Plum, raw, organic? (real plum)

The raw common plum ( Prunus domestica ssp . italica var. subrotunda) is round, very juicy and tastes sweet. We distinguish it from the oval-shaped damson and other plum fruits. Raw common plums have a stronger antioxidant effect than processed fruits. Organically produced plums have a lower environmental impact.

Use in the kitchen

The real noble plum has a dark red to blue-black skin. The round plums have a strong core seam that runs across the entire fruit. The flesh is usually yellow to reddish, soft, juicy and tastes sweet. There is hardly any acidity. The stone is rounder than that of the plum and is harder to remove from the flesh. There are also spherical green-yellow varieties that are called greengage (Reineclaude, Reneclode, Ringlotte etc.).

Noble plums are delicious raw as a snack, dessert or chopped up in your daily muesli. Noble plums taste excellent when made into sauces (plum sauce), chutneys, jam, compote or puree. Plum juice is also popular and is easy to make yourself. The sweet fruits can also be used for a fine fruit crumble or a sheet cake (flaky pastry, fruit tart - made from shortcrust pastry) or to refine an iced tea. Plums give salty or spicy dishes a balancing taste. Dried plums also go perfectly with savory dishes. Plums harmonize with cinnamon, cardamom or vanilla, but also with turmeric, thyme or sage.

Vegan recipe for Asian plum sauce

Ingredients (for 500 ml sauce): 500 g plums, ½ tsp Sichuan pepper, 1⁄4 tsp ground cloves, a dried chili pepper, a clove of garlic, 1 tbsp grated ginger, 80 g brown sugar, 125 ml rice vinegar, 1 tbsp soy sauce, some ground anise and cinnamon (approx. ¼ tsp each)

Preparation: Wash the plums, remove the stones and cut into quarters. Finely grind the Sichuan pepper and chili pepper using a mortar. Cook all ingredients over medium heat for about 15 minutes until the sauce has a creamy consistency. Finally, puree everything finely and fill into jars.

The sauce goes well as a dip with Asian or grilled dishes.

Vegan raw plum crumble

Ingredients (2 servings): 1/2 lemon, 8 plums, a smallapple, 30 g almonds, 2 tbsp almond butter, 70 g dates, 30 g oat flakes, a pinch of salt,vanilla, cinnamon, a small handful of pistachios

Preparation: Cut the plums into bite-sized pieces and divide between two small bowls. Cut the apple into pieces, sprinkle with lemon and puree into a puree, adding a little water if necessary. A sauce should form. Stir in the cinnamon. Pour the apple puree over the plums. Now mix the dates together with the oat flakes, almond puree, a pinch of salt and the vanilla to form a dough (high-performance blender). Add the almonds and roughly mix/chop. As a final step, divide the crumbly dough into the two prepared bowls with clean hands. For decoration, you can sprinkle coarsely chopped nuts such as pistachios on top.

Raw plums also go very well with vegan Kaiserschmarrn. Also delicious: as a topping for chia pudding. Simply mix 150 ml of plant milk with 3 tablespoons of chia seeds andvanilla and leave to thicken in the fridge for about an hour.

Vegan recipes with plums can be found under the note: " Recipes that have the most of this ingredient ".

Purchasing - Storage

Fresh plums can often be found in the range of large supermarket chains such as Coop, Migros, Denner, Volg, Spar, Aldi, Lidl, Billa, Rewe, Edeka or Hofer, occasionally also in controlled organic quality (organic quality). Plums can also be bought in organic supermarkets such as Denn's Biomarkt or Alnatura and seasonally at the weekly market. Plums are in season from July to October. ³ However, thanks to imported goods, they are available all year round. When shopping, look for fresh and, above all, relatively firm/plump fruit; overripe plums often have worm infestations. Organically produced plums are also free of pesticide residues.

The availability of plums varies depending on the size of the store, catchment area, etc. Our recorded food prices for the DA-CH countries can be found above under the ingredient image - and by clicking on them you can see their development at different suppliers.

Found in the wild

The plum is a cultivated form that does not occur in the wild. Its wild 'ancestors' are the cherry plum ( Prunus cerasifera) and the blackthorn ( Prunus spinosa). ^5,6,7 The cherry plum originates from Central Asia. ⁶ The blackthorn is an important wild shrub. Today, the blackthorn is found throughout Europe, in the Middle East as far as the Caucasus and in North Africa. ⁷

Storage tips

Plums usually ripen very quickly at room temperature. It is therefore worth buying firm, fresh plums for storage and letting them ripen at home. If fine plums have a white layer on the skin, wash it off shortly before eating. This natural wax coating prevents them from drying out. ³ Plums should be stored in a cool, dark place, ideally in the refrigerator. Some types of plum can be stored for just a few days if placed individually. Newer varieties can be harvested before they are ripe and stored for up to 8 weeks. However, they then lack the full aroma, which no longer develops. ⁴ If you want to eat the plums you have bought at a later date, you should wash them, remove the stones and freeze them dry.

