Prune

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Prunes Rosales - Dried Prunus domestica d.jpg
Prunes
Raw, fresh prune plums that have not been dried into prunes Ortenauer.JPG
Raw, fresh prune plums that have not been dried into prunes
Dried plums (prunes), uncooked
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 1,006 kJ (240 kcal)
63.88 g
Sugars 38.13 g
Dietary fiber 7.1 g
Fat
0.38 g
2.18 g
Vitamins Quantity
%DV
Vitamin A equiv.
4%
39 μg
4%
394 μg
148 μg
Thiamine (B1)
4%
0.051 mg
Riboflavin (B2)
14%
0.186 mg
Niacin (B3)
12%
1.882 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5)
8%
0.422 mg
Vitamin B6
12%
0.205 mg
Folate (B9)
1%
4 μg
Choline
2%
10.1 mg
Vitamin C
1%
0.6 mg
Vitamin E
3%
0.43 mg
Vitamin K
50%
59.5 μg
Minerals Quantity
%DV
Calcium
3%
43 mg
Iron
5%
0.93 mg
Magnesium
10%
41 mg
Manganese
13%
0.299 mg
Phosphorus
6%
69 mg
Potassium
24%
732 mg
Sodium
0%
2 mg
Zinc
4%
0.44 mg
Other constituentsQuantity
Water31 g

Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults, [1] except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from the National Academies. [2]

A prune is a dried plum, most commonly from the European plum ( Prunus domestica ) tree. Not all plum species or varieties can be dried into prunes. [3] A prune is the firm-fleshed fruit (plum) of Prunus domestica varieties that have a high soluble solids content, and do not ferment during drying. [4] Use of the term "prune" for fresh plums is obsolete except when applied to varieties of plum grown for drying. [5]

Contents

Most prunes are freestone cultivars (the pit is easy to remove), whereas most plums grown for fresh consumption are clingstone (the pit is more difficult to remove).

Prunes are 64% carbohydrates, including dietary fiber, 2% protein, a rich source of vitamin K, and a moderate source of B vitamins and dietary minerals. The sorbitol content of dietary fiber likely provides the laxative effect associated with consuming prunes.

Production

More than 1,000 plum cultivars are grown for drying. The main cultivar grown in the United States is the 'Improved French' prune. Other varieties include 'Sutter', 'Tulare Giant', 'Moyer', 'Imperial', 'Italian', and greengages. Fresh prunes reach the market earlier than fresh plums and are usually smaller in size. The great majority of commercially grown prune varieties are self-fertile and do not need separate pollinator trees. [6]

Name change

In 2001, plum growers in the United States were authorized by the Food and Drug Administration to call prunes "dried plums". [7] Due to a perception that prunes relieve constipation (perceived as derogatory), some distributors stopped using the word "prune" on packaging labels in favor of "dried plums". [8]

Health effects

Prunes contain dietary fiber (about 7% of weight) which may provide laxative effects. [9] Their sorbitol content may also be responsible for this, a conclusion reached in a 2012 review by the European Food Safety Authority. [10] The report also demonstrated that prunes effectively contribute to the maintenance of normal bowel function in the general population if consumed in quantities of at least 100 grams (3.5 oz) per day. [10]

Nutrition

Prunes are 31% water, 64% carbohydrates, including 7% dietary fiber, 2% protein, and less than 1% fat. Prunes are a moderate source of vitamin K (57% of the Daily Value, DV) and a moderate source of several B vitamins and dietary minerals (4–16% DV).

Phytochemicals

Prunes and prune juice contain phytochemicals, including phenolic compounds (mainly as neochlorogenic acids and chlorogenic acids) and sorbitol. [9]

Uses

Prunes in chocolate with an almond in the middle Chocolate-coated Dried Plums.jpg
Prunes in chocolate with an almond in the middle
Moroccan-style tagine of lamb with prunes and almonds Tajin aux pruneaux.JPG
Moroccan-style tagine of lamb with prunes and almonds

Prunes are used in preparing both sweet and savory dishes. [10]

Contrary to the name, boiled plums or prunes are not used to make sugar plums, which instead may be nuts, seeds, or spices coated with hard sugar, also called comfits. [11]

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Apricot</span> Cultivated fruit

An apricot is a fruit, or the tree that bears the fruit, of several species in the genus Prunus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plum</span> Edible fruit

A plum is a fruit of some species in Prunus subg. Prunus. Dried plums are most often called prunes, though in the United States they may be just labeled as 'dried plums', especially during the 21st century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dietary fiber</span> Portion of plant-derived food that cannot be completely digested

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<i>Prunus</i> Genus of trees and shrubs

Prunus is a genus of trees and shrubs in the flowering plant family Rosaceae that includes plums, cherries, peaches, nectarines, apricots, and almonds. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution, being native to the North American temperate regions, the neotropics of South America, and temperate and tropical regions of Asia and Africa, There are 340 accepted species. Many members of the genus are widely cultivated for their fruit and for decorative purposes. Prunus fruit are drupes, or stone fruits. The fleshy mesocarp surrounding the endocarp is edible while the endocarp itself forms a hard, inedible shell called the pyrena. This shell encloses the seed, which is edible in some species, but poisonous in many others. Besides being eaten off the hand, most Prunus fruit are also commonly used in processing, such as jam production, canning, drying, and the seeds for roasting.

