A little tangy and sweet, plums are mainly the monsoon fruits. Apart from making your desserts and salads delicious, plum fruit benefits for the skin are numerous. From healing acne to reducing wrinkles, you can count on plums to get glowing skin.
Apricots, nectarine, and peaches, all are the family members of this juicy fruit. But, unlike its other stone-fruit sisters, plums are available in different shapes and colors. From red to pink to orange flesh, they can be of any color.
Including plums on your plate daily helps you to stay fit and look glamorous. Without beating around the bush, letโs see the number of different nutrients present in them.
What Nutrients are there in Plums?
| Nutrients | Quantity Present |
| Iron | 17mg |
| Magnesium | 7 mg |
| Vitamin A | 346 IU |
| Vitamin C | 5 mg |
| Vitamin E | 26 mg |
| Copper | 57 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 40g |
| Folates | 5g |
| Calcium | 6mg |
| Sugar | 16g |
| Protein | 1g |
| Calories | 76 |
| Carbohydrates | 18g |
| Fats | ย Less than 1gm |
| Omega-3 fatty acids | 14.8mg |
| Omega-6 fatty acids | 38mg |
The table shown above is demonstrating how beneficial plums are for your skin. Now, letโs see how they can improve your skin.
Plum Fruit Benefits for Skin
If you ask me, โAre plums good for skin?โ I will immediately say, โYESโ. Hereโs why.
Just like aloe vera, you can treat different skin issues by eating or applying plum on your face. Plum benefits for skin are described in detail here.
Loaded with healthy nutrients, plums help prevent various forms of acne and premature aging signs. Plums are rich in phytochemicals and polyphenols, which make them work as effective protective agents. In addition to it, the potent antibacterial properties of plums enable them to fight pimples.
1. Protects from Sun Damage
Image: Source
Prolonged exposure to the sun affects your skinโs texture and tone. Plums are rich in antioxidants. These antioxidants shield your skin from the harmful UV rays of the sun. Furthermore, vitamin C and E in plums reverse the skin damage caused by the sun.
Applying a plum face pack on skin and other exposed body parts can give you tan-free skin within weeks.
2. Reduces Wrinkles and Fine Lines
Who wants to see freckled lines on the face? Thankfully, plums can minimize fine lines and wrinkles, giving you younger-looking skin. Beta carotene, antioxidants, and Vitamin E of plums delay the appearance of wrinkles. It also prevents stress-related skin problems.
Eating plums or using plum face packs can also help promote collagen production. This, in turn, will increase your skinโs elasticity.
3. Boosts Complexion
Image: Source
One of the major benefits of plums for skin is that they improve your complexion. The skin-lightening properties of plums play a vital role in improving your skin tone. Plums are packed with vitamin C, which inhibits the amount of melanin your pigment cells generate. Additionally, plums are great antioxidants. As such, they can improve skin texture.
Use the pulp of this yummy humble fruit to get rid of skin discoloration.
4 Rejuvenates Skin
Being packed with antioxidants and Vitamin C, plums can easily replace your cleanser. Plums rejuvenate your skin and regulate blood circulation. The presence of vitamin C in plums binds the collagen-producing molecules, thus reviving your skin.
Oftentimes, companies of bubble baths and face wash use plum extracts to lighten the complexion.
5 Minimizes Under-eye Puffiness
Image: Source
Lack of sleep, smoking, aging, and diet can cause puffiness under your eyes. Having dark circles or eye bags can sour your day.
Plums are known widely for reducing under-eye puffiness and dark circles. They improve blood circulation in the skin and reduce puffiness. Moreover, the vitamin C in plums helps to brighten the skin under your eyes.
6. Heals Pimples and Acne
Image: Source
One of the main factors that cause pimples is the excess oil production by the sebum glands. Vitamin A and C in plums absorb excess oil from your skin healing pimples. Applying its pulp directly on the face helps to restore the elasticity of the skin and heals acne.
To get the benefits of this delectable fruit, you must know how to use it correctly. Therefore, scroll down.
How to Use Plums for Skin
As a Toner for Oily Skin
Take out the pulp from the fruit in a bowl. Mix it with fresh cucumber juice. Store the mixture in a spray bottle. Apply it to your cleaned face in the morning. Keep it for 10 minutes. Then, wash it off with lukewarm water.