Ingredients - Nutritional values - Calories

Raw plums contain 46 kcal per 100 g. They consist of 87.2% water. With 0.28 g fat and 0.7 g protein per 100 g, they are low in fat and protein. 100 g of plums contain 11 g carbohydrates, of which 9.9 g are sugar. The fiber content is 1.4 g/100g. ¹

Plums contain vitamin C. The 9.5 mg/100g cover 12.0% of the daily requirement.Blueberries (9.7 mg), fresh goji berries (9.7 mg) and bananas (8.7 mg) have similar values. Sea buckthorn berries are richer in vitamin C with 450 mg/100g, which corresponds to 563% of the daily requirement. ¹

It also contains vitamin K. However, the 6.4 µg/100g only corresponds to 9.0% of the daily requirement. Swiss chard (830 µg/100g) and kale (705 µg/100g) contain particularly high levels of vitamin K. This corresponds to 1,107.0% and 940.0% of the daily requirement, respectively. ¹

Raw plums also have low levels of potassium and manganese, as well as folate (folic acid). ¹

The complete ingredients of plums, the coverage of the daily requirement and comparison values with other ingredients can be found in our nutrient tables. In the article Nutrients explained you will get a detailed insight into the topic.

Health effects

Plums are said to have a number of health benefits: improving bone health (particularly in osteoporosis), promoting cognition and memory, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, and relieving constipation. ¹⁴ However, evidence for these claims is scarce. ²⁰ The polyphenols and chlorogenic acid contained in plum extracts also appear to protect against (breast) cancer. ¹⁵ Fresh plums contain high concentrations of secondary plant substances, including anthocyanins. They contain more anthocyanins and flavonols than dried plums. ¹⁶

Blanching also reduces the tannin content and the antioxidant effectiveness. However, the total polyphenol content increases. Fresh fruits have a higher capacity to scavenge free radicals (antioxidant effect) than dried fruits. Nevertheless, dried plums still contain far more antioxidants than most other dried fruits. ²⁰

Are prunes laxative? Prunes, which contain high levels of fiber, isatin and sorbitol, support the proper functioning of the digestive system and thus help relieve constipation. ²¹ Dried plums are considered an ancient remedy for constipation and diarrhea. The sorbitol responsible for this is also found in plum juice. Alternatively, you can drink 1 cup of fresh plum juice to get the laxative effect or consume a larger amount of fresh plums. ¹⁹ For details, see the link to dried plums, as they work much better.

The bark of the plum tree ( Prunus africana) is used in African folk medicine to treat prostate problems. The decreasing testosterone level in men as they age can lead to a benign enlargement of the prostate. In animal models, it has been proven that the positive effect can also be seen in the sweet plum ( Prunus domestica). The bark also helps against inflammation and free radicals. ¹⁷

Secondary plant substances

Many of the health effects of plums can be attributed to the secondary plant substances they contain. Our article on secondary plant substances provides an overview of the classification of substance groups, their occurrence in foods and possible effects on humans. The plum contains the following secondary plant substances: Phenols (mainly anthocyanins), Carotenoids, ²⁰ hydroxycinnamic acid-containing compounds such as chlorogenic acid, neochlorogenic acid and quercetin. ²¹

However, it should be noted that the composition of secondary plant substances in plums can vary depending on the variety, time of harvest, growing conditions and preparation. Therefore, quantities are only of limited use and should only be understood roughly.

Dangers - Intolerances - Side effects

People with fructose intolerance should avoid plums or only eat a small amount of them. The fruit sugar (fructose) content is relatively high at 3.07 g/100g. ¹ If you are intolerant, plums can cause stomach pain, nausea, flatulence or diarrhea.

People who are allergic to birch pollen or peaches can have an allergic reaction to plums. If it is a cross-reaction to the birch pollen fruit protein (birch fruit syndrome), you can eat cooked plums, as the allergen is not heat-stable. However, if you are intolerant to peaches and plums, a heat-stable protein is responsible. Cooking the fruit does not alleviate the symptoms. In addition, they are usually more severe than with a birch pollen fruit allergy. ¹³

Ecological footprint - animal welfare

Plums are generally a climate-friendly fruit. They have a CO ₂ footprint of around 0.32 kg CO ₂ eq/kg. ²² An average apple, for example, has a similar footprint, meaning that plums share the top spots with other types of fruit and vegetables. ²⁴

Mekonnen and Hoekstra, two leading scientists in this field, found a global average water footprint of 2180 l/kg for plums; this value is far above the global average for fruit (967 l/kg). Of this, 1570 l/kg for plums is green water - rainwater. ²³

Plums are usually available all year round thanks to imported goods. It is better to buy them regionally and seasonally, as they have a better ecological balance. Non-local or out-of-season fruit and vegetables are transported by truck, ship or plane, which greatly increases their ecological footprint. ¹⁸

For detailed explanations of various sustainability indicators (such as ecological footprint, _CO2 footprint, water footprint), see our article: What does the ecological footprint mean?

