What Are the Flavors of Plums?

Plums come in a variety of hues, including yellow, green, and purple. This oval or heart-shaped fruit tastes finest fresh off the tree and is often available from August through October.

Plum trees may reach heights of 30 feet when fully mature. Unfortunately, not all plum cultivars can reach that size. There are several plum varieties available, and the flavor is mostly determined by the variety.

If you’ve never had plums, you may be wondering what it is about their flavor that makes them so popular in cuisine. You’ll learn what a plum tastes like, but first, you should know that plums are one of the most underappreciated fruits on the planet, and you can do a lot with them.

What flavor do plums have? Depending on how ripe the plum is, the flavor may vary from sweet to sour. Ripe plums have an overpoweringly sweet flavor. Their skin, on the other hand, stands out because to its harsh flavor. The texture of ripe plums is substantial yet not too hard to bite through. The skin has no resistance and may simply be peeled off or chewed into. Unripe plums are significantly tougher and have an awful flavor.

Plum peels are edible; if you don’t like the bitter flavor, peel them off before eating the plums. Plums’ overly sweet flavor makes them ideal for cooking, and their flavor varies depending on the type.

Nutritional Benefits of Plums

These fruits may seem tiny, but they contain a wealth of nutritious advantages in their little size. If you are concerned about your calorie consumption, plums are a good choice since they are low in calories. The typical plum includes just 30 calories and plenty of vitamins and minerals.

One plum contains 5% of the RDA for vitamin A, 10% of the RDA for vitamin C, 5% of the RDA for vitamin K, 2% of the RDA for copper, 2% of the RDA for manganese, and 3% of the RDA for potassium. One plum provides the body with 7 grams of sugar and 1 gram of fiber. B vitamins, magnesium, and phosphorus are also present in trace levels.

Plums are high in polyphenol antioxidants. According to scientific research, plums have double the quantity of polyphenol antioxidants as other fruits. Polyphenol antioxidants assist the body in relieving oxidative stress induced by free radicals in the body. They may also lower the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Polyphenol antioxidants not only protect cells in the body, but they may help preserve bone integrity and have anti-inflammatory effects that keep the body from becoming too inflammatory.

While overripe, plums may be excessively sweet for most palates, yet they do not elevate blood sugar levels when consumed. They may be able to do the reverse and assist you in controlling your blood sugar levels. This is because plums may raise adiponectin levels in the body. This hormone is vital to the body because it regulates blood sugar levels.

It is also likely that the fiber in plums aids in their blood sugar management. Fiber may slow the pace at which our bodies absorb carbohydrates after we finish eating. This capacity will enable our blood sugar levels to steadily climb rather than spike and create health complications.

Culinary Uses of Plums

You may eat plums as is if you have a sweet craving; you will appreciate them. Maybe the topic of whether plum skin is edible or not bothers you as well. If you don’t mind the bitter flavor, you can eat plum peels. If you wish to consume plums without peeling them, wash and rinse them under running water to remove dirt and debris. If raw plums are too sweet for you, boiling them might help you balance out the sweetness.

Plums are often used to produce jams and jellies, and some people even use them to make wine. They are quite versatile and may be used for both baking and cooking. You may glaze or prepare a sauce with them for foods like pork chops, poultry, or fish. Plums may be highly sweet depending on the type, hence they are often used in dessert dishes such as tarts and cakes.

Where are Plums from? Where Can You Procure them?

Plums are indigenous to North America, Europe, and Asia. It belongs to the road family, and the plant that yields plums belongs to the Prunus genus. Since plums contain a pit in the core, they are classed as drupes. A plum tree will be fully laden with fruits that will all ripen at the same time if you stumble across one.

Plums come in a variety of flavors, including Damson plums (sour), Elephant heart plums, Moyer plums (sweet yet acidic), and Greengage plums (intense purple skin with greenish-yellow spots).

When plums are in season, they may be obtained at any grocery shop or farmers market. The bloom, a white powder on the skin that may be readily wiped or washed off, is one method to recognize an excellent plum. The presence of this light powder indicates that the plums are ripe, newly picked, and professionally handled.

Do Plums Taste Like Grapes?

The process of converting plums to prunes is quite similar to that of converting grapes to raisins. There is a distinction since not all prunes are plums. Plums are sweet like grapes, but they are not the same and have a slightly distinct flavor.

Fact You Don’t Know About Plums

• Plums will not get sweeter if you take them from the tree. If you purchase unripe plums or pluck them from the tree, they will not become sweeter. They cease generating sugar as soon as they are separated from the tree.