Can you eat plum skin?

In this essay, I will answer the question: “Can you eat plum skin?” and I will enumerate the plethora of benefits of this fruit as well as the tips to eat it as part of a healthy diet.

Can you eat plum skin?

Yes, you can eat plum skin. The plum’s peel is safe to eat and has a stronger flavor than the flesh.

Plums should not be peeled since their skin contains an antioxidant called chlorogenic acid and is also high in vitamin C. When eaten with the skin, plum is excellent for alleviating constipation and digestive issues. However, the fruit must be washed before consumption. Studies show that most of the pesticide residues accumulate in the skin and can be significantly reduced by washing (1). 

What are the nutritional benefits of plums?

Plum is low in calories and high in nutrients. It contains carbohydrates such as sucrose, glucose, fructose, and sorbitol, organic acids such as citric acid and malic acid, soluble fiber (pectin), tannins, volatile substances, and enzymes, as well as organic acids such as citric acid and malic acid. The flavor and nutritional qualities of plums are mostly related to these substances. Plums contain a range of minerals, including Fe, Ca, P, Mn, S, Mg, K, and vitamins A, B, C, and PP, as well as vitamins A, B, C, and PP, as well as dietary fiber, which aid in the regulation of digestion and sugar metabolism, and may be implicated in decreasing plasma cholesterol levels and the risk of colon cancer.

The main anthocyanin present in plums – cyanidin-3-glucoside is reported to possess a multitude of beneficial health effects, including scavenging free radicals, protecting against oxidative DNA damage, preventing inflammation, and anti-diabetic and anti neurodegenerative activity. 

Fresh plums and plum juice have been shown to improve the antioxidant activity of human plasma and urine, reduce oxidative stress, lower blood pressure, and improve the thrombotic properties of blood, including reducing platelet aggregation. Increased metabolite levels of melatonin have also been observed in the plasma. Loss of melatonin production is associated with aging, leading to the speculation that increasing melatonin levels through increasing plum consumption may potentially slow the aging process (2).

Are plum peels nutritious?

Plums are known for having a high concentration of bioactive chemicals in their peel. They contain a lot of fiber, nutrients and antioxidants.

A previous study has shown that black plum peel extract (BPPE) contains abundant anthocyanins which are responsible for the color of plums. 

When compared to other plant materials, plums may be good sources of natural food coloring due to their high amount of polyphenolic chemicals, antioxidant activity, and color stability.

Previous research showed that total phenolics and anthocyanin contents were higher in plum peels compared to other fruits (strawberries and grapes). These compounds also vary among plum varieties. A study comparing six Australian varieties of plums showed that the black plum variety showed the highest level of bioactive compounds, closely followed by the Croc Egg variety and that the majority of anthocyanins are concentrated in the skin (2).

A study showed that the total phenolic content in skin was 4.5 times higher than that in pulp and 3.2 times higher than that in the whole fruit. The total flavonoid content in skin was 18.7 times higher than that in pulp and 9.6 times higher than that in the whole fruit (3).

How to eat plums?

Plums are high in essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber, all of which contribute to a healthy lifestyle. There are numerous ways to incorporate plums into your diet, ranging from simple snacks to delicious sweets.

  1. Raw plums:
  2. Eat raw plums: Plums are a healthy fruit that can be eaten like an apple. Make sure you don’t consume the pit. The plum’s peel is safe to eat and has a stronger flavor than the flesh.
  3. Cut them in wedges for breakfast: Mix the wedges of a plum into yogurt, porridge, or cereal. Waffles or pancakes can also be topped with whipped cream, plums, and berries, as well as other stone fruits like peaches.
  4. Add them to salads: Plums are a great accompaniment to salads since they give a tart flavor and texture as well as texture. If you add some fresh plums to spinach and basil salads, they become tastier and have a nice look with some color.

If you’re looking for a healthy way to start your lunch, combine plums with warm couscous and duck salad.

  1. Make plum-based smoothies: Mix plums with other fruits to make refreshing smoothies. For instance, plums and blackberries are a perfect match. You can add texture with a banana and some lemon juice.  You can mix different fruit combinations to come up with a one-of-a-kind and delicious smoothie. 
  2. Cooked plums:

Plums can also be cooked in a number of different ways:

  1. Stewed plums: With only 4 basic ingredients, you can prepare Stewed Plums with Cinnamon and Brown Sugar in about 10 minutes! The plums become wonderfully poached and syrupy, and can be eaten alone or with ice cream, granola, yogurt, and other toppings. Here are the steps to prepare stewed plums:

The plums should be washed, de-stoned, and cut in half (leave the skin on). In a medium-sized pot, combine the sugar, water, orange juice, and cinnamon and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, or until the plums are tender and starting to break down.

  1. Grilled plums: Grilled plums can be a simple summer dessert. For an even more sensational taste, it can be topped with greek yogurt, dried nuts like pistachio, cookies, ice cream, etc. Grilled plums can also be great with grilled ham or sausages.

Follow these simple steps to prepare grilled plums:

  • Clean the plums, then cut them in half and discard the pits.
  • Place the plums on a baking sheet or a tray. Brush the oil all over them, paying special attention to the cut sides.
  • Place the plums on the heated grill, cut-side down. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, or until grill marks appear.
  • Serve the grilled plums warm or hot as a side dish or as a dessert with ice cream.
  1. Plum jam: The classic plum jam is produced using sweet, luscious, juicy plums at the peak of their season. It’s the best way to preserve this delectable stone fruit so you can enjoy it for months to come. Here is the recipe for plum jam:

Cut the plums into little wedges after peeling them. Place the plums in a big pot, cover with half a cup of water, and cook for five minutes. In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, and pectin and bring to a full boil.

This plum jam is excellent on cakes, muffins, pancakes, ice cream, and anything else you can think of!

  1. Plum cake: This delectable cake is made by soaking raisins, cashews, walnuts, figs, dates and any other dried fruit.Combine the cake batter ingredients, then top with cut plums and bake. You’ll be eating your sweet and delicious plum cake in less than an hour.

Plums are very versatile and can be used in a variety of dishes and desserts.

Conclusion

In this article, I answered the question: “Can you eat plum skin?”, and I provided the numerous benefits of this fruit and I gave you helpful tips to use it as an ingredient to make your food tastier. 

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you need further information related to this subject.

References

  1. Yigit, Nuran, and Yakup Sedat Velioglu. Effects of processing and storage on pesticide residues in foods. Critic rev food sci nutr, 2020, 60, 3622-3641.
  2. Johnson, Joel B., et al. Nutritional quality and bioactive constituents of six Australian plum varieties. Int J Fruit Sci, 2021, 21, 115-132.
  3. Cosmulescu, S., et al. Total phenolic, flavonoid distribution and antioxidant capacity in skin, pulp and fruit extracts of plum cultivars. J Food Biochem, 2015, 39, 64-69.

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