They make it to improve marketable condition dried fruit. It can also shine after treatment with an unknown fat. Often sellers smear dried fruit vegetable oil for shine. But this method of processing promotes the growth of bacteria.

The coffee shade of prunes appears after it is scalded with boiling water. V best case, there are practically no vitamins left in it. Manufacturers perform this “operation” to disinfect dried fruit and extend its shelf life. Brown tint is not the only drawback of this treatment. The berry is also bitter in taste.

The most harmful treatment is sulfur dioxide (E220), which is a toxic inorganic compound that kills bacteria. Such fruits of insects do not attract. In the human body Chemical substance irritates the mucous membranes of the digestive system. This type of processing preserves the original color of the dried fruit. With natural drying, the berries necessarily darken.

Scopes of prunes

Features of the use of prunes in cooking

Cooks are very fond of this product, as it gives a unique taste to completely different dishes. It is used both independently and as part of a variety of drinks and dishes. A compote or a meat dish is simply impossible to imagine without it. Prunes added to pilaf increase the calorie content of this dish and give it a piquant taste. It goes well with any meat - beef, chicken.

The most delicious meat dish is considered domestic duck. It is stuffed with apples and prunes and cooked in the oven. This dish will decorate any festive table. This dried fruit is very good as a filling for pies, cakes, sweets and others. confectionery. Puff rolls stuffed with prunes and pieces of marmalade have a wonderful taste.

It should be remembered that prunes are not always combined with fibrous products, such as bran, chicory, apples. Such a mixture can be afforded by a person with strong digestion. Dried plums are best eaten on an empty stomach or with dairy foods. But you can not seize the main dish with it. Otherwise, it will serve as a stimulation to indigestion, gas formation, bloating.

Health Recipes

In many pharmaceutical preparations constipation contains an extract of prunes. But healing remedy you can cook by yourself. This is an infusion of prunes. Dry berries (6 pcs.) Before going to bed, wash well and pour boiled water (1 cup).

The next morning, drink the infusion and eat the berries. Often this infusion is recommended to use at night. And together with a glass of yogurt. This supports the microflora and improves the quality of bowel cleansing.

Prunes can help with constipation. You will need:

• prunes (6 pcs.),
• figs (6 pcs.),
• coriander seeds (1 tsp).

Mix everything well. Divide the mass into equal doses (for example, a tablespoon) and put in the refrigerator. A few "sweets" relieve constipation.

In the off-season, a biological tonic helps to cope with beriberi. Take 100 g and mix:

• prunes,
• dried apricots,
• raisin,
• walnuts,
• honey (to taste)

It is useful to eat this mixture before meals in the morning and in the evening, 1 tbsp. l. With this tonic, the body will be systematically replenished with a supply of vitamins and minerals.

Calluses are treated with prunes: berries are poured with hot milk. When they are soaked, the bones are removed. The still not cooled berry is applied to the calluses. When it cools down, it is replaced with a new, hot one. This procedure should be repeated as often as possible.

The antiseptic properties of prunes help fight tooth decay. For its prevention, it is enough to thoroughly chew 2-3 berries before going to bed. A decoction of dried fruit heals purulent diseases skin. To do this, apply at night warm compresses to sore spots. Due to the ability to draw out pus in this way, it is good to treat acne.

Prunes for beauty

The dietary properties of dried fruit help to remove extra pounds, despite the fact that prunes have a high calorie content. It must be eaten properly. If you feel hungry, you should take a dried plum in your mouth and slowly dissolve it until you feel full. In this way, you can cope with hunger and at the same time consume the minimum number of calories. To saturate the body, it is enough to eat 5-6 fruits a day.

Nutritionists advise to combine prunes with vegetables, for example, boiled beets, grated fresh carrots. Low-fat kefir or lemon juice is suitable as a dressing (sugar and salt are strictly unacceptable). Regular correct use prunes most positively affect the condition of the skin. She becomes healthy, radiant and elastic. This result is facilitated by improved bowel function.

