Plum Crazy for Plums!

By Gretchen Bay

It’s officially summer. And summer means (among other delicious things)—plums! Unlike their stone-fruit cousins’ peaches and nectarines (which come with a white or yellow flesh and skin typically in the yellow-red spectrum), plums come in a wide variety of colors, mainly red, purple, yellow, black, and green. Their flavors range from candy-sweet to sublimely tart and everything in between.

There are two main families of plums, both thought to have origins going back a couple of thousand years: Japanese plums, which actually originated in China and were introduced to the U.S. in the late 19th century; and European plums, which were cultivated by the ancient Romans and came to America in the 18th century. There are an estimated 2,000 varieties of plums worldwide, with approximately 100 varieties available for eating in the U.S.

Nutritionally, plums, like most fruit, are a good source of vitamin C and dietary fiber. Add to this an impressive level of disease-fighting antioxidants, and it makes this delicious fruit that much nicer to eat. Enjoy!