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Cherry plum is a fruit with unique qualities. It is extremely rich in dietary fiber, contains a large amount of vitamin C and potassium, but at the same time, its calorie content is almost zero. These properties make cherry plum a useful product for anyone who wants to lose weight, as well as for those with diabetes and hypertension. With its regular consumption, vitality is restored and the immune system is strengthened. Plum helps fight infections and prevent many diseases.

Cherry Facts

Cherry plum (botanical name Prunus cerasifera) belongs to the stone fruits and is a member of the Rosaceae family. There are dozens of cherry plum varieties that are grown for their fruits. [1]. Meanwhile, there are also decorative specimens. Such plants have an unusual color of leaves (for example, purple) and beautiful fragrant flowers. All varieties of cherry plum bear fruit, but the taste is different in all [2]. The most famous are Monomakh, Gold of the Scythians, Nesmeyana, Sarmatka, Cleopatra, Huck [3].

This tree is native to Asia. [4]. Many centuries ago, cherry plum was bred from the common fruit plum. Due to its high resistance to frost and drought, it quickly spread to different parts of the planet. [5]. However, cherry plum is easily exposed to the harmful effects of pests and diseases. [6]. These trees grow quickly, but their life expectancy is usually no more than 20 years. They propagate by seeds or cuttings. Cherry plum trees are often used as rootstock for some varieties of plums.

Useful Properties

Plum is useful for people with a variety of health problems. Fresh fruits have a good effect on the body when:

  • beriberi;
  • chronic fatigue;
  • nervousness, anxiety;
  • a weakened immune system;
  • infectious diseases;
  • disruption of the respiratory system;
  • cardiovascular pathologies;
  • thinning of bone tissue and other bone diseases;
  • edema;
  • overweight;
  • diabetes;
  • loss of appetite;
  • slow digestive process;
  • constipation [7].

In addition, being a good source of vitamin C, cherry plum prevents scurvy and removes toxins from the body. This sour fruit is known to help with colds and coughs and is a good diaphoretic. Doctors also advise people with low acidity gastritis to consume more cherry plum. Among other things, this excellent fruit promotes rapid healing of wounds.

The nutritional value

Cherry plum – a very good tool for weight loss. Want to get rid of extra pounds? You can use the ridiculously simple and affordable recipe – for 2 weeks, drink a glass of cherry plum three times a day (before meals).

This fruit contains a lot of water, and its calorie content does not exceed 40 kcal per 100 g. [8]. Also, a 100-gram serving of cherry plum provides approximately 2,5 g of fat, 8 g of carbohydrates, and about 1,5 g of protein. It has almost no sodium, but quite a lot of potassium (200 mg / 100 g, which is almost 6% of the daily value), which makes cherry plum an excellent diuretic. Thus, this fruit is an ideal remedy for removing excess fluid from the body, and this contributes to weight loss. In addition, a high potassium content is beneficial for people with high blood pressure and cardiac arrhythmia, since it is the deficiency of this nutrient that leads to these health problems.

In addition, 100 g of cherry plum contains approximately 5 mg of dietary fiber, which is almost 20% of the recommended daily allowance. Due to this, cherry plum softens the stool, reduces the time for the passage of digestive products through the intestinal tract, reduces the absorption of sugar by the intestines, which is an important factor for dieters, as well as for diabetics.

Cherry plum – a fruit very rich in minerals and vitamins [9]. 100 g of the product contains:

  • vitamin A – 5% of the daily value;
  • vitamin C – 13% of the daily value;
  • calcium – 5% of the daily norm;
  • iron – 5% of the daily norm.

Cherry plum fruits are a real storehouse of organic acids, vitamins, including E and group B. This mineral-vitamin complex makes the fruit an important component for maintaining physical and mental balance, and gives vitality. Due to its richness in vitamins and minerals, cherry plum is an excellent product for low-calorie diets, suitable for people involved in sports, and serves as an important component in weight loss programs.

Cherry plum in folk medicine: the benefits and harm

Since ancient times, traditional healers have resorted to cherry plum as an effective medicine. For centuries, cherry plum flowers and fruits have been used to get rid of many ailments. Even for the manufacture of activated charcoal, our ancestors used the seeds from these fruits.

Ancient healers did not know anything about the uniqueness of the chemical composition of these sweet and sour fruits, but they were sure that with the help of cherry plum, digestion and blood circulation could be improved. Centuries of experience have shown that these fruits are especially useful for expectant mothers and the elderly, and an infusion of cherry plum flowers helps restore the health of the kidneys, liver and male reproductive system.

Since ancient times, the beneficial effect of cherry plum on the nervous system has been known. Under stress, the fruit of this fruit tree is soothing and relaxing. And with increased pressure, it is enough to eat about 200 of fruit in order to improve well-being.

Even ordinary cherry plum compote has healing properties that are recognized by official medicine. To strengthen immunity and additional fortification, doctors advise patients to drink decoctions of sour fruits. It is believed that these fruits are effective in biliary dyskinesia, liver dysfunction and diabetes.

However, a high concentration of organic acids makes cherry plum undesirable in the diet of people with high acidity and stomach ulcers. You should not abuse the fruit and people with frequent diarrhea or diseases accompanied by loose stools.

Fruit Treatment

Among the recipes of traditional medicine you can find hundreds of treatment recommendations based on the use of cherry plum. Here are the most popular and effective recipes.

Recipe for liver recovery

To cleanse the liver and restore its work, an infusion of cherry plum flowers is used. To prepare it, you will need 20 g of flowers and a glass of boiling water. The mixture is wrapped and infused for 2 hours. Take this medicine 100 ml in the morning and evening.

