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Plums are a potential source of polyphenolic compounds and bioactive compounds such as phenolics, anthocyanins and carotenoids and many organic acids such as citric acid and malic acid. Plums are also abundant sources of many minerals such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and vitamins A, B, K and C. Plums are abundant sources of predominant antioxidants and phenolic compounds such as caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, crypto-chlorogenic acid and neochlorogenic acid. These antioxidants and bioactive compounds are effective in the treatment and prevention of gastrointestinal diseases, bone health and cardiovascular diseases and in maintaining blood glucose level. Plums help in the prevention of heart diseases as they are low in fat content and rich in dietary fiber. It is also effective in the treatment of lung and mouth cancer. Consumption of plums improves human health and prevents many diseases.

Despite their sweet taste, prunes do not cause a large postprandial rise in blood glucose or insulin. Direct effects on the gastrointestinal tract include prevention of constipation and possibly colon cancer. The characteristic phenolic compounds and their metabolites can also act as antibacterial agents in both the gastrointestinal and urinary tracts.

The beneficial effects of prunes on bone health may be due in part to the variety of phenolics present in the fruit. Animal and cell studies suggest that dried plums and/or their extracts improve bone formation and inhibit bone resorption through their actions on cell signaling pathways that influence osteoblast and osteoclast differentiation.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. According to the European Society of Cardiology, approximately 113 million people in the 57 member countries experienced cardiovascular diseases (CVD).

Prunes may represent a plausible non-pharmacological treatment approach to preserve bone health by attenuating chronic low-grade inflammation associated with postmenopausal bone loss at the same time without any adverse effects on cardiometabolic risk factors.

Consumption of plums, especially the dried plum intervention type, may improve lipid profiles by lowering total cholesterol (TC) levels and LDL levels.

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