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<i>Morus</i> (plant) Genus of plants

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laxative</span> Agents that relax and loosen the bowels and stools

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guava</span> Tropical fruit

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greengage</span> Group of fruit culttivars

The greengages are a group of cultivars of the common European plum. The first true greengage came from a green-fruited wild plum which originated in Iran (Persia). Greengages are grown in temperate areas and are known for the rich, confectionery flavour. They are considered to be among the finest dessert plums; Anna Pavord calls them "most ambrosial of all tree fruit" and David Karp describes them as "the best fruit in the world".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Damson</span> Edible fruit

The damson or damson plum, also archaically called the "damascene", is an edible drupaceous fruit, a subspecies of the plum tree. Varieties of insititia are found across Europe, but the name damson is derived from and most commonly applied to forms that are native to Great Britain. Damsons are relatively small ovoid plum-like fruit with a distinctive, somewhat astringent taste, and are widely used for culinary purposes, particularly in fruit preserves and jams.

<i>Prunus cerasifera</i> Species of plum

Prunus cerasifera is a species of plum known by the common names cherry plum and myrobalan plum. It is native to Southeast Europe and Western Asia, and is naturalised in the British Isles and scattered locations in North America. Also naturalized in parts of SE Australia where it is considered to be a mildly invasive weed of bushland near urban centers. P. cerasifera is believed to one of the parents of the Cultivated Plum, Prunus domestica perhaps crossing with the sloe, Prunus spinosa, or perhaps the sole parent. This would make it a parent of most of the commercial varieties of plum in the UK and mainland Europe - Victoria, greengages, bullace etc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mirabelle plum</span> Subspecies of plum

Mirabelle plum is a cultivar group of plum trees of the genus Prunus. It is believed that the plum was cultivated from a wild fruit grown in Anatolia.

<i>Prunus salicina</i> Species of tree

Prunus salicina, commonly called the Japanese plum or Chinese plum, is a small deciduous tree native to China, Taiwan and Southeast Asia. It is an introduced species in Korea, Japan, Israel, the United States, and Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prune juice</span> Juice produced from prunes

Prune juice is a fruit juice derived from prunes that have been rehydrated. It is a mass-produced product that is often produced using a hot extraction method, and juice concentrate is typically produced using a low-temperature extraction method. It may be used as a dietary supplement to act as a laxative. It is also sometimes used as a flavor enhancer in tobacco products. It is an ingredient in many cocktails, such as the Purple Dragon, or Constipolitan.

<i>Prunus domestica</i> Species of flowering plant

Prunus domestica is a species of flowering plant in the family Rosaceae. A deciduous tree, it includes many varieties of the fruit trees known as plums in English, though not all plums belong to this species. The greengages and damsons also belong to subspecies of P. domestica.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prune plum</span> Subspecies of edible fruit

The prune plum is a fruit-bearing tree, or its fruit. It is a subspecies of the plum Prunus domestica. The freestone fruit is similar to, but distinct from, the clingstone damson and is especially popular in Central Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mazafati</span> Date palm cultivar

Mazafati is a cultivar of the palm date. It is a dark, soft, fleshy and sweet date of medium size, about 2.5–4.5 cm (1–2 in) with a relatively high moisture content of between 32 and 35%, varying with the time of harvest and the location of the grove.

References

  1. United States Food and Drug Administration (2024). "Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels" . Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  2. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Health and Medicine Division; Food and Nutrition Board; Committee to Review the Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium (2019). Oria, Maria; Harrison, Meghan; Stallings, Virginia A. (eds.). Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium. The National Academies Collection: Reports funded by National Institutes of Health. Washington, DC: National Academies Press (US). ISBN   978-0-309-48834-1. PMID   30844154.
  3. Growing Prunes (Dried Plums) in California: An Overview. UCANR Publications. 2007. ISBN   978-1-60107-486-7.
  4. Richard P. Buchner (16 May 2012). Prune Production Manual. UCANR Publications. pp. 75–. ISBN   978-1-60107-702-8.
  5. "Dehydrated Prunes Grades and Standards". Agricultural Marketing Service, US Department of Agriculture. 2017. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  6. Growing Prunes (Dried Plums) in California: An Overview. UCANR Publications. 2007. pp. 2–. ISBN   978-1-60107-486-7.
  7. "FDA Approves Prune Name Change". ABC News. 6 January 2006. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  8. Janick, Jules and Robert E. Paull (2008). The Encyclopedia of Fruit and Nuts. CABI. ISBN   0-85199-638-8. p. 696.
  9. 1 2 Stacewicz-Sapuntzakis, M; Bowen, PE; Hussain, EA; Damayanti-Wood, BI; Farnsworth, NR (2001). "Chemical composition and potential health effects of prunes: a functional food?". Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 41 (4): 251–86. doi:10.1080/20014091091814. PMID   11401245. S2CID   31159565.
  10. 1 2 3 EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) (2012). "Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to dried plums of 'prune' cultivars (Prunus domestica L.) and maintenance of normal bowel function (ID 1164, further assessment) pursuant to Article 13(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006". EFSA Journal. 10 (6): 2712. doi: 10.2903/j.efsa.2012.2712 .
  11. Kawash, Samira (22 December 2010). "Sugar Plums: They're Not What You Think They Are". The Atlantic. Retrieved 13 July 2017.