Animal welfare - species protection

The use of pesticides is a common practice in industrial fruit growing. Many of these poisons are harmful to farm workers and the environment. The pollutants can contaminate water and are just as harmful to non-target organisms/wild animals. In plum cultivation, 33 pesticides are used that are toxic to pollinators such as honey bees. ²⁵ In a study, however, researchers were able to show that lower pesticide use and thus lower environmental pollution can very well be associated with high yields. ²⁶

Worldwide occurrence - cultivation

The origin of the noble plum ( Prunus domestica var. subrotunda) is not clearly established. It is assumed that it is a hybrid of cherry plum ( Prunus cerasifera) and blackthorn ( Prunus spinosa). The low genetic diversity and the lack of true wild types, combined with the known cultivation history of Eurasian plums, indicate that the noble plum could have been a product of interspecific crossing and artificial selection by early agrarian Eurasian societies. Its original home is believed to be near the Caucasus and the Caspian Sea. ⁵

In 2022, global production of plums and sloes amounted to around 12 million tonnes, with China accounting for the largest share, followed by Romania, Serbia and Chile. ²

Growing in the garden or as a potted plant

In addition to plum trees, there are also varieties that grow as bushes and therefore require less space in the garden. Special varieties can also be cultivated as columnar fruit in pots. ⁹

If you buy a young tree, you should choose a grafted fruit tree, consisting of a rootstock (rooter) and a noble variety. A self-fertile variety is suitable. It is best to plant the young tree in autumn (October and November), alternatively March and April are also possible. A moist, humus- and nutrient-rich garden soil is important. A pH value between 6 and 7 is ideal. The location should be sunny and as sheltered from the wind as possible. In the first few years, the tree should be watered regularly, as the roots do not reach deep enough into the soil and therefore cannot absorb enough water. Annual fertilization with compost and pruning promotes growth and yield. ¹⁰

Cultivation - Harvest

The plum harvest (season) in Central Europe extends from July to October and depends on the variety planted and the location. The main harvest time is around September. Ripening depends on the amount of sunlight, which is why fruits can be at different stages of ripeness on one tree. The plums should therefore be harvested over several weeks and not all at the same time. ¹¹ Plums are ripe when they are dark in color and give slightly when pressed. It is best to let them fall from the tree, then they are sure to be ripe. Also regularly pick off damaged fruit. Plums left lying around quickly attract wasps.

Possible confusion

It often happens that noble plums are confused with damsons (Prunus domestica subsp. domestica). Strictly speaking, both belong to the plant species of the (cultivated) plum ( Prunus domestica), but are different subspecies. There are many different varieties of plums. However, they can always be recognized by their egg-shaped, tapered shape and their bluish-violet color. They are not grooved. Their flesh is usually yellow-green, firmer, drier and more sour in taste than that of plums. Because they contain less water, they are better suited to baking than noble plums. In contrast to plums, the stone of the plum separates relatively easily from the flesh. ⁸

Further information

The common plum ( Prunus domestica var. subrotunda) - the best known of the common plums ( Prunus domestica subsp. italica) - appears in dark red to blue-black. Green-yellow varieties are called greengages ( Prunus domestica var. claudiana). It is a rose plant (Rosaceae), probably originating from a hybrid between cherry plum and blackthorn. ⁵ There are 7 subspecies of the (cultivated) plum, including the damson and mirabelle.

There are various varieties of the noble plum: Italian plum, French d'Agen plum, Van der Merwe, or Californian plum (usually also a d'Agen variety). The purple Turkish plum is also called Kriecherl.

And because it is often a bit confusing how all the plum, damson and cherry varieties are connected, here is a shortened rough outline:

Prunus domestica:
subsp. insititia (L.) POIRET – Sloe, creeping sloe (Kriecherl)
var. pomariorum BOUT. – Spillings
var. cerea (L.) – mirabelle plums
subsp. italica – round plums, noble plums
var. claudiana POIR.
var. subrotunda – True noble plum
subsp. intermedia – half plums
var. ovoidea (MART.) – egg plums
var. oxycarpa (BECHST.) – Oval plums
var. mamillaris (Schüb. et Mart.) – Daphne
var. "Halbwetschen" – actual half plums
subsp. oeconomica – plums
var. pruneauliana SER. ap and DC

However, classifying Prunus domestica is very difficult because its subspecies hybridize with each other. ¹²

Alternative names

The noble plum is also called noble round plum. It is also spelled noble plum and noble plum.

The greenish-yellow varieties (var. claudiana) are called Reine Claude, Greengage, Reine Claude, Ringlotte, Ringelotte, Rund-Plaume or Ringlo. In English, the dark plum is called plum and the greenish-yellow one is called greengage or Reine Claude.