Plum

Introduction

Plum (Prunus salicina Lindl.) is a plant of the genus Prunus in the Rosaceae family. Its aliases include Jiaqingzi, Bulin, plum, Yuhuangli, and mountain plum. Its fruit matures between July and August. It is plump and round, exquisite and translucent, beautiful in shape, and sweet in taste. It is one of the most popular fruits among people. It is widely cultivated all over the world.

Plums are sour in taste, which can promote the secretion of gastric acid and gastric digestive enzymes, and promote gastrointestinal motility, thus improving appetite and promoting digestion, especially for those with gastric acid deficiency, fullness after eating, and constipation. The amino acids such as serine, glycine, proline, and glutamine in fresh plums have a diuretic and detumescent effect, and have an auxiliary therapeutic effect on liver cirrhosis.

Nutritional value of plums

Chemical composition

The fruit contains gibberellin A/32. It also contains carrot pigments such as caudal-carcotene, cryptoxanthin, lutein, violaxanthin and neoxanthin, and vitamin A. [9]

Nutritional Information

The nutritional value of plums is slightly lower than that of peaches. They contain sugar, trace protein, fat, carotene, vitamins B1, B2, C, niacin, calcium, phosphorus, iron, asparagine, glutamine, serine, glycine, proline, threonine, alanine and other ingredients.

Every 100 grams of edible part of plum contains 117.2~221.9 kilojoules of energy, 8.8 grams of sugar, 0.7 grams of protein, 0.25 grams of fat, 100-360 micrograms of provitamin A (carotene), 0.3 milligrams of niacin, more than 6 milligrams of calcium, 12 milligrams of phosphorus, 0.3 milligrams of iron, 130 milligrams of potassium, 2~7 milligrams of vitamin C, as well as other minerals, multiple amino acids, asparagine and cellulose.

The effects and functions of plums

1. Treat children with sudden fever for two to three days: 18 zhu each of li root, cinnamon heart, and sodium sulfate, 1 liang each of licorice and ophiopogon. Cut the above five ingredients into small pieces, add three liters of water, boil until one liter is left, and take five doses. (Li Root Soup in Qianjin Fang) [6]

2. To treat urine in children, starting from the thighs and going from the navel to the glans, all red: burn plum roots into ashes, mix with running water from the field and apply to the affected area. (Qianjin Fang) [6]

3. Treat bone steaming, fatigue and fever, or thirst and thirst: Crush fresh plums and drink the juice cold. (Quanzhou Materia Medica) [7]

4. Treating liver swelling and ascites: Eat fresh plums. (Quanzhou Materia Medica) [7]

5. Treating running pig qi rushing up to the chest, abdominal pain, alternating chills and fever: 2 liang each of licorice, angelica root, 4 liang of pinellia tuber, 2 liang of scutellaria root, 5 liang of kudzu root, 2 liang of peony root, 4 liang of ginger, and 1 liter of white bark of licorice root. Add 2 dou of water to the above nine ingredients and boil until 5 liters are left. Take 1 liter warm, three times a day and once at night. (Bentun Decoction in "Golden Chamber Synopsis") [8]

6. To treat throat congestion: blow soap bean powder into the nose to induce sneezing, and grind the bark of the plum tree roots into water and apply it to the outside of the throat. (Shuyuan Miscellaneous Notes) [8]

7. Promote digestion: Plums can promote the secretion of gastric acid and gastric digestive enzymes, and increase gastrointestinal motility. Therefore, eating plums can promote digestion and increase appetite. They are a good food therapy for people with gastric acid deficiency, fullness after eating, and constipation. [5]

8. Clear the liver and promote diuresis: Fresh plum meat contains a variety of amino acids, such as glutamine, serine, glycine, proline, etc. Eating it raw is very beneficial for the treatment of ascites caused by liver cirrhosis.

Medicinal value of plums

1. Removes heat between joints and is suitable for people with liver disease. Eat after drying to remove chronic heat and regulate the middle. Do not eat often, otherwise it will cause fever. Eating plums before drinking water will cause phlegm and malaria. Do not eat with sparrow meat at the same time. Eating with honey will damage the five internal organs. Plums that do not sink in water are poisonous and can harm people, so do not eat them.

2. Treats tendon fractures, bone pain and blood stasis caused by falls. Improves skin, treats women's lower abdominal swelling, promotes bowel movement, relieves edema, and treats dark spots on the face.

3. For convulsions caused by high fever or malaria in children, the boiled soup can be used for washing the body, which has a good effect.

4. Eye opacity, pain relief and swelling reduction.

5. Make it into powder and use it to wash your face to make your complexion moisturized and remove acne and dark spots.

6. Treat thirst caused by diabetes and diabetes insipidus, and stop dizziness caused by abdominal gas rushing up. Treat high fever in children and relieve erysipelas. Gargle with boiled water to treat toothache. Drink the decoction to treat red and white dysentery. Roast until yellow and boil the decoction, drink it the next day, to treat sudden red and white leucorrhea in women.