The exceptionally beneficial qualities of prunes make it an excellent dietary product in the system. healthy eating. And the content of biologically active components does not limit this dried fruit only as a treat. It is deservedly used as a natural medicine.

Prunes - benefits and contraindications

Among the tasty and healthy delicacies, prunes occupy a special place. Not disappearing from store shelves all year round, he has a large number of fans and is often present on our tables.

What is prunes? It's blanched in hot water and the steam-dried fruit of the Hungarian plum, which is sweet, juicy and fleshy. Most often, prunes are used for culinary purposes. It is eaten as an independent delicacy, added to desserts, salads, main dishes, jams are prepared with it, and compote is also cooked.

This wonderful product can be gradually consumed by babies from the age of 6 months, and adults need to include it in their menu at least several times a week, because its benefits are for human body just priceless.

Composition and calories

Despite the heat treatment, prunes retain all the basic properties of fresh fruit, and even surpass it in the content of useful components. Moreover, healing properties dried fruit make it popular in traditional medicine- treatment based on the use of prunes is very effective and helps to eliminate the symptoms of certain diseases.

The benefits of prunes are in its balanced and rich composition. The product contains:

• vitamins provitamin A, B1, B2 (riboflavin), C, PP, beta-carotene;
• trace elements (potassium, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron);
• organic acids (oxalic, citric, malic, salicylic);
• sugar (fructose, sucrose, glucose)
• vegetable fiber
• pectin substances
• sorbitol and dephenylisatin

It has been proven that this medicinal fruit- one of the healthiest and most necessary products for our body. It is enough to eat only 5-6 dried fruits per day to recharge and get daily allowance vitamins.

Its immoderate use will harm the figure, which should be borne in mind by those who are constantly fighting against extra pounds. The fruit is high-calorie - in 100 gr. contains 244 kcal, so it is better to combine it with raw carrots, boiled beets or fat-free kefir.

Prunes: benefits and harms to the body

Plum lovers are very lucky, because, unlike other fruits, it can be consumed all year round, only in dried form. But nothing, from this taste qualities, especially vitamins do not disappear anywhere. Prunes, the benefits and harms of which have been studied for a long time, contain a huge amount of vitamins and minerals. It can be used by everyone without exception, because not only is it useful, but its taste is simply amazing. So what is prunes?

The benefits and harms to the body of this product are unequal, because it has much more advantages than disadvantages. Let's see what its composition is?

Composition of prunes

Not all berries and fruits can boast of such an abundance of vitamins, minerals and other useful substances. Moreover, it contains as much fiber as there is in almost no other product.

vitamins

1. Vitamin A - fat soluble vitamin, which is necessary for bones, teeth, vision. It also has a beneficial effect on our immune system, hair, nails, skin and delays the aging process.
2. Vitamin C - we need to fight wrinkles and give elasticity to the skin. It maintains the level of hemoglobin and iron in our body, participates in the exchange of cholesterol, normalizing it in the blood. Vitamin C helps us fight stress and colds faster.
3. Vitamin PP - is involved in redox processes, tissue growth. Converts fats and sugar into energy, lowers cholesterol in the blood. Also protects against cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, thrombosis. Restores the nervous system, treats migraine. Vitamin PP fights diseases gastrointestinal tract. It is very important for the synthesis of hemoglobin and the formation of red blood cells in the blood.
4. Vitamin B - supports digestive system, participates in the formation of energy, the process of processing carbohydrates and fats, amino acids, ensures skin health, nervous system, blood, fights infectious diseases, anemia.

Minerals

• Potassium is necessary for the functioning of all body systems.
• Magnesium - fights anemia.
• Iron is needed for the development and growth of bones and teeth.
• Phosphorus is involved in all biochemical reactions organism.
• Calcium - maintains healthy teeth and bones, has an effect on muscle contraction.

Also in the composition of prunes there is fiber, which is necessary for correct operation gastrointestinal tract, and pectin, needed by the body to get rid of heavy metals, toxins, slags, radionuclides.

