A plum fruit

Did you know the word plum can be used as a noun or an adjective? As a noun, it means the smooth-skinned fruit of the prunus tree. As an adjective, it means highly desired, as in "she got a plum job." Both terms fit this fabulous fruit to a T.Plums are grown locally and are at their peak in early fall. Their claim to fame nutritionally is that they are particularly high in antioxidants known as phenols. Phenols help undo damage caused by free-radical cells, especially those that damage fats. They are also high in in the antioxidant vitamin C. Vitamin C benefits range from building healthy tissue, to helping your body absorb more iron, to building up your immune system.One other antioxidant prominent in plums that I wasn't expecting to see is lutein. Lutein is usually found in plant foods that are yellow or green, so I didn't think plums would be a good source. But that's because I was picturing plums as purple/blue (the skin), instead of the fruit itself, which is yellow. Eating foods high in lutein helps reduce your risk for developing macular degeneration.Plums are classified in six different categories, meaning their size, color, and shape may vary from variety to variety. They contain about 40 calories per plum and are a good source of fiber. Plums are related to the peach family and have a hard, flattish stone pit in the center. If you dry or dehydrate a plum, it turns into a prune. Both plums and prunes can help stimulate your bowels, so keep that in mind if you are trying to prevent or cure a bout of constipation.Prunes used to be made by letting plums dry on the tree naturally via the sun like raisins, but now they are dried in forced air tunnels heated by gas. This helps make the fruit more uniform in size. Prunes can be purchased dried or canned.When it comes to purchasing fresh plums, try to get ones that are ripe and ready to eat. You should be able to squeeze them gently and feel a little give. It they are firm, they can be ripened at home, but if they are picked too soon, they might not have as sweet of a taste. The best time to eat a plum is when it is fully ripened, as that is when it contains the highest level of antioxidants.Plums—and especially prunes—are the Rodney Dangerfield of fruits; they don't get a lot of respect. But now that you know how great they are, consider buying some the next time you go to the farm market or grocery store.