Health Benefits and Effects of Green Plums
Jan 25, 2021
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Wang Lei
Introduction
Health Benefits and Effects of Green Plums:
1. **Anti-fatigue effect**: Promotes the breakdown of lactic acid into carbon dioxide and water for excretion from the body, thereby alleviating fatigue and facilitating calcium absorption.
2. **Liver protection**: Contains bioactive compounds that enhance hepatic detoxification capacity, strengthening the body’s ability to eliminate water toxins, dietary toxins, and blood toxins.
3. **Anti-aging effect**: Parotin (a hormone-like substance) stimulates metabolism and helps delay aging.
Green plums are a type of green fruit containing multiple organic acids, including citric acid, tannic acid, and tartaric acid. Consumed raw, they stimulate salivation, quench thirst, promote appetite, and alleviate depressive mood. They are also well-suited for processing into various dried fruits and candied preserves. Harvested just before ripening, the fruit retains its green color and is thus called “green plum.” When smoked, roasted, or steamed in bamboo baskets, the fruit turns dark black and is then referred to as “smoked plum” (Wumei).
Health Benefits and Functions of Green Plums
1. Anti-Fatigue Effect
Green plums are rich in citric acid—a vital organic acid indispensable for cellular metabolism. Citric acid facilitates the breakdown of lactic acid into carbon dioxide and water, which are then excreted from the body, thereby alleviating fatigue and enhancing calcium absorption.
2. Liver Protection
Bioactive compounds present in green plums enhance hepatic detoxification capacity, strengthening the body’s ability to neutralize toxins derived from water, food, and blood.
3. Anti-Aging Effects
The sour taste of green plums stimulates the salivary glands—particularly the parotid glands—to secrete increased amounts of parotin. This hormone promotes metabolic activity, delays aging, improves facial complexion and skin luster, and helps maintain youthful elasticity in skin tissues and blood vessels—exerting a pronounced “rejuvenating” effect.
4. Stimulating Salivation and Quenching Thirst
Due to their sour flavor, green plums effectively stimulate salivation, relieve thirst, and improve appetite while alleviating depressive mood. Consumption of fresh green plums—or processed products such as dried plums, candied plums, or plum preserves—enhances gustatory sensation and stimulates appetite, offering therapeutic benefits for conditions like anorexia and reduced food intake.
5. Promoting Digestion and Strengthening Gastric Function
As a green fruit, green plums contain abundant organic acids and dietary fiber. Their consumption stimulates gastric acid secretion and enhances intestinal motility, thereby facilitating digestion and improving overall gastrointestinal digestive function.
The above outlines the health benefits and functions of green plums. We hope this information proves helpful to you.