Cough treatment

This ancient recipe is made from the bark of the cherry plum tree. Approximately a tablespoon of crushed bark is poured 500 ml of water and boil 5-7 minutes on low heat. The cooled broth is filtered and 3-4 is taken once a day in 100 ml.

Cold recipe

An infusion of cherry plum flowers is considered an effective remedy for colds. Approximately 40 g of flowers pour half a liter of boiling water. Infuse for several hours. Drink half a glass at least 3 times a day.

A recipe for constipation

A decoction of dried cherry plum will help improve bowel function and cure chronic constipation. 3-4 tablespoons of dried fruits pour 500 ml of boiling water and boil for about 5 minutes. Infuse the remedy for several hours. Drink 3 times a day before meals for people prone to constipation. Continue treatment until the stool is completely normal.

How to use

Ideally, cherry plum is best consumed raw or drink freshly squeezed juice from it. [10]. In this case, all vitamins and nutrients are preserved. In addition, these sour fruits are used to prepare sauces for meat, for jams, jellies, compotes, marmalades and even wine.

In culinary recipes, there is an unusual combination of cherry plum and garlic, which gives a special taste to the finished dish. [11]. In addition to fresh fruits, dried plum fruits are used for cooking.

Cherry plum in beauty industry

In the cosmetic industry, cherry plum is also held in high esteem. Creams and masks, decoctions for strengthening hair and soap – and this is not the whole list of products in which cherry plum extract can be found. If we talk about the usefulness of this fruit in cosmetology, then, first of all, it is worth remembering the antioxidant properties of cherry plum [12]. With vitamins A and C in its composition, it is an effective component in products that slow down skin aging. Cosmetic products containing cherry plum extract, as well as the fruits themselves, which must be consumed throughout the fruiting season, will help improve the condition of the epidermis.

Fruit pits have no less useful properties. They serve as a source of oil, the properties of which resemble the extremely healthy almond oil. Cherry plum seed extract is used in perfumery and cosmetology for the production of medical soap.

In addition to expensive creams with cherry plum extract, there is another, cheaper, method of using these fruits to improve skin condition. For example, as a budget, but very effective “drug”, a face mask made from cherry plum pulp is suitable. To do this, it is enough to soften the ripe fruits and apply this fruit puree to the skin. Leave for 20 minutes. This product cleanses the skin of the face, brightens age spots and moisturizes.

Cherry plum cosmetics at home

So, at home, it is not difficult to prepare some simple but effective means of cherry plum.

Recipes for facial skin

Recipe 1

Remove the skin from the ripe fruits of the cherry plum, separate the stone, pass the pulp through a sieve. Add some cottage cheese or sour cream. Apply to face for 20 minutes. Suitable for normal skin.

Recipe 2

Peretert some fruits, add in mashed raw yolk. Stir and apply thoroughly to face, neck and decollete. This mask is designed to moisturize dry skin.

Recipe 3

To prepare this remedy, you will need about 20 ml of butter, chicken egg yolk, a tablespoon of cherry plum puree, a teaspoon of honey. Mix everything gently and apply on the face with light movements. Leave until absorbed into the skin. Remove the rest with a tissue.

Recipe 4

In a children’s cream add a little cherry plum juice and infusion of chamomile (or calendula). Stir and apply on the skin. Hold 15 for minutes and rinse. Suitable for dry skin.

Recipe 5

For oily facial skin, a decoction for washing made from cherry plum is suitable. To do this, crush 50 g of ripe fruit and pour warm boiled water (100 ml). Let it brew overnight. Use the filtered liquid for washing.

Recipe 6

And this remedy for acne is simple to the point of banality, but very effective. This time, you don’t have to prepare anything ahead of time. It is enough to take a ripe cherry plum fruit, cut it and rub the pimple with the pulp. In the morning, in its place will be clean skin.

Recipe for hair

Prepare a decoction from about 100 g of cherry plum and 500 ml of water. Let it brew and cool. Ready, filtered product is used to rinse hair. Regular use of the decoction will make the hair strong and shiny.

This tree can be seen in almost every garden. Cherry plum fruits are loved by children and adults. However, most of them do not even realize how useful these delicious fruits are as a medicine and what benefits they can bring to a person. If we recall the unique chemical composition of these fruits, it becomes immediately clear where their miraculous power comes from.

Sources of
  1. ↑ Collection of scientific works of the State Nikitsky Botanical Garden. – History of cherry plum culture in the Crimea: introduction, selection.
  2. ↑ Journal “Vegetables and Fruits”. – Large-fruited cherry plum: the best varieties in the garden and in the kitchen.
  3. ↑ Nursery of fruit and berry crops Medvino. – Diploid plum (cultivated cherry plum, Russian plum).
  4. ↑ Tajik Agrarian University. – Dissertation on the topic “Agrobiological features and productivity of promising introduced varieties and local forms of plums in the conditions of the Western Pamirs”.
  5. ↑ University of Redlands. – Cherry plum.
  6. ↑ Social network for scientists ResearchGate. – Prunus cerasifera in Europe: distribution, habitat, usage and threats.
  7. ↑ Journal of the Agronomist No. 1. – Cherry plum: calorie content, composition, benefits and harms.
  8. ↑ Calorie counting site Calorisator. – Cherry plum.
  9. ↑ Scientific Electronic Library of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. – The content of phenolic compounds in cherry plum fruits during ripening.
  10. ↑ Electronic fund of legal and regulatory and technical documentation. – Interstate standard (GOST): fresh cherry plum.
  11. ↑ Encyclopedia of berries and fruits. – Cherry plum – useful properties and contraindications, calorie content, composition. Recipes. The best varieties of cherry plum.
  12. ↑ Social network for scientists ResearchGate. – Antioxidant and antibacterial activities of ethanol fruit extract of cherry plum – Prunus cerasifera.

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