51Â鶹

Grocery stores and farmers markets are bursting with vibrant colors, with towers of bright green watermelons and multicolored displays of berries garnering the spotlight. But have plums ever caught your eye?

Plums come in a rainbow of colors, with green and yellow joining the more traditional red, black and purple varieties. They are in season between May and December and at their peak during the summer. A fresh plum will have a tart peel and sweet, juicy flesh.

While many fruits are available in frozen and canned varieties year-round, plums are more likely to make their appearance in the fresh produce section.

“They tend to be more seasonal,” said Tracy Severson, a registered dietitian for Oregon Health & Science University’s Center for Preventive Cardiology in Portland. “And buying produce in-season helps ensure it is at its peak in flavor and nutrient density,” she said. Seasonal produce has other advantages too, including likely being more budget-friendly.

A plum is an easy on-the-go snack. After a quick rinse with cool water, almost the whole fruit is edible.

Almost.

Before sinking your teeth into one, know that plums are a stone fruit, which means there is a hard pit – or “stone” – in its center. The stone protects the seed of the fruit but is large and easy to remove. Other fruits that contain stones include peaches, cherries and nectarines.

Plums originated in Central and East Asia, eventually spreading west to Europe. The largest producer of plums is China, but they are found worldwide. The two main types grown in the United States are Prunus salicina, the Japanese variety, and Prunus domestica, the European variety.

Regardless of the variety you snack on, count on plums to give your health a boost.

One medium-sized plum contains about 30 calories, 6 milligrams of vitamin C and nearly 1 gram of fiber. fiber can help lower cholesterol and may reduce the risk of atherosclerosis, the buildup of plaque in the arteries.

Severson said red or dark purple plums are especially beneficial for heart health because they contain a phytonutrient called anthocyanin. Phytonutrients are natural compounds in plants that may boost health, and research has shown may improve the levels of lipids – or fats – in the blood and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Anthocyanins, which are found in red-, blue- and purple-colored fruits and vegetables, have also been linked to improved cognitive function.

Because plums could support brain health, they should be part of a wider variety of fruits and vegetables in your diet, Severson said. “What’s good for your heart is good for your brain.”

Even if you’ve never had the tasty pleasure of biting into a ripe plum, you might already snack on a wrinkled version of the fruit. Dried plums – commonly called prunes – contain similar nutrients and health benefits, including potassium, which can help control blood pressure. All prunes are made from plums, but not all plums can be dried into prunes. Prunes are typically made from the European variety of plums, as they have thicker skins and dense flesh that make them suitable for drying.

“The drying process concentrates some of the nutrients,” Severson said. This makes prunes higher per weight in vitamin K and magnesium, which are beneficial for bone density – especially in postmenopausal women, she said.

However, the lower water content in prunes makes their sugar content more concentrated and they may not feel as filling. Severson warned that people with diabetes or prediabetes should pay attention to serving sizes of dried fruit because consuming too much could elevate blood glucose levels.

Eating prunes can also have a mild laxative effect, which Severson said can promote bowel health and regularity.

When cooking or baking with plums, watch out for sneaky ingredients in recipes that can undercut their health benefits.

Asian recipes, for example, sometimes call for plum-based sauces. “Those will have a lot of added sugar and sodium,” Severson said. Excess sodium in your diet could lead to high blood pressure.

Plums are also used to make jams and desserts, and recipes will often contain large amounts of added sugar. The 51Â鶹 recommends a daily intake of no more than about 9 teaspoons of added sugar for men, and no more than about 6 teaspoons for women.

For a sweet treat that’s heart-healthy, Severson suggested cutting a plum in half and grilling the pieces until its natural sugars caramelize the fruit. “Top them with a bit of plain, fat-free Greek yogurt and you’ll have a nice dessert without added sugars,” she said.

Plums can also brighten up a salad. For a summertime recipe, toss fresh slices of the fruit with arugula, a half-ounce serving of fat-free feta cheese, pumpkin seeds and a simple vinaigrette, Severson recommended.

Whether you’re snacking on plums or using them in a recipe, proper storage will keep them fresh. To determine if a plum is ripe, gently press on the fruit. If it’s hard, let it naturally ripen at room temperature for a couple of days. Once the fruit softens, it’s ready to eat or store in the refrigerator for up to five days. If a plum feels mushy, it’s likely overripe and probably won’t taste good.

And though the fruit is in its name, don’t let a sugar plum fool you. This little, round confection may have traces of dried plums or other fruits, but it won’t measure up as a nutritious snack with its traditional sugary coating.

So, consider picking up some plums while they’re in season. And if they’re already a regular summer staple for you, there’s probably no need to prune them from your diet.

Eat It or Leave It? is an 51Â鶹 News series that takes a closer look at the health benefits and drawbacks of specific foods, drinks and nutrients.