Phytonutrients and carotenoids are also found in prunes. They protect our body from various diseases, including cardiovascular.

Benefit

Dried prunes, the benefits and harms of which have long been known in medicine, are prescribed in the treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, in particular with regular constipation. This is due to the fiber present in its composition and sorbitol, which acts as a mild laxative.

The constant use of prunes in food will restore the normal metabolic process, as well as the functioning of the liver and kidneys. Just a few pieces a day are enough to normalize arterial pressure and also prevent vascular disease.

Prunes, the benefits and harms of which have long been known to nutritionists, are prescribed in the case of a diet for weight gain, since the berry allows you to more actively produce gastric juice and, accordingly, increase appetite.

If you dissolve prunes in your mouth for some time, this will get rid of microorganisms that have accumulated in the oral cavity, as well as remove inflammation on the gums and teeth.

Prunes also contain antibacterial substances that stop the spread of infectious bacteria in the body, and also resist E. coli and salmonella.

Also, prunes are well used in the kitchen. It can easily return a fresh taste to the meat, while the berry should simply be added to the meat dish.

Harm and contraindications

As much as one would like, but this topic still has to be touched upon. Along with many useful properties, prunes can still harm, especially for diabetics. It is contraindicated for such a group of people, since in it great content sugars.

In addition, prunes lose in industrial terms. It is more expedient to cook it yourself, while you can be sure that it will not harm you in any way. But if you still decide to buy prunes on the market, you should be extremely careful here. First of all, you need to look at the "wrapper".

And the thing is that some unscrupulous producers treat their crops with sulfur dioxide in order to get more fruits and get rid of insects that spoil them. But that's not all. Before going on sale, prunes are subjected to another bad treatment - glycerin. This is done so that the berry shines and shimmers in the sun. Also sometimes it is subjected to artificial staining. Do you think such prunes will help our body? The benefits and harms in this case are clear, so the berry should be shriveled and “ugly”, and the taste is not very pronounced. This will be natural prunes.

Is it possible to give prunes to children?

Of course, prunes are very valuable in themselves. The benefits and harms for children, however, are a separate issue. For too small crumbs, this product is not very useful due to its laxative effect, so it is better to refuse it before six months.

It is a completely different question if the child suffers from constipation (and his age has already reached 4 months of age), in which case it is more expedient to give him prunes compote, decoction or infusion.

To do this, take a few berries and wash them under running water. Pour in one glass of water and boil for a few minutes. Then insist for about an hour. Give the crumbs a teaspoon in the daytime.

If the baby is older, then you can cook him a delicious puree. To do this, fill a few pieces with water and leave overnight. In the morning, pour out the liquid and boil the prunes for several minutes until tender. Pass through a meat grinder or grind in a blender - and healthy puree ready.

Berry for nursing mothers

If there is a strong desire to eat prunes, then you can try, but you should start with small doses in order to check the reaction of the baby. Try to eat one prunes on the first day. If the baby does not express dissatisfaction after your meal, is not naughty and walks normally in a diaper, then the next day you can increase the dose by exactly one berry, and so on up to 4 pieces a day.

If the mother has constipation, then in this situation one should also act quite carefully. Start with one berry first and continue until you reach desired result, but do not forget to monitor the reaction of the child, because prunes are quite aggressive in relation to the children's intestines.

To prepare a cure for constipation, a nursing mother should take a few pieces of prunes and pour boiling water over them. Let it brew all night. Drink the liquid in which the berries were infused, and eat the berries. You can also cook prunes compote or prepare an infusion, and after the baby is 4 months old, you can give him a try.

Many doctors do not recommend that nursing mothers consume prunes if the children do not react well to the product eaten by the mother. But everything is individual, rely only on your maternal intuition, it will definitely tell you what to do in this or that situation, how to properly take this wonderful product - prunes.

Benefits and harms during pregnancy

Everyone is well aware that during pregnancy one should limit oneself in various sweets, but those who have had to deal with this know that it is quite difficult, especially if the body of the expectant mother requires it. Therefore, it is more expedient to replace sweets with prunes.