7. Blood pressure lowering, catharsis and cough suppressant: The kernel of plum contains amygdalin and a large amount of fatty oil. Pharmacology has confirmed that it has a significant diuretic and blood pressure lowering effect, can accelerate intestinal peristalsis, promote the discharge of dry stool, and also has the effect of relieving cough and expectoration.

Side effects and contraindications of prunes

1. It is especially beneficial for people with fever, thirst, tuberculosis, bone steaming, liver disease ascites, teachers, actors with hoarseness or aphonia, chronic hepatitis, and cirrhosis.

2. Plums contain high amounts of fruit acid. Eating too much will damage the spleen and stomach. Excessive consumption can easily cause stomach pain. Patients with ulcers and acute or chronic gastroenteritis should avoid eating plums.

3. Eating too much can easily cause phlegm and dampness, hurt the spleen and stomach, and damage teeth. Therefore, people with spleen deficiency and phlegm and dampness and children should not eat too much.

How to eat plums

Pickled plums in vinegar

Ingredients: 250g ripe plums, 80ml vinegar, 80g sugar, 200ml water, 10 preserved plums

practice:

1. Wash the plums and cut them lightly;

2. Boil the plums in boiling water for one minute, then soak them in cold water for 2 minutes;

3. Peel off the skin of the plums after they have cooled down;

4. Put white vinegar, sugar, plums and water in a pot, cook over low heat until the sugar melts, then cook for another minute. Turn off the heat and slowly pour into a clean glass bottle.

5. After the plum water has cooled down, you can put the peeled plums into it and refrigerate it to soak for more than 7 days.

Grilled Pork Chops with Plum Sauce

Ingredients: 700g green cabbage, such as savoy cabbage, 1 large red pepper, 2 cloves of garlic, 3 tablespoons of premium plum sauce, 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon allspice, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, 4 pork chops, about 175g each, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, salt and black pepper to taste, 3 tablespoons olive oil

practice:

1. Preheat the oven to high. Cut the cabbage in half, remove the hard center, chop the leaves slightly, wash and drain in a colander.

2. Wash the pepper, cut it in half, remove the seeds and mince it. Peel and chop the garlic and set aside.

3. Heat the plum sauce and soy sauce in a frying pan over low heat. Add allspice and chili powder. Strain the sauce through a sieve if necessary.

4. Place the pork chops on the grill and grill for 5-7 minutes on each side. Apply plum sauce on both sides of the pork chops while grilling.

5. Mix apple cider vinegar, 3 tablespoons of water, appropriate amount of salt, pepper, etc.

6. Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add chili and garlic and fry for 30-40 seconds. Add cabbage and stir-fry.

7. Pour in diluted apple cider vinegar, cover and cook for 4 minutes, then remove the lid, turn to high heat, and continue cooking until the juice is dry.

8. Place the spicy cabbage on a plate, top with the pork chops with plum sauce, and serve.

Plum Prunella Vulgaris

Efficacy: Clears the liver and relieves heat, promotes the production of body fluids and promotes diuresis; suitable for patients with heat in the liver meridian and hepatitis.

Ingredients: 5 fresh plums, 3g selfheal, 3g plantain, 3g green tea.

Usage: Make tea with the decoction of plum, selfheal and plantain.

Plum milk tea

Efficacy: It can promote the production of body fluids, quench thirst, remove freckles and beautify the

Ingredients: 60 grams of plums, 200 milliliters of milk, 5 grams of green tea, and appropriate amount of white sugar.

Method: Remove the core of the plums, put them into a juicer to squeeze the juice, pour it into milk mixed with brewed green tea, add appropriate amount of white sugar and drink.

Plum wine

Ingredients: 400 grams of dried plums, 100 milliliters of honey, 1800 milliliters of white wine.

Method: Soak the dried plums and honey in wine. Soak in a cool place for 2-3 months, filter and set aside. Take 10 ml each time, twice a day, to treat dry intestines and constipation.

Pickled plums

Ingredients: 600g plums, 1g licorice, 20g salt, 300g brown sugar

practice:

1. Wash the plums and drain them;

2. Add sea salt to the plums and rub them evenly, then remove the excess salt;

3. Add licorice powder (ground), brown sugar and ginger juice and mix well;

4. It can be eaten after pickling for one day.

Orange Plum Jelly

Ingredients: 20 dried plums, 1600 grams of orange juice, 2 tablespoons of gelatin powder.

Seasoning: 400 grams of cold water, 2/3 cup of white sugar, and a little foreign wine.

practice:

1. Add a small amount of cold water to the gelatin powder and mix well. Cook on high heat for 6 minutes. After boiling, add sugar and stir thoroughly until dissolved. Cool and set aside.