Using plum as a toner for oily skin will make the skin soft and hydrated. Its continuous use will also reduce blemishes and spots.
To De-tan and Boost Complexion
Take a few plums and boil them. Add a spoon of curd to it. Blend the mixture well. Apply it to the face and neck. Use cold water to rinse it off after 15-20 minutes.
If you eat a few plums daily, then, also it will help in boosting your complexion. Furthermore, daily consumption of plums prevents you from the damaging effects of sun rays due to the high content of vitamin C in them.
To Reduce Wrinkles and Heal Acne Scars
Another very popular plum fruit benefits for skin is that they effectively heal acne scars. Take 2-3 ripe plums. Mash them properly and remove the seeds. Make sure the amount is sufficient to cover your face and neck completely. Keep it as it is for 20 minutes. Then, wash it off with normal water. This plum face pack will improve blood circulation and lighten acne scars.
For Wrinkles: Take 4 fresh plums. Poach them in boiling water for 3-5 minutes. Youโll see the peel is coming off on its own. Mash the plums. Add 1teaspoon of cornflour or oats to it. Mix well for a smooth consistency. Apply the face pack to your face and neck in gentle circular motions. Wait for 10minutes. Rinse it off with normal water.
For Under-eye Puffiness
Cut plum into some thin slices. Place them under your eyes where the puffiness is. Wait for 10-15 minutes. Wash it off with normal water.
Frequently Asked Questions
a) How to Eat Plums?
From decadent desserts to easy and yummy snacks, you have got a lot of fun ways to eat plums.
Wash the plum thoroughly by rubbing. It will remove the dirt and pesticides from the fruit. Dry them completely before eating. Make sure youโre not eating the pit. Better to remove the pit before you start eating. Eating the pit is potentially poisonous and can lead to choking hazards. However, the peel is safe to eat.
Eating them raw is common and is definitely good. Besides eating them raw, you can make smoothies, desserts, and other delicious dishes with them.
b) How to Freeze Plums Correctly?
Freezing plums isnโt tough. Just follow these simple steps.
a) Take a few plums. Cut them into halves or slices.
b) Place the halves or slices on baking sheets. Make sure youโve kept them on the sheets in a single layer.
c) Keep the sheets on trays and put the trays inside your freezer.
d) Depending on the thickness of the slices, the time to freeze them thoroughly will vary. Generally, it takes several hours for freezing them.
e) Once the plums are frozen, put them inside an air-tight container. Or, you can also keep them in resealable plastic bags. Again, keep them inside the freezer until youโre using them.
Frozen plums have a shelf-life of 6 months. If you keep them in a stand-alone freezer, they can be used fresh for 1 year. Keeping it for a long time may affect their taste but are not dangerous.
c) Is it Safe to Eat Plums during Pregnancy?
Pregnant women should include plums in their diet. Constipation is one of the most observed issues of pregnant women. Drinking prune juice can help you get rid of constipation. Sometimes, pregnant women have more chances of premature rupture of membranes. This happens when they suffer from a deficiency of Vitamin C. Including foods like plums help to combat this problem and prevents premature delivery.
d) How Many Plums Can You Eat Daily?
Eating 3-4 prunes a day is absolutely safe and beneficial for your health and beauty. Definitely, you can drink prune juice or eat them raw daily. However, everything has a limit. Though they aid in digestion yet eating too many plums at once can affect your digestive system. But, that completely depends on how strong your digestion power is.
e) Do Plums Have Any Side-Effects?
Plums may cause diarrhea and gas when consumed in huge amounts. In case, you swallow the pit, it may block the food movement through the stomach. In addition to it, some people are allergic to plums. Those people should avoid eating plums and prunes.
Eating them may also lead to kidney stones. If youโve kidney-related issues, consult your doctor before eating them.
The Bottom Line
Plums are easy to eat and tasty. Moreover, eating them regularly enable you to keep many health problems at bay. All the plum fruit benefits for skin are discussed in detail above. Whether you drink prune juice or apply their mask, using them is your route towards healthy and glowing skin. Just keep it in mind, donโt eat too many plums.