It is an excellent prevention of bleeding gums, caries, which is very common during pregnancy.

Also, prunes, the benefits and harms of which have been known since ancient times, are used for constipation in pregnant women, anemia, beriberi, to strengthen the immune system. It can be added to different dishes, cook compotes, make decoctions and infusions.

This prunes is so useful!

Benefit and harm. Calorie content. Does the berry help with weight loss?

The calorie content of this product is 244 kcal per 100 g of the product, so it cannot definitely serve as a fat burner, and you should not replace your entire diet with it either. But it is still possible to achieve significant results with the help of prunes by combining its use with sports and adding to various dishes (cereals, salads, cocktails). If you decide to lose weight and use this product in your diet, then there is also a highlight here. It serves as an excellent snack, but it should be eaten no more than two pieces (5-6 per day).

It will be very useful to drink a glass of prune decoction in the morning so that you do not feel discomfort in your stomach throughout the day. And this is not all the qualities that prunes have.

The benefits and harms of this berry for weight loss, as mentioned above, are understandable, so if you want this delicious product had a beneficial effect on your figure and body as a whole, then choose "ugly" and not shiny prunes. And remember that everywhere there should be a measure, do not abuse it - and you will achieve excellent results.

Prunes - benefit and harm. What is useful prunes

The modern abundance of dried fruits on the shelves is simply amazing. However, among all this wealth, one stands out, not losing the respect and love of buyers. This is a well-known prunes - a delicious delicacy and a very valuable product from the point of view of nutrition. Exquisite taste with a characteristic sourness and the benefits of prunes have made it popular all over the world. People began to grow plums, from which prunes are made, and dry them for a long time - around the 6th century BC.

But in Russia, plums began to be grown only in the 17th century, when several seedlings of this tree were brought from Asia. Although several hundred varieties of plums are known, only one variety is used for drying - Hungarian. It is this variety that produces juicy, fleshy, ovoid-elongated and fragrant fruits, from which a first-class dried fruit is obtained. This variety was called "Hungarian" due to the fact that in the 19th century the plum was the main fruit tree in Hungary. To speed up the production of dried fruits, a special harvesting technology was even developed there - ripened fruits were not removed from the branches, but waited for the time when they fell to the ground, slightly dried and wrinkled.

Chemical composition

The exceptional benefits of prunes are due to the abundance valuable substances and vitamins found in it: these are organic acids (oxalic, citric, especially malic), and fiber, and pectin, as well as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and iron. In terms of potassium content, prunes are 1.5 times higher than bananas. Prunes contain healthy sugars- fructose, sucrose, glucose (not less than 57%) and a whole set of vitamins - A, the whole group of vitamins B, C, PP. The energy value product per 100 g - 231 kcal.

The harm and benefits of prunes

Beneficial features

Prunes are very useful for anemia and beriberi. Prunes have antibacterial properties, so it is recommended to take it instead of harmful chemicals for infectious diseases and other ailments. Prunes are useful for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. With the help of this dried fruit, constipation can be cured - just 5-6 berries a day, and the problem is solved. However, prunes are useful for any discomfort in the stomach. In addition, prunes have a choleretic and diuretic effect, and effectively cleanse the body. Eating prunes regularly can significantly reduce the risk of hypertension, heart disease, and the gastrointestinal tract.

And prunes increase the secretion of gastric juice and increase appetite, so it is often included in diets aimed at weight gain. When using prunes, the metabolism is normalized and general strengthening organism. The benefits of prunes and its ability to maintain freshness and enrich the taste of meat dishes are well known to many housewives who use this dried fruit to prepare mouth-watering and savory dishes. Truly, it is impossible to resist baked lamb and veal, rabbit meat and poultry, soaked in a sweet and sour taste and heady aroma of prunes, against a delicacy melting in your mouth - prunes in chocolate, against delicious compotes, jelly and cocktails ... Any dish that contains prunes becomes a real decoration of the festive table.

Benefits and harms of bananas for women Dried figs benefits and harms to the body