2. Filter the cooked gelatin, pour in orange juice and foreign wine, and stir well.

3. Pour the prepared ingredients into a cup, put a dried plum in the cup, and put it in the refrigerator after it cools down to solidify.

Strawberry Plum Wine

Ingredients: 300g strawberries, 300g plums, 250g rock sugar, 400g glutinous rice wine

practice:

1. Wash the strawberries, dry them completely, and remove the stems and leaves;

2. Wash the plums, dry them completely, remove the stems, and cut the plums several times with a knife;

3. Place the plums and rock sugar in a wide-mouthed glass bottle in a layer;

4. Pour in sorghum wine and seal the bottle tightly;

5. Attach a label with the production date, place it in a cool place, and let it soak for three months before opening the filter residue and bottling it for drinking.

Plum juice

Ingredients: 500g red plums, 75g maltose, 75g white sugar, 100g green lemon

practice:

1. Wash the plums, break them in half and remove the pits.

2. Put the plums into the pot, add white sugar and squeeze out the lemon juice and bring to a boil.

3. After boiling, the plums will release a lot of water. Add maltose and continue cooking. After boiling, turn to low heat and simmer slowly. Stir in the middle to avoid sticking to the pan.

4. Take the juice from the plums in the pot, let it cool, add some boiled water, ice cubes, and mint leaves, and it will be a drink. You can also freeze the above drinks into ice cubes or popsicles.

5. After the juice is taken out of the pot, the plums will soon become viscous and become jam. The sealed jars for jam should be scalded with boiling water in advance, dried and free of water. Put the plum jam into the bottle while it is still hot, tighten it and let it cool, then put it in the refrigerator and try to use it up within a week.

Rock sugar plums

Ingredients: plums, rock sugar

practice:

1. Wash the plums, peel and pit them for later use.

2. Put the plums in a clean bowl and add 2 pieces of rock sugar.

3. Steam over high heat until the rock sugar melts. Let it cool and refrigerate for 1 hour before drinking.

Plum honey tea

Ingredients: 100 grams of fresh plums, 25 grams of honey, 2 grams of green tea.

Method: Cut open fresh plums, add 1 cup of water and boil for 3 minutes, then add green tea and honey. Take 1 dose per day, 3 times a day, morning, noon and evening.

Efficacy: Soothes the liver and relieves pain, strengthens the spleen and produces body fluid, helps digestion and promotes diuresis; suitable for patients with cirrhosis, abdominal distension, anorexia, dull pain in the liver area, thirst and fatigue.

Source: Folk remedy.

Tip: Avoid eating plums when drinking tea, as eating too many plums can damage the spleen and stomach, causing diarrhea.

Plum Chicken

Ingredients: 3000g chicken, 1000g plums, 400g onions, 200g potatoes, 5 slices of ginger, 40g rice wine, 1/2 clove of chopped garlic, 10g salt.

practice:

1. Soak the chicken in rice water for half an hour. This way the chicken will be tender and have no odor.

2. Boil the whole chicken to remove the blood, drain the water and put it into the soup pot

3. Add chopped onions and potato cubes.

4. Add the plums, ginger slices and eight cloves.

5. Add enough clean water at one time.

6. Bring to a boil over high heat, add rice wine, and continue cooking with the lid open for 10 minutes.

7. Cover and simmer for 60 minutes, add salt to taste, and the delicious plum chicken is ready.

Tomato Plum Soup

Ingredients: 2 purple plums, 300g tomatoes, 500g broth, 10g butter, 100g milk, a few basil leaves, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of pepper.

practice:

1. Put tomatoes and purple plums into a food processor and blend into a puree for later use;

2. Melt butter in a hot pan, pour in tomato puree, slowly add milk, and stir until it becomes a paste;

3. Add the clear soup, mix well, and bring to a boil over high heat;

4. Turn to low heat and continue cooking for 5 minutes;

5. Add salt and pepper to season, then cut some purple plums and basil into pieces, add them to the soup and it is ready to eat.

Vegetable Plum and Kidney Bean Soup

Ingredients: 300 grams of purple plums, 200 grams of carrots, 100 grams of white kidney beans, 100 grams of celery, 1 liter of clear chicken soup, half a teaspoon of pepper, and 1 teaspoon of salt.

practice:

1. Wash the vegetables, cut the purple plums into pieces, slice the carrots, and cut the celery into sections for later use.

2. Soak the white kidney beans in clean water for several hours and set aside.

3. Add white kidney beans to the chicken soup and bring to a boil over high heat.

4. Turn to low heat and cook until the white kidney beans are 90% cooked.

5. Add carrots, celery and plums, bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer for 15 minutes.

6. Finally, add salt and pepper to taste.