People learned how to make dried fruits a very long time ago. Today, on the shelves from the abundance of dried fruit eyes just run up. One of the most popular, due to its aroma, taste and low price, is prune. Among other things, it is also extremely useful. It is not in vain that the history of its preparation goes far into the past - in the Vl century BC

Calorie and chemical composition of prunes

The benefits of dried plums are very difficult to overestimate. It is enough to analyze its chemical composition and immediately it becomes clear why it is so popular. These black berries contain a lot of potassium - 1.5 times more than in a banana. Also in the composition is iron, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and pectins. It should be noted the presence in the composition of such organic acids as malic, citric, and oxalic.Dried plums are rich in vitamins of group A, ascorbic acid, vitamins B, E, PP, retinol, as well as healthy sugars: fructose, glucose and sucrose. Women are particularly interested in the question: "How many calories are in this berry?" It should be noted that the delicacy is quite high-calorie - 100 grams of the product contains 231 kcal.

Did you know? Once upon a time there was a custom in the Balkans: for the priest to absolve the stumbling, he had to plant a plum tree on the side of the road. Nowadays, roads on the peninsula are now lined with plums.

The benefits and harms of prunes for the body

• Nature endowed these berries with unique properties and it is enough to eat only 5 each a day to help the body cope with many problems:
• the presence of a large amount of potassium strengthens the heart muscle and prevents the appearance of hypertension;
• vitamins A and C will help strengthen immunity and resist viruses during periods of epidemics of influenza and SARS;
• fiber helps to solve the problem of constipation and cleanse the intestines;
• has prunes and choleretic action;
• improves liver function;
• regular use helps to normalize the motility of the stomach and increase the secretion of gastric juice, which is especially important for people with low weight;
• it is recommended to eat it for anemia, as well as for the prevention of vitamin deficiency.

Dried fruit also has a beneficial effect on the nervous system and helps fight depression, insomnia, anxiety, and simply improves mood. Dried plum is one of the few berries that is allowed for early feeding of babies - from 6 months, compotes are boiled from prunes, jelly and put into porridge. . This helps to avoid constipation.

• Prunes and contraindications have every useful product, but there are not many of them:
• diabetes. Due to the high calorie content and sugar content;
• obesity;
• allergy to plums;
• stones in the gallbladder, as it has a choleretic effect.

Important! Prunes quickly absorb odors, so they can not be kept close to smelling products.

Can i eat

Any, even the most useful product, should be consumed in moderation, because everything that is above the norm can harm the body.

Pregnant

During pregnancy, women constantly want something tasty. Sweets, cookies and other sweets are used. Dried fruits are a great alternative to purchased treats. Given that prunes are rich in vitamins, so necessary for the expectant mother, and affordable, he should be in the refrigerator for everyone who is expecting a baby. Only 5 berries are able to satisfy hunger and remove the desire to eat sweets.

To nursing mothers

Until the baby is 6 months old, it is better not to experiment and refuse dry plums. From six months, prunes are already being introduced into the food for children, therefore, mom can start to eat it. But for the first time, you should limit yourself to 1 piece and look at the reaction of the baby. If everything is in order, there are no colic, diarrhea or bloating, then you can enter 3-4 pieces into the daily diet.

Did you know? There are no wild plums in nature. This tree appeared about 2000 years ago from the cross of cherry plum and thorns.

Losing weight

For those who want to lose weight and are on a diet, this dried fruit can be eaten regularly, replacing them with sweets and chocolate. In this case, the daily rate should not exceed 50 grams. If you can’t live without a yummy one, you can diversify the menu with prunes and walnuts inside - it will be tasty and healthy.

With diabetes

Since the product is high-calorie and contains a lot of sucrose, it should be limited to diabetics. But this does not mean that it must be abandoned. If you eat 5 berries 2 times a week, then this will not give negative effects on the body.

With gastritis or pancreatitis

With an exacerbation of pancreatitis from prunes, you can cook compotes, but only with the permission of a doctor. During the period of remission, it is possible to eat up to 10 berries at a time. In gastritis, pitted prunes can be in the remission phase. It is especially good to cook compotes from it, adding dried apples and pears. Dried fruit is useful with low acidity, as it promotes the production of hydrochloric acid.For patients with increased acidity of gastric juice, this berry may not be desirable. Necessarily dry plum should be steamed with boiling water until soft. It is better to eat berries in the morning and not more than 5 pieces a day.

At what age can children be?

As a component of complementary foods, prunes are given to children from 6 months. It can be a berry, mashed or stewed fruit. For the first time, it is better to limit yourself to 1/2 teaspoon of prune puree by adding it to yogurt or porridge. If the child’s stool does not become liquid after this, you can gradually increase the norm, but no more than 50 grams per day. As an independent dish, you can start giving it from three years old, only you need to pre-process it with boiling water.

Video: prunes for the baby

How to choose high-quality prunes?

Any fruit will benefit the body only if it is of high quality and not processed with chemicals. When choosing prunes, you need to pay attention to several important points:

• too obvious shine of the fruit indicates an additional treatment with glycerin or oil. Try to find frosted fruits on the market, better with a seed, since such berries have a lower risk of decay;
• if you squeeze a good prune berry with your fingers and release it, then it quickly returns to shape;
• fruits should not smell like smoke or gasoline;
• berries should not pester each other;
• the color of a quality product is rich black;
• if the berries are poured with water and left for 20 minutes, then high-quality fruits will appear, in places, a white coating.

Important! To make the plum peel thin and soft, unscrupulous manufacturers soak it in a solution of caustic soda, which is very dangerous for the human body.

How to store prunes at home?

Prunes are dried and dried. Dried on the market can rarely be found, since it is not profitable for sale. Sun-dried has more weight due to incomplete evaporation of moisture. The approaches to storage of both types are different. Dried can be stored at room temperature, the main thing is that the place is dark and ventilated.

It is also important that insects do not reach the berries. Dried fruit can be stored in glass jars with a lid, in linen or linen bags, paper bags. It may remain edible until the next harvest. The dried product cannot be stored for a long time. It should be kept in the refrigerator in an open bag or tray. You can put prunes on the lower shelf of the side door or in the compartment with vegetables.If you care about your health and want to prolong youth, then prune is just your product. It is useful for both women and men. The main thing is to know how much and how to take it, so as not to harm the body. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to buy a really high-quality product on the market, so you can try to dry both prunes and dried apricots at home. So you will definitely know that you are eating a healthy product.