Healthy benefits and easy methods to prepare dried plums at home

Dried plums add depth to many dishes, but that's not the only reason to always have a few in your kitchen pantry. They also help improve bowel function, assist with constipation, and make an excellent snack when you start running low on energy. Prepare plums at home and enjoy their flavour year-round.

Dried plums are an excellent ingredient in numerous dishes and a healthy addition to a varied diet. Dried plums support bowel function, improving peristalsis and aiding in waste elimination thanks to their high fibre content. Dried plums can indeed be quite expensive, but making them at home is not as difficult as it might seem.

First, sort the plums: only ripe, healthy, undamaged specimens are suitable for drying. Then, the plums should be immersed in boiling water for a few seconds, and after that, to stop the cooking process, they should be transferred to cold water. Blanching the plums or scalding them with boiling water is essential, as this softens the skin and makes it easier to remove the wax coating (necessary to allow water evaporation).

Next, the plums should be dried, pitted, and cut into smaller pieces. Arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Dry the plums in the oven at about 55-60°C - this is the optimal temperature to prevent the plums from overheating and burning. You can use a convection setting, which speeds up the process. Ideally, they should spend a day in the oven, but you can also dry them in intervals - first for 4 hours, then, after cooling, for 5-6 hours at a higher temperature than before. The plums are ready when their flesh is flexible, and no juice leaks.

Dried plums primarily contain a significant amount of fibre, which is necessary for the proper functioning of the digestive system. Fibre supports regular bowel movements and prevents constipation, positively affecting the digestive process. Additionally, fibre helps lower blood cholesterol levels, reducing cardiovascular disease risk.

Dried plums are quite calorific, so consuming a few pieces daily is recommended, even during a weight loss diet. Six dried plums provide about 100 calories and can offer significant health benefits. These fruits are a source of vitamins and minerals, such as potassium, iron, and vitamin K. Potassium is essential for properly functioning the nervous and muscular systems and helps regulate blood pressure. Vitamin K is responsible for proper blood clotting, and iron is necessary to produce red blood cells.

Dried plums are rich in B vitamins, including B1, B2, B3, and B6, which are key in the body's metabolic processes. They also contain antioxidants that help combat free radicals and may reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.