Move Over, Blueberries!”
July 16, 2009 – Growing Produce, a website dedicated to the fruit, vegetable, and citrus industries, reports that investigators at Texas AgriLife Research have found that the nutritional value of dried plums “matches or exceeds” that of blueberries.
After evaluating the nutritional content and associated health benefits of more than 100 varieties of plums, nectarines, and peaches, researchers concluded that plums offer similar or superior benefits as blueberries.
Read more on the Growing Produce website
Unique phytonutrients
Plums also contain chlorogenic and neochlorogenic acid, unique phytonutrients which can destroy superoxide anion radical, a highly damaging free radical. They also help prevent damage to beneficial fats that protect brain cells and make up cell membranes.
Dr. Luis Cisneros, a food scientist who studied the value dried plums with David Byrne, a plant breeder, found that plums’ profile may surpass blueberries for antioxidants and phytonutrients.
Dr. Cisneros also said that people usually eat a whole plum at once, thus getting “the full benefit,” while they ” tend to eat just a few blueberries at a time.”
Scientists highlighted the fact that one plum carries about the same amount of antioxidants as a handful of blueberries, for a fraction